apache/hadoop · error · IOException

Can't make directory for path "%s" under "%s".

Error message

Can't make directory for path "%s" under "%s".

What it means

Error "Can't make directory for path "%s" under "%s"." thrown in apache/hadoop.

Source

Thrown at hadoop-common-project/hadoop-common/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/fs/sftp/SFTPFileSystem.java:338

    } catch (SftpException e) {
      throw new IOException(e);
    }
    Path absolute = makeAbsolute(workDir, file);
    String pathName = absolute.getName();
    if (!exists(client, absolute)) {
      Path parent = absolute.getParent();
      created =
          (parent == null || mkdirs(client, parent, FsPermission.getDefault()));
      if (created) {
        String parentDir = parent.toUri().getPath();
        boolean succeeded = true;
        try {
          final String previousCwd = client.pwd();
          client.cd(parentDir);
          client.mkdir(pathName);
          client.cd(previousCwd);
        } catch (SftpException e) {
          throw new IOException(String.format(E_MAKE_DIR_FORPATH, pathName,
              parentDir));
        }
        created = created & succeeded;
      }
    } else if (isFile(client, absolute)) {
      throw new IOException(String.format(E_DIR_CREATE_FROMFILE, absolute));
    }
    return created;
  }

  /**
   * Convenience method, so that we don't open a new connection when using this
   * method from within another method. Otherwise every API invocation incurs
   * the overhead of opening/closing a TCP connection.
   * @throws IOException
   */
  private boolean isFile(ChannelSftp channel, Path file) throws IOException {
    try {

View on GitHub (pinned to 2add963021)

Solutions

1. Create the parent directory first, or check permissions to create directories under the given parent.
2. Verify the parent path on the SFTP server is a directory and writable.

When it happens

Trigger: Thrown by SFTPFileSystem.mkdirs when the parent directory portion of the target path cannot be created on the SFTP server.

Common situations: See trigger scenarios.

AI-assisted analysis of apache/hadoop@2add963021 (2026-08-22). Data as JSON: /api/errors/fc4bac2511cbfe01. Report an issue: GitHub.