dbt-labs/dbt-core · error · minijinja::Error (InvalidOperation)

Failed to create directory {}: {}

Error message

Failed to create directory {}: {}

What it means

After clearing stale files on the parent chain, write_file calls fs::create_dir_all for the destination parent; if directory creation fails (permission denied, read-only filesystem, path component is a file, name too long), this error includes the full parent path and OS error.

Source

Thrown at crates/dbt-jinja-utils/src/phases/run/run_node_context.rs:758

    if let Some(parent) = full_path.parent()
        && !parent.is_dir()
    {
        // Parent is missing, or a stale file on the parent chain (from an older
        // layout) sits where we now need a directory. Remove the deepest such
        // file so create_dir_all can rebuild the tree, then create it.
        for ancestor in parent.ancestors() {
            if ancestor.is_file() {
                if let Err(e) = fs::remove_file(ancestor) {
                    return Err(Error::new(
                        ErrorKind::InvalidOperation,
                        format!("Failed to remove stale file {}: {}", ancestor.display(), e),
                    ));
                }
                break;
            }
        }
        if let Err(e) = fs::create_dir_all(parent) {
            return Err(Error::new(
                ErrorKind::InvalidOperation,
                format!("Failed to create directory {}: {}", parent.display(), e),
            ));
        }
    }

    // A stale directory sitting where we now write a flat file fails with EISDIR.
    if full_path.is_dir()
        && let Err(e) = fs::remove_dir_all(full_path)
    {
        return Err(Error::new(
            ErrorKind::InvalidOperation,
            format!(
                "Failed to remove stale directory {}: {}",
                full_path.display(),
                e
            ),
        ));

View on GitHub (pinned to 0267ce9170)

Solutions

1. Check the wrapped OS error: fix permissions (chmod/chown) or free disk space as indicated.
2. If a path component is a plain file, remove it so create_dir_all can build the tree.
3. Ensure the container/CI mount for target/ is writable.
4. Verify no path component exceeds filesystem name-length limits.

Example fix

// before
target/models  # exists as a regular file, EACCES on mkdir
// after
rm target/models  # remove stale file where a directory is needed

if let Err(e) = fs::create_dir_all(parent) {
    if e.kind() == std::io::ErrorKind::PermissionDenied {
        // hint: mkdir/chown the target tree for the running user
    }
    return Err(wrap(parent, e));
}

When it happens

Trigger: The nested artifact path's parent cannot be created: a parent component exists as a regular file, the filesystem is read-only or full, or the user lacks write permission on the target/ tree.

Common situations: Containers with read-only target/ mounts; a file named like an intended directory (e.g. target/models) from older layouts; disk quota exceeded in CI caches.

Understand the failure class

Background: mkdir permission denied (EACCES): failed to create directory errors explained — this error's family across 32 libraries.

Related errors

• Failed to remove stale file {}: {}
• Failed to remove stale directory {}: {}
• Failed to write file: {e}
• {type(df)} is not a supported type for dbt Python materializ
• {type(df)} is not a supported type for dbt Python materializ

AI-assisted analysis of dbt-labs/dbt-core@0267ce9170 (2026-09-07). Data as JSON: /api/errors/76d9972e06680fff. Report an issue: GitHub.