apache/pulsar · error · RuntimeException

Unknown consumer protobuf failure action

Error message

Unknown consumer protobuf failure action 

What it means

CryptoUtils.getConsumerCryptoFailureAction maps a CryptoSpec.FailureAction to the client's ConsumerCryptoFailureAction, handling FAIL, DISCARD, and CONSUME. Any other value — typically a producer-only action like SEND — is unsupported and throws this RuntimeException. It signals a consumer crypto spec populated with an invalid failure action.

Solutions

1. Set the consumer's CryptoSpec failureAction to FAIL, DISCARD, or CONSUME only
2. Use getProducerCryptoFailureAction for producer specs (valid values FAIL/SEND)
3. Upgrade/align Pulsar client and functions-utils versions if a new enum value was introduced

Example fix

// before
cryptoSpec.setFailureAction(CryptoSpec.FailureAction.SEND); // producer-only
// after
cryptoSpec.setFailureAction(CryptoSpec.FailureAction.CONSUME); // valid for consumer

if (action != CryptoSpec.FailureAction.FAIL
        && action != CryptoSpec.FailureAction.DISCARD
        && action != CryptoSpec.FailureAction.CONSUME) {
    throw new IllegalArgumentException("Consumer failureAction must be FAIL, DISCARD, or CONSUME, got " + action);
}

boolean isConsumerAction(CryptoSpec.FailureAction a) {
    return a == CryptoSpec.FailureAction.FAIL
        || a == CryptoSpec.FailureAction.DISCARD
        || a == CryptoSpec.FailureAction.CONSUME;
}

try {
    ConsumerCryptoFailureAction mapped = CryptoUtils.getConsumerCryptoFailureAction(action);
} catch (RuntimeException e) {
    log.warn("Unsupported consumer failure action, defaulting to DISCARD", e);
    ConsumerCryptoFailureAction mapped = ConsumerCryptoFailureAction.DISCARD;
}

When it happens

Trigger: Calling getConsumerCryptoFailureAction (via convertFromSpec) with a CryptoSpec.FailureAction value of SEND or any other non-consumer action, or an enum constant added in a newer version not known to this code.

Common situations: Reusing a producer crypto spec for a consumer; generated/validated-but-wrong config files; mixed Pulsar versions where a new FailureAction exists on one side but not the converter.

Related errors

• Unknown producer protobuf failure action
• Unknown consumer crypto failure action
• Unknown producer crypto failure action
• Failed to create instance for key reader class
• Illegal base64 character or Key file

AI-assisted analysis of apache/pulsar@820761864e (2026-09-06). Data as JSON: /api/errors/844aefb7767f8a1e. Report an issue: GitHub.

Appendix: source

Thrown at pulsar-functions/utils/src/main/java/org/apache/pulsar/functions/utils/CryptoUtils.java:132

                return ProducerCryptoFailureAction.FAIL;
            case SEND:
                return ProducerCryptoFailureAction.SEND;
            default:
                throw new RuntimeException(
                        "Unknown producer protobuf failure action " + action.name());
        }
    }

    public static ConsumerCryptoFailureAction getConsumerCryptoFailureAction(CryptoSpec.FailureAction action) {
        switch (action) {
            case FAIL:
                return ConsumerCryptoFailureAction.FAIL;
            case DISCARD:
                return ConsumerCryptoFailureAction.DISCARD;
            case CONSUME:
                return ConsumerCryptoFailureAction.CONSUME;
            default:
                throw new RuntimeException(
                        "Unknown consumer protobuf failure action " + action.name());
        }
    }

    public static CryptoSpec.FailureAction getProtoFailureAction(ProducerCryptoFailureAction action) {
        switch (action) {
            case FAIL:
                return CryptoSpec.FailureAction.FAIL;
            case SEND:
                return CryptoSpec.FailureAction.SEND;
            default:
                throw new RuntimeException("Unknown producer crypto failure action " + action);
        }
    }

    public static CryptoSpec.FailureAction getProtoFailureAction(ConsumerCryptoFailureAction action) {
        switch (action) {
            case FAIL:

View on GitHub (pinned to 820761864e)