diff --git a/uw b/uw
index bbba37e14..b21cad879 100755
--- a/uw
+++ b/uw
@@ -863,6 +863,26 @@ run_setup() {
         fi
     fi
 
+    # Optional: Install the Claude Code CLI (only meaningful for the Developer feature,
+    # which brings nodejs into the env). Reuses the install-claude pixi task.
+    if [ "$feature_choice" = "3" ]; then
+        echo ""
+        echo -e "${BOLD}Claude Code CLI (Optional)${NC}"
+        echo "  Install the Claude Code CLI globally via the dev environment's npm:"
+        echo "    pixi run -e $new_env install-claude"
+        echo "  (equivalent to: npm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code)"
+        echo ""
+        read -p "Install Claude Code CLI now? [y/N]: " install_claude_cli
+        install_claude_cli=${install_claude_cli:-n}
+
+        if [ "$install_claude_cli" = "y" ] || [ "$install_claude_cli" = "Y" ]; then
+            $PIXI run -e "$new_env" install-claude
+            echo -e "  ${GREEN}✓${NC} Claude Code CLI installed"
+        else
+            echo "  Skipped. Run later with: ./uw install-claude"
+        fi
+    fi
+
     # Optional: Configure Claude Code permissions for unattended monitoring
     echo ""
     echo -e "${BOLD}Claude Code Permissions (Optional)${NC}"
@@ -947,6 +967,7 @@ COMMANDS
     set-env NAME        Change environment directly
     ai-tools            Configure external AI instruction paths
     claude-perms        Configure Claude Code permissions (safe defaults)
+    install-claude      Install Claude Code CLI into the dev pixi env (run via ./uw claude)
 
   Building:
     build               Build underworld3
@@ -1662,6 +1683,27 @@ case "${1:-}" in
     claude-perms)
         configure_claude_permissions "$(get_env)"
         ;;
+    install-claude)
+        # The install-claude pixi task lives under [feature.dev.tasks], so it
+        # only resolves in dev-feature envs (dev, amr-dev, *-dev). Guard the
+        # call so users on default/runtime get a clear message instead of a
+        # raw "task not found" error from pixi.
+        env=$(get_env)
+        case "$env" in
+            *dev*)
+                $PIXI run -e "$env" install-claude
+                ;;
+            *)
+                echo -e "${YELLOW}install-claude needs a dev environment (current: $env).${NC}"
+                echo "Switch with one of:"
+                echo "  ./uw set-env dev          # conda-forge PETSc"
+                echo "  ./uw set-env amr-dev      # custom PETSc with AMR tools"
+                echo "  ./uw set-env mpich-dev    # MPICH override"
+                echo "  ./uw set-env openmpi-dev  # OpenMPI override"
+                exit 1
+                ;;
+        esac
+        ;;
     --help|-h|help)
         show_help
         ;;