astrid-runtime/astrid · error

unexpected daemon metadata response: {other:?}

Error message

unexpected daemon metadata response: {other:?}

What it means

`capsule_env_kind` asks the daemon for capsule metadata via `KernelRequest::GetCapsuleMetadata` and pattern-matches the reply. If the daemon returns any `KernelResponse` variant other than `CapsuleMetadata` or `Error`, this bail fires with the unexpected value debug-printed. It is a protocol-mismatch guard between CLI and daemon, usually meaning a version skew or an in-flight kernel change.

Source

Thrown at crates/astrid-cli/src/commands/secret.rs:276

            .to_owned(),
    )
    .context("invalid capsule name")
}

/// Resolve one capsule's non-secret schema through the authenticated daemon
/// inventory. The CLI must not inspect a materialized `Capsule.toml` under a
/// principal home: the registry snapshot is the authority for installed
/// capsule metadata, while workspace capsules are only visible through the
/// explicit workspace inventory.
async fn capsule_env_kind(capsule: &CapsuleId, key: &str) -> Result<Option<EnvValueKind>> {
    let mut client = crate::socket_client::connect_kernel_for_workspace(None).await?;
    let response = client.request(KernelRequest::GetCapsuleMetadata).await?;
    let entries = match response {
        astrid_core::kernel_api::KernelResponse::CapsuleMetadata(entries) => entries,
        astrid_core::kernel_api::KernelResponse::Error(error) => {
            anyhow::bail!("daemon metadata lookup failed: {error}");
        },
        other => anyhow::bail!("unexpected daemon metadata response: {other:?}"),
    };
    Ok(entries
        .into_iter()
        .find(|entry| entry.name == capsule.as_str())
        .and_then(|entry| {
            entry.env.get(key).map(|field| {
                if field.env_type.eq_ignore_ascii_case("secret") {
                    EnvValueKind::Secret
                } else {
                    EnvValueKind::Text
                }
            })
        }))
}

async fn run_set(args: &SetArgs) -> Result<ExitCode> {
    if args.key.is_empty() {
        anyhow::bail!("invalid key: must not be empty");

View on GitHub (pinned to affd8760f4)

Solutions

  1. Restart the daemon so it matches the installed CLI version (rebuild both from the same commit).
  2. Check which socket/endpoint the admin client connects to; make sure it is the astrid kernel, not another service.
  3. Add the new KernelResponse variant to the match in capsule_env_kind if the protocol intentionally changed.
  4. Capture the `{other:?}` payload and file an issue if the variant looks like a legitimate kernel response.

Example fix

// before
other => anyhow::bail!("unexpected daemon metadata response: {other:?}"),
// after
other => anyhow::bail!("unexpected daemon metadata response: {other:?}; CLI/daemon version mismatch? update both to the same build"),
Defensive patterns

Strategy: try-catch

Type guard

fn is_capsule_metadata(resp: &KernelResponse) -> bool { matches!(resp, KernelResponse::CapsuleMetadata(_)) }

Try / catch

match client.request(KernelRequest::GetCapsuleMetadata).await? {
    KernelResponse::CapsuleMetadata(entries) => entries,
    KernelResponse::Error(e) => bail!("daemon metadata lookup failed: {e}"),
    other => { log::warn!("unexpected kernel response: {other:?}"); bail!("unexpected daemon metadata response — check CLI/daemon versions"); }
}

Prevention

When it happens

Trigger: Calling `astrid secret set` or `astrid secret delete` (via run_set/run_delete) when the daemon answers GetCapsuleMetadata with an unexpected variant (e.g. a newer/older daemon returning a different response type, or a stub/test kernel replying with something else).

Common situations: Daemon and CLI built from different commits after a KernelResponse enum change; connecting to the wrong socket/port where a non-astrid service answers; a kernel that replies with a placeholder variant for unimplemented requests.

Related errors

AI-assisted analysis of astrid-runtime/astrid@affd8760f4 (2026-09-09). Data as JSON: /api/errors/5658b687aa2d5ee3. Report an issue: GitHub.