MacOS X uses utmpx. Apple's patchset (patch-apple.diff) adds code that calls /usr/bin/login to handle utmpx editing. Thus, we have no need to use screen's utmp editing code. This patch disables screen's utmp editing. This also fixes the "/var/run/utmp: No such file or directory" errors as a consequence of the above. --- acconfig.h 2021-05-08 19:39:20.099088823 -0400 +++ acconfig.h 2021-05-08 20:11:16.299603971 -0400 @@ -191,14 +191,14 @@ * If screen is installed with permissions to update /etc/utmp (such * as if it is installed set-uid root), define UTMPOK. */ -#define UTMPOK +#undef UTMPOK /* Set LOGINDEFAULT to one (1) * if you want entries added to /etc/utmp by default, else set it to * zero (0). * LOGINDEFAULT will be one (1) whenever LOGOUTOK is undefined! */ -#define LOGINDEFAULT 1 +#undef LOGINDEFAULT /* Set LOGOUTOK to one (1) * if you want the user to be able to log her/his windows out. @@ -214,7 +214,7 @@ * Set CAREFULUTMP to one (1) if you want that users have at least one * window per screen session logged in. */ -#define LOGOUTOK 1 +#undef LOGOUTOK #undef CAREFULUTMP