OrchardCMS/OrchardCore · error · InvalidOperationException

Not a draft version.

Error message

Not a draft version.

What it means

DiscardDraftAsync may only be called on a draft: the item must not be Published and must be the Latest version. Anything else throws InvalidOperationException('Not a draft version.'), protecting published or superseded versions from being discarded.

Solutions

1. Load the item with VersionOptions.Latest and verify !Published && Latest before discarding
2. For published items use UnpublishAsync instead of DiscardDraftAsync
3. Re-fetch a fresh instance if the passed one may be stale
4. Guard with an if-check or catch InvalidOperationException to handle race conditions

Example fix

// before
var item = await _contentManager.GetAsync(id, VersionOptions.Published);
await _contentManager.DiscardDraftAsync(item);
// after
var item = await _contentManager.GetAsync(id, VersionOptions.Latest);
if (item is { Published: false, Latest: true })
{
    await _contentManager.DiscardDraftAsync(item);
}

var latest = await cm.GetAsync(id, VersionOptions.Latest); bool discardable = latest is { Published: false, Latest: true };

bool isDraft = contentItem is { Published: false, Latest: true };

try { await cm.DiscardDraftAsync(item); } catch (InvalidOperationException ex) when (ex.Message == "Not a draft version.") { /* item is published or superseded; reload or unpublish instead */ }

When it happens

Trigger: Calling DiscardDraftAsync with a published item (Published=true), an outdated version (Latest=false), or a stale instance superseded by a newer draft/publish.

Common situations: UI code caching a published item and later discarding a 'draft'; concurrent edits where another user published; passing an item from AllVersions query results.

Understand the failure class

Background: "Invalid state transition" errors: "status must be X, actually Y", "already rejected/charging/uninstalled", "cannot ... while running" — what they mean when a library rejects your call — this error's family across 31 libraries.

Related errors

• Not the latest version.
• The content item is missing a 'ContentItemId'.
• Content type name contains invalid characters
• Content type name is reserved for internal use
• Content part name must start with a letter

AI-assisted analysis of OrchardCMS/OrchardCore@4306c0717f (2026-09-13). Data as JSON: /api/errors/20507073572917a9. Report an issue: GitHub.

Appendix: source

Thrown at src/OrchardCore/OrchardCore.ContentManagement/DefaultContentManager.cs:955

        foreach (var version in activeVersions)
        {
            version.Published = false;
            version.Latest = false;
            await _session.SaveAsync(version);
        }

        await ReversedHandlers.InvokeAsync((handler, context) => handler.RemovedAsync(context), context, _logger);

        return true;
    }

    public async Task DiscardDraftAsync(ContentItem contentItem)
    {
        ArgumentNullException.ThrowIfNull(contentItem);

        if (contentItem.Published || !contentItem.Latest)
        {
            throw new InvalidOperationException("Not a draft version.");
        }

        var publishedItem = await GetAsync(contentItem.ContentItemId, VersionOptions.Published);

        var context = new RemoveContentContext(contentItem, publishedItem == null);

        await Handlers.InvokeAsync((handler, context) => handler.RemovingAsync(context), context, _logger);

        contentItem.Latest = false;
        await _session.SaveAsync(contentItem);

        await ReversedHandlers.InvokeAsync((handler, context) => handler.RemovedAsync(context), context, _logger);

        if (publishedItem != null)
        {
            publishedItem.Latest = true;
            await _session.SaveAsync(publishedItem);
        }

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