macOS My Machines: `--computer-use` downloads signed SEA then crashes (`createRequire` / SEA runtime); CUA.app Ready but worker cannot advertise computer-use

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Where does the bug appear (feature/product)?

Cursor CLI

Describe the Bug

On Apple Silicon macOS, a My Machines worker runs fine via the JS entrypoint (node --use-system-ca index.js worker …). Enabling computer use fails:

  1. agent worker --computer-use start (or the same flags on the JS worker) prints that the macOS CLI is unsigned and downloads a Developer ID-signed SEA to ~/.cursor/cursor-agent-sea/cursor-agent-worker-sea.
  2. That SEA process then crashes. Previously we also hit Filesystem createRequire is disabled in the self-contained worker SEA when using …/versions/<ver>/cursor-agent-worker-sea.
  3. Cursor Computer Use.app can be installed and passes agent worker debug (Computer use Ready: yes, Mac app: yes), but without a surviving --computer-use worker start, computer-use is never advertised to Cloud Agents.
  4. agent update reports already up to date. Pre-placing the app / CUA_SERVICE_APP does not bypass the signed-SEA gate.

Workaround for non-GUI work: keep SEA aside and run the JS worker without --computer-use (shell/git/file tools work).

Steps to Reproduce

  1. macOS Apple Silicon; install Agent CLI; agent login.
  2. Confirm JS worker works:
VER="$HOME/.local/share/cursor-agent/versions/$(ls "$HOME/.local/share/cursor-agent/versions" | tail -1)"
mv -f "$VER/cursor-agent-worker-sea" "$VER/cursor-agent-worker-sea.bak" 2>/dev/null || true
"$VER/node" --use-system-ca "$VER/index.js" worker --name repro-mac --worker-dir "$PWD" --idle-release-timeout 0 start

→ Worker connects.
3. Stop it. Start with computer use:

agent worker --computer-use --name repro-mac --worker-dir "$PWD" start
  1. Observe: “Downloading a Developer ID-signed CLI…”, install under ~/.cursor/cursor-agent-sea/, then SEA crashes (createRequire / broken SEA runtime dump). Worker does not stay up with computer-use advertised.

Optional: manually install CUA; agent worker debug shows Ready/Mac app yes; --computer-use still dies.

Expected Behavior

--computer-use should keep a healthy worker, launch/use Cursor Computer Use.app, and advertise computer-use. Signed SEA (if required) should not crash with createRequire.

Operating System

MacOS

Version Information

  • Agent CLI: 2026.09.02-c22c1a3 (agent update → already up to date)
  • CUA app present: ~/.cursor/cursor-computer-use/Cursor Computer Use.app (0.0.13; notarized Team ID DCNK4UB866)
  • Signed SEA downloaded to: ~/.cursor/cursor-agent-sea/cursor-agent-worker-sea
  • Operating system: macOS 26.6.2 (Build 25G83), arm64 (Apple Silicon Mac mini)

Additional Information

Screenshots / Screen Recordings

N/A — terminal failure. Happy to attach full SEA stderr if useful.

Additional info

  • Docs followed: Computer use and desktop sharing | Cursor Docs
  • Related packaging issues (different symptoms): forum thread on --share-desktop helper missing on macOS (2026.08.25 build).
  • Privacy: Ghost mode off / non-privacy worker visible.

Does this stop you from using Cursor

Yes - Cursor is unusable

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4 posts were merged into an existing topic: macOS self-hosted worker, agent worker --computer-use start crashes at startup