watch: `NODE_OPTIONS=--watch` causes infinite loop

[ericnorris]

Version

v25.6.0

Platform

Darwin <redacted> 24.6.0 Darwin Kernel Version 24.6.0: Wed Nov  5 21:33:58 PST 2025; root:xnu-11417.140.69.705.2~1/RELEASE_ARM64_T6000 arm64 arm Darwin

Subsystem

No response

What steps will reproduce the bug?

1. Write the following to test.js and make it executable:

   #!/usr/bin/env node
   console.log('hello');

2. NODE_OPTIONS="--watch" ./test.js

How often does it reproduce? Is there a required condition?

This is always reproducible.

What is the expected behavior? Why is that the expected behavior?

I would expect it to run normally, producing hello in stdout and then exiting.

What do you see instead?

There is no output. I can see in my process list that there are hundreds of node processes spawning.

Additional information

This seems to be the same issue as #51159. For additional context, my intent was to reuse a bin entrypoint in package.json but with --watch mode, so under the scripts field it looked roughly like:

"scripts": {
    "dev": "NODE_OPTIONS='--watch' app",
}

...where app is in node_modules/.bin/.

[Renegade334]

Appears in v25.1.0, most likely relating to #60178 (cc @marco-ippolito)

renegade@venus:~$ echo 'console.log("Hello, world!")' > test.cjs && NODE_OPTIONS=--watch node test.cjs &
[1] 84511
renegade@venus:~$ pidof node
84729 84723 84717 84711 84705 84699 84693 84687 84679 84673 84667 84661 84653 84647 84641 84635 84629 84623 84617 84611 84604 84597 84591 84585 84579 84573 84567 84561 84555 84549 84543 84537 84531 84525 84511
renegade@venus:~$ pidof node
84817 84811 84805 84799 84793 84787 84781 84775 84769 84763 84755 84749 84739 84729 84723 84717 84711 84705 84699 84693 84687 84679 84673 84667 84661 84653 84647 84641 84635 84629 84623 84617 84611 84604 84597 84591 84585 84579 84573 84567 84561 84555 84549 84543 84537 84531 84525 84511
renegade@venus:~$ pidof node
84875 84867 84861 84855 84849 84843 84837 84831 84817 84811 84805 84799 84793 84787 84781 84775 84769 84763 84755 84749 84739 84729 84723 84717 84711 84705 84699 84693 84687 84679 84673 84667 84661 84653 84647 84641 84635 84629 84623 84617 84611 84604 84597 84591 84585 84579 84573 84567 84561 84555 84549 84543 84537 84531 84525 84511
renegade@venus:~$ pidof node
84919 84913 84907 84901 84895 84889 84875 84867 84861 84855 84849 84843 84837 84831 84817 84811 84805 84799 84793 84787 84781 84775 84769 84763 84755 84749 84739 84729 84723 84717 84711 84705 84699 84693 84687 84679 84673 84667 84661 84653 84647 84641 84635 84629 84623 84617 84611 84604 84597 84591 84585 84579 84573 84567 84561 84555 84549 84543 84537 84531 84525 84511
renegade@venus:~$ pidof node
84972 84966 84960 84952 84946 84940 84931 84919 84913 84907 84901 84895 84889 84875 84867 84861 84855 84849 84843 84837 84831 84817 84811 84805 84799 84793 84787 84781 84775 84769 84763 84755 84749 84739 84729 84723 84717 84711 84705 84699 84693 84687 84679 84673 84667 84661 84653 84647 84641 84635 84629 84623 84617 84611 84604 84597 84591 84585 84579 84573 84567 84561 84555 84549 84543 84537 84531 84525 84511
renegade@venus:~$ pidof node
85022 85016 85010 85004 84998 84992 84986 84972 84966 84960 84952 84946 84940 84931 84919 84913 84907 84901 84895 84889 84875 84867 84861 84855 84849 84843 84837 84831 84817 84811 84805 84799 84793 84787 84781 84775 84769 84763 84755 84749 84739 84729 84723 84717 84711 84705 84699 84693 84687 84679 84673 84667 84661 84653 84647 84641 84635 84629 84623 84617 84611 84604 84597 84591 84585 84579 84573 84567 84561 84555 84549 84543 84537 84531 84525 84511

[kennedybilly2]

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