diff --git a/package-lock.json b/package-lock.json
index c46f756..7517f7b 100644
--- a/package-lock.json
+++ b/package-lock.json
@@ -12,13 +12,11 @@
         "@whiskeysockets/baileys": "^7.0.0-rc.9",
         "better-sqlite3": "^11.8.1",
         "pino": "^9.6.0",
-        "pino-pretty": "^13.0.0",
-        "qrcode-terminal": "^0.12.0"
+        "pino-pretty": "^13.0.0"
       },
       "devDependencies": {
         "@types/better-sqlite3": "^7.6.12",
         "@types/node": "^22.10.0",
-        "@types/qrcode-terminal": "^0.12.2",
         "tsx": "^4.19.0",
         "typescript": "^5.7.0"
       },
@@ -1177,13 +1175,6 @@
         "undici-types": "~6.21.0"
       }
     },
-    "node_modules/@types/qrcode-terminal": {
-      "version": "0.12.2",
-      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/@types/qrcode-terminal/-/qrcode-terminal-0.12.2.tgz",
-      "integrity": "sha512-v+RcIEJ+Uhd6ygSQ0u5YYY7ZM+la7GgPbs0V/7l/kFs2uO4S8BcIUEMoP7za4DNIqNnUD5npf0A/7kBhrCKG5Q==",
-      "dev": true,
-      "license": "MIT"
-    },
     "node_modules/@whiskeysockets/baileys": {
       "version": "7.0.0-rc.9",
       "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/@whiskeysockets/baileys/-/baileys-7.0.0-rc.9.tgz",
@@ -1989,14 +1980,6 @@
         "node": ">=20"
       }
     },
-    "node_modules/qrcode-terminal": {
-      "version": "0.12.0",
-      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/qrcode-terminal/-/qrcode-terminal-0.12.0.tgz",
-      "integrity": "sha512-EXtzRZmC+YGmGlDFbXKxQiMZNwCLEO6BANKXG4iCtSIM0yqc/pappSx3RIKr4r0uh5JsBckOXeKrB3Iz7mdQpQ==",
-      "bin": {
-        "qrcode-terminal": "bin/qrcode-terminal.js"
-      }
-    },
     "node_modules/quick-format-unescaped": {
       "version": "4.0.4",
       "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/quick-format-unescaped/-/quick-format-unescaped-4.0.4.tgz",
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index bcaec1b..c9309a9 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -16,13 +16,11 @@
     "@whiskeysockets/baileys": "^7.0.0-rc.9",
     "better-sqlite3": "^11.8.1",
     "pino": "^9.6.0",
-    "pino-pretty": "^13.0.0",
-    "qrcode-terminal": "^0.12.0"
+    "pino-pretty": "^13.0.0"
   },
   "devDependencies": {
     "@types/better-sqlite3": "^7.6.12",
     "@types/node": "^22.10.0",
-    "@types/qrcode-terminal": "^0.12.2",
     "tsx": "^4.19.0",
     "typescript": "^5.7.0"
   },
diff --git a/src/index.ts b/src/index.ts
index 4b01093..c367839 100644
--- a/src/index.ts
+++ b/src/index.ts
@@ -17,8 +17,8 @@ import makeWASocket, {
 } from '@whiskeysockets/baileys';
 import { query } from '@anthropic-ai/claude-agent-sdk';
 import pino from 'pino';
-import qrcode from 'qrcode-terminal';
 import Database from 'better-sqlite3';
+import { exec } from 'child_process';
 import fs from 'fs';
 import path from 'path';
 
@@ -356,16 +356,16 @@ async function connectWhatsApp(): Promise<void> {
     const { connection, lastDisconnect, qr } = update;
 
     if (qr) {
-      // Only show QR if running interactively (not as a background daemon)
-      if (process.stdout.isTTY) {
-        console.log('\nScan this QR code with WhatsApp:\n');
-        qrcode.generate(qr, { small: true });
-        console.log('\nWaiting for scan...\n');
-      } else {
-        logger.error('WhatsApp authentication required but running non-interactively.');
-        logger.error('Run "npm run dev" manually to scan the QR code, then restart the service.');
-        process.exit(1);
-      }
+      // Auth needed - notify user and exit
+      // This shouldn't happen during normal operation; auth is done during setup
+      const msg = 'WhatsApp authentication required. Run /setup in Claude Code.';
+      logger.error(msg);
+
+      // Send macOS notification so user sees it
+      exec(`osascript -e 'display notification "${msg}" with title "NanoClaw" sound name "Basso"'`);
+
+      // Give notification time to display, then exit
+      setTimeout(() => process.exit(1), 1000);
     }
 
     if (connection === 'close') {