# Package mode broken in REPL on Win11 unless started through VSCode extension

**URL:** <https://discourse.julialang.org/t/package-mode-broken-in-repl-on-win11-unless-started-through-vscode-extension/137985>\
**Category:** General Usage\
**Tags:** question, package\
**Created:** [July 7, 2026, 3:16pm UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/package-mode-broken-in-repl-on-win11-unless-started-through-vscode-extension/137985 "2026-07-07T15:16:19Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![ducksoverip](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/julialang/user_avatar/discourse.julialang.org/ducksoverip/32/31967_2.png) [@ducksoverip](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/ducksoverip)\
**Post date:** [July 7, 2026, 3:16pm UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/package-mode-broken-in-repl-on-win11-unless-started-through-vscode-extension/137985/1 "2026-07-07T15:16:19Z")

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Ok, this is a weird one: if I start the Julia 1.12.6 REPL on my Windows 11 machine by opening up `cmd.exe` or PowerShell and typing `julia` in the prompt, it reads my `startup.jl` and duly starts the REPL. However, pressing `]` to start package mode fails, even if enter `using Pkg` first. On the other hand, if I start the REPL using the keyboard shortcut for the Julia extension in VSCode (`Alt-J`, `Alt-R`), then package mode works fine. The executable path in the extension settings is empty, so I don’t think it’s using a different install or something.

Using `where julia` in `cmd` returns the following:

```julia-auto
C:\Users\ducks\AppData\Local\Microsoft\WindowsApps\julia.exe
C:\Users\ducks\AppData\Local\Programs\julia-1.12.6\bin\julia.exe

```

However, manually starting both executables results in the same issue, so it shouldn’t depend on that distinction (I also don’t know why I have both). Here’s the result of `versioninfo()`:

```julia-auto
Julia Version 1.12.6
Commit 15346901f0 (2026-04-09 19:20 UTC)
Build Info:
  Official https://julialang.org release
Platform Info:
  OS: Windows (x86_64-w64-mingw32)
  CPU: 12 × AMD Ryzen 5 3600 6-Core Processor              
  WORD_SIZE: 64
  LLVM: libLLVM-18.1.7 (ORCJIT, znver2)
  GC: Built with stock GC
Threads: 1 default, 1 interactive, 1 GC (on 12 virtual cores)
Environment:
  JULIA_EDITOR = code
  JULIA_VSCODE_REPL = 1

```

The only difference between running this in extension-started REPL vs the manually-started REPL is the Environment block, which is missing in the manually-started REPL’s output.

Lastly, here’s my `startup.jl.` As a reminder, both methods of starting the REPL read this file.

```julia-auto
atreplinit() do repl
    try 
        @eval using Revise, Infiltrator, OhMyREPL
        println("All packages loaded successfully")
    catch err
        println("Issues loading packages")
    end
end

```

This does remind me of one other weird distinction: when manually starting the REPL, it prints the error message, then the success message. When using the extension to start it, it prints the success message twice. I have no idea what’s going on, but maybe it’s connected. Any insight would be greatly appreciated!

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![pfitzseb](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/julialang/user_avatar/discourse.julialang.org/pfitzseb/32/45566_2.png) [@pfitzseb](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/pfitzseb)\
**Post date:** [July 7, 2026, 9:06pm UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/package-mode-broken-in-repl-on-win11-unless-started-through-vscode-extension/137985/2 "2026-07-07T21:06:04Z")

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Does the issue also happen when starting julia with `--startup-file=no`? What versions of those packages are in your environment? Lastly, does changing the `@eval` line in your startup.jl to `@eval using Pkg, Revise, Infiltrator, OhMyREPL` make the plain REPL work again?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![ducksoverip](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/julialang/user_avatar/discourse.julialang.org/ducksoverip/32/31967_2.png) [@ducksoverip](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/ducksoverip)\
**Post date:** [July 8, 2026, 2:53am UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/package-mode-broken-in-repl-on-win11-unless-started-through-vscode-extension/137985/3 "2026-07-08T02:53:19Z")

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No startup fixes it, removing Infiltrator from the list fixes it, but it seems that OhMyREPL isn’t loading properly, even though entering `using OhMyREPL` after Julia starts works fine. All of those packages are on their most recent versions, according to the `st` command.