diff --git a/skillopt_sleep/backend.py b/skillopt_sleep/backend.py
index d7bb040..767f77c 100644
--- a/skillopt_sleep/backend.py
+++ b/skillopt_sleep/backend.py
@@ -615,6 +615,9 @@ class ClaudeCliBackend(CliBackend):
         #   --exclude-dynamic-...     drop per-machine cwd/env/memory/git sections
         #   cwd=<clean temp>          no project CLAUDE.md
         import tempfile
+        # Reset per call so a prior failure does not make a later successful
+        # call look failed in persisted diagnostics (matches CodexCliBackend).
+        self.last_call_error = ""
         cmd = [self.claude_path, "-p", "--output-format", "text"]
         if os.environ.get("ANTHROPIC_API_KEY"):
             cmd.append("--bare")
@@ -657,6 +660,7 @@ class ClaudeCliBackend(CliBackend):
         # validated honestly: we detect the call from the shim's log, not from
         # a self-reported marker. Other tools are stubbed the same way.
         import tempfile, shutil, stat
+        self.last_call_error = ""
         work = tempfile.mkdtemp(prefix="skillopt_sleep_tools_")
         calllog = os.path.join(work, "_tool_calls.log")
         try:
diff --git a/tests/test_sleep_engine.py b/tests/test_sleep_engine.py
index 46e88e5..350c0ef 100644
--- a/tests/test_sleep_engine.py
+++ b/tests/test_sleep_engine.py
@@ -1148,6 +1148,26 @@ class TestClaudeCliBackendBare(unittest.TestCase):
         self.assertEqual(resp, "")
         self.assertIn("Claude CLI spawn failed", be.last_call_error)
 
+    def test_last_call_error_cleared_on_next_success(self):
+        """A prior failure must not make a later successful call look failed:
+        _call resets last_call_error at the start of each call."""
+        from unittest import mock
+        from skillopt_sleep.backend import ClaudeCliBackend
+        be = ClaudeCliBackend(claude_path="claude", timeout=3)
+        # First call fails to spawn -> error recorded.
+        with mock.patch("skillopt_sleep.backend.subprocess.run",
+                        side_effect=FileNotFoundError("no claude")):
+            self.assertEqual(be._call("p1"), "")
+        self.assertIn("Claude CLI spawn failed", be.last_call_error)
+        # Next call succeeds -> stale error must be cleared.
+
+        class _OK:
+            stdout = "answer"
+            stderr = ""
+        with mock.patch("skillopt_sleep.backend.subprocess.run", return_value=_OK()):
+            self.assertEqual(be._call("p2"), "answer")
+        self.assertEqual(be.last_call_error, "")
+