apache/maven · error · RuntimeException

Unable to load plugin lifecycles

Error message

Unable to load plugin lifecycles

What it means

RuntimeException raised by the LifecycleProvider view inside DefaultMojoExecution when reading lifecycle mappings from a plugin descriptor fails. The method wraps delegate.getMojoDescriptor().getPluginDescriptor().getLifecycleMappings().values() in a try/catch and rethrows any exception with this message; the underlying cause (parse error, missing resource, classloading failure) is attached.

Source

Thrown at impl/maven-core/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/internal/impl/DefaultMojoExecution.java:78

            @Override
            public org.apache.maven.api.model.Plugin getModel() {
                return delegate.getPlugin().getDelegate();
            }

            @Override
            public PluginDescriptor getDescriptor() {
                return delegate.getMojoDescriptor().getPluginDescriptor().getPluginDescriptorV4();
            }

            @Override
            public List<Lifecycle> getLifecycles() {
                try {
                    return Collections.unmodifiableList(new ArrayList<>(delegate.getMojoDescriptor()
                            .getPluginDescriptor()
                            .getLifecycleMappings()
                            .values()));
                } catch (Exception e) {
                    throw new RuntimeException("Unable to load plugin lifecycles", e);
                }
            }

            @Override
            public ClassLoader getClassLoader() {
                return delegate.getMojoDescriptor().getRealm();
            }

            @Override
            public Artifact getArtifact() {
                org.apache.maven.artifact.Artifact artifact =
                        delegate.getMojoDescriptor().getPluginDescriptor().getPluginArtifact();
                org.eclipse.aether.artifact.Artifact resolverArtifact = RepositoryUtils.toArtifact(artifact);
                return resolverArtifact != null ? session.getArtifact(resolverArtifact) : null;
            }

            @Override
            public Map<String, Dependency> getDependenciesMap() {

View on GitHub (pinned to e4093d4e12)

Solutions

1. Read the cause for the exact resource or class that failed
2. Re-fetch the plugin: delete its directory under ~/.m2/repository and rebuild with mvn -U
3. If descriptor drift on snapshots recurs, pin a released plugin version

// Sanity-check the plugin artifact before use
Path jar = pluginArtifact.getFile().toPath();
if (!Files.exists(jar) || tryOpenZip(jar) != null) {
    throw new IllegalStateException("Corrupt plugin jar, re-fetch with mvn -U: " + jar);
}

try {
    lifecycles = mojoExecutionProvider.getLifecycles();
} catch (RuntimeException e) {
    if ("Unable to load plugin lifecycles".equals(e.getMessage()) && e.getCause() != null) {
    throw new IllegalStateException("Plugin " + pluginKey + " descriptor unreadable: "
        + e.getCause().getMessage()
        + "; delete its folder under the local repo and rebuild with -U", e);
    }
    throw e;
}

When it happens

Trigger: Calling getLifecycles() on a DefaultMojoExecution whose plugin descriptor's lifecycleMappings cannot be materialized: corrupted plugin jar in the local repository, descriptor referencing classes missing from the plugin realm, or a plugin built against an incompatible descriptor/API version.

Common situations: Broken/half-written downloads in ~/.m2/repository (interrupted transfers); snapshot plugins whose descriptor and classes drifted out of sync; plugins compiled against old Maven APIs deployed onto a newer Maven.

Related errors

• Unsupported class-loading strategy '{}'. Supported values ar
• {parameterName} has been declared multiple times in mojo wit
• Goal: {goal} already exists in the plugin descriptor for pre
• Found duplicated phase '{}' in '{}' lifecycle
• Unknown lifecycle phase "{}". You must specify a valid lifec

AI-assisted analysis of apache/maven@e4093d4e12 (2026-08-21). Data as JSON: /api/errors/fcb38501b16c49eb. Report an issue: GitHub.