Hmbown/CodeWhale · error

fleet task metadata key is reserved for the durable Runtime…

Error message

fleet task {} metadata key {} is reserved for the durable Runtime selection receipt

What it means

The metadata key FROZEN_FLEET_MEMBER_METADATA_KEY (from fleet::worker_runtime) is reserved: it stores the durable Runtime selection receipt written by the system. validate_task_spec_document (crates/tui/src/fleet/task_spec.rs:181) rejects task specs that set it themselves, since author-supplied values would collide with or forge the Runtime receipt.

Solutions

1. Remove the reserved metadata key from the task spec's metadata map
2. Let the Runtime write the selection receipt itself during the run
3. When reusing exported specs, strip system-generated metadata keys

Example fix

# before
[[tasks]]
id = "build"
instructions = "Run build"
[tasks.metadata]
"codewhale.frozen_fleet_member" = "..."
# after
[[tasks]]
id = "build"
instructions = "Run build"
# (receipt is written by Runtime, not the spec)

use fleet::worker_runtime::FROZEN_FLEET_MEMBER_METADATA_KEY;
if task.metadata.contains_key(FROZEN_FLEET_MEMBER_METADATA_KEY) {
    return Err("strip reserved frozen-member metadata from the spec".into());
}

match load_task_spec_document(path) {
    Ok(doc) => doc,
    Err(e) if e.to_string().contains("reserved for the durable Runtime selection receipt") => {
        eprintln!("{}: remove system-written metadata key", path.display());
        return;
    }
    Err(e) => return Err(e),
}

When it happens

Trigger: A task spec includes the reserved key in a task's `metadata` map; detected during validate_task_spec_document via load_task_spec_document or create_queued_run_with_descriptor.

Common situations: Hand-copying metadata from a previously generated run artifact (which contains the frozen receipt) back into a new spec; snapshot/export tooling round-tripping internal metadata.

Related errors

• agent profile provider cannot be empty
• agent profile provider must be a simple provider id
• duplicate fleet task id
• duplicate fleet worker id
• fleet cannot be empty

AI-assisted analysis of Hmbown/CodeWhale@73e0f67d83 (2026-09-22). Data as JSON: /api/errors/034979f5f1b3d13a. Report an issue: GitHub.

Appendix: source

Thrown at crates/tui/src/fleet/task_spec.rs:181

        validate_fleet_identity("task id", &task.id)?;
        if !ids.insert(task.id.clone()) {
            bail!("duplicate fleet task id {}", task.id);
        }
        validate_fleet_name(&format!("task {} name", task.id), &task.name)?;
        if task.instructions.trim().is_empty() {
            bail!("fleet task {} instructions cannot be empty", task.id);
        }
        if let Some(objective) = &task.objective
            && objective.trim().is_empty()
        {
            bail!("fleet task {} objective cannot be empty", task.id);
        }
        validate_worker_profile(&task.id, task.worker.as_ref())?;
        if task
            .metadata
            .contains_key(super::worker_runtime::FROZEN_FLEET_MEMBER_METADATA_KEY)
        {
            bail!(
                "fleet task {} metadata key {} is reserved for the durable Runtime selection receipt",
                task.id,
                super::worker_runtime::FROZEN_FLEET_MEMBER_METADATA_KEY
            );
        }
        validate_tags(&task.id, &task.tags)?;
        validate_workspace_requirements(task)?;
    }
    let mut worker_ids = BTreeSet::new();
    for worker in &doc.workers {
        validate_fleet_identity("worker id", &worker.id)?;
        if !worker_ids.insert(worker.id.clone()) {
            bail!("duplicate fleet worker id {}", worker.id);
        }
        validate_fleet_name(&format!("worker {} name", worker.id), &worker.name)?;
        if worker.trust_level.is_some() {
            bail!(
                "fleet worker {} trust_level is a legacy compatibility field, not Fleet identity; configure execution authority through Runtime policy",

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