Automattic/mongoose · error

MONGOOSE

MONGOOSE

Error message

mongoose: calling `save()` on a subdoc does **not** save the document to MongoDB, it only runs save middleware. Use `subdoc.save({ suppressWarning: true })` to hide this warning if you're sure this behavior is right for your app.

What it means

Error "mongoose: calling `save()` on a subdoc does **not** save the document to MongoDB, it only runs save middleware. Use `subdoc.save({ suppressWarning: true })` to hide this warning if you're sure this behavior is right for your app." thrown in Automattic/mongoose.

Source

Thrown at lib/types/subdocument.js:76

 *
 * #### Note:
 *
 * _This is a no-op. Does not actually save the doc to the db._
 *
 * @param {object} [options]
 * @param {boolean} [options.suppressWarning=false] If `true`, suppress the warning about calling `save()` on a subdoc.
 * @param {boolean|object} [options.middleware=true] set to `false` to skip all user-defined middleware
 * @param {boolean} [options.middleware.pre=true] set to `false` to skip only pre hooks
 * @param {boolean} [options.middleware.post=true] set to `false` to skip only post hooks
 * @return {Promise} resolved Promise
 * @api private
 */

Subdocument.prototype.save = async function save(options) {
  options = options || {};

  if (!options.suppressWarning) {
    utils.warn('mongoose: calling `save()` on a subdoc does **not** save ' +
      'the document to MongoDB, it only runs save middleware. ' +
      'Use `subdoc.save({ suppressWarning: true })` to hide this warning ' +
      'if you\'re sure this behavior is right for your app.');
  }

  return await this.$__save(options);
};

/**
 * Given a path relative to this document, return the path relative
 * to the top-level document.
 * @param {string} path
 * @method $__fullPath
 * @memberOf Subdocument
 * @instance
 * @returns {string}
 * @api private
 */

View on GitHub (pinned to 49cdab0136)

When it happens

Trigger: Thrown at lib/types/subdocument.js:76 when the library encounters an invalid state.

Common situations: See trigger scenarios.

AI-assisted analysis of Automattic/mongoose@49cdab0136 (2026-08-21). Data as JSON: /api/errors/ffe946b97001f0be. Report an issue: GitHub.