apache/cassandra · error · IllegalArgumentException

Only one of --node or --ip need to be set

Error message

Only one of --node or --ip need to be set

What it means

The mirror case of missing-required-option: nodetool abortbootstrap throws IllegalArgumentException when BOTH --node and --ip are supplied, since exactly one way to identify the bootstrap must be given.

Source

Thrown at src/java/org/apache/cassandra/tools/nodetool/AbortBootstrap.java:43

import static org.apache.commons.lang3.StringUtils.EMPTY;
import static org.apache.commons.lang3.StringUtils.isEmpty;

@Command(name = "abortbootstrap", description = "Abort a failed bootstrap")
public class AbortBootstrap extends AbstractCommand
{
    @Option(paramLabel = "node_id", names = "--node", description = "Node ID of the node that failed bootstrap")
    private String nodeId = EMPTY;

    @Option(paramLabel = "ip", names = "--ip", description = "IP of the node that failed bootstrap")
    private String endpoint = EMPTY;

    @Override
    public void execute(NodeProbe probe)
    {
        if (isEmpty(nodeId) && isEmpty(endpoint))
            throw new IllegalArgumentException("Either --node or --ip needs to be set");
        if (!isEmpty(nodeId) && !isEmpty(endpoint))
            throw new IllegalArgumentException("Only one of --node or --ip need to be set");
        probe.abortBootstrap(nodeId, endpoint);
    }
}

View on GitHub (pinned to 88fd0f6a0e)

Solutions

1. Remove one of the two flags so only --node or only --ip is present
2. If unsure of the host id, look it up with nodetool status and use just --ip, or vice versa
3. Fix scripts so they pass one identifier chosen programmatically, not both

Example fix

// before
nodetool abortbootstrap --node 5f4a --ip 10.0.0.5:7000
// after
nodetool abortbootstrap --ip 10.0.0.5:7000

boolean hasNode = nodeId != null && !nodeId.isEmpty();
boolean hasIp = endpoint != null && !endpoint.isEmpty();
if (hasNode && hasIp)
    throw new IllegalArgumentException("Pass only one of --node or --ip");

When it happens

Trigger: Running 'nodetool abortbootstrap --node <id> --ip <addr>' — both non-empty — from the shell or a script that always appends both flags.

Common situations: Template scripts that set both variables unconditionally; copy-pasting example commands containing both flags; operator unsure which identifier to use and passing both.

Related errors

• Either --node or --ip needs to be set
• 'nodetool bootstrap resume' is disabled.
• Node is not yet bootstrapped completely. Use nodetool to che
• Can't abort bootstrap for - it does not exist in cluster me
• Can't abort bootstrap for - it is alive

AI-assisted analysis of apache/cassandra@88fd0f6a0e (2026-09-10). Data as JSON: /api/errors/0357ab013b28fab3. Report an issue: GitHub.