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

Failed to write to {}: {}

Error message

Failed to write to {}: {}

What it means

This error is thrown by the `write_file` helper in the run-node context when `fs::write` fails to persist a rendered payload to disk at the resolved `full_path`. It wraps the underlying OS error so the developer sees both the target path and the I/O reason. The library throws it because writing the compiled/intermediate file is a required side effect of the node context phase and cannot be silently skipped.

Source

Thrown at crates/dbt-jinja-utils/src/phases/run/run_node_context.rs:781

    }

    // 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
            ),
        ));
    }

    match fs::write(full_path, payload) {
        Ok(_) => Ok(()),
        Err(e) => Err(Error::new(
            ErrorKind::InvalidOperation,
            format!("Failed to write to {}: {}", full_path.display(), e),
        )),
    }
}

/// Returns the function used for the submit_python_job context.
fn submit_python_job_context_fn()
-> impl Fn(&State, &[MinijinjaValue]) -> Result<MinijinjaValue, Error> + Copy {
    |state: &State, args: &[MinijinjaValue]| {
        // Parse arguments: submit_python_job(parsed_model, compiled_code)
        if args.len() != 2 {
            return Err(Error::new(
                ErrorKind::InvalidOperation,
                format!("submit_python_job expects 2 arguments, got {}", args.len()),
            ));
        }
        let parsed_model = &args[0];

View on GitHub (pinned to 0267ce9170)

Solutions

1. Inspect the wrapped OS error (`e`) in the message to identify the exact I/O cause (NotFound, PermissionDenied, AlreadyExists, etc.).
2. Ensure the parent directory of the target path exists and is writable; remove any directory sitting exactly at the target path.
3. Check free disk space and that the filesystem is mounted read-write.
4. Re-run with correct file permissions (chown/chmod) for the user executing dbt.

Example fix

// before (stale directory blocks file write)
// target/compiled.sql is a directory -> fs::write fails
// after
// rm -rf target/compiled.sql  (or let write_file_replaces_stale_directory_at_target remove it), then re-run

use std::path::Path;
fn ensure_writable_target(path: &Path) -> Result<(), String> {
    if let Some(parent) = path.parent() {
        if !parent.exists() {
            std::fs::create_dir_all(parent).map_err(|e| e.to_string())?;
        }
    }
    if path.is_dir() {
        return Err(format!("{} is a directory, not a file", path.display()));
    }
    Ok(())
}

match write_file(full_path, payload) {
    Err(e) if e.to_string().contains("Failed to write to") => {
        // inspect wrapped OS error, fix path/permissions, optionally retry
        eprintln!("artifact write failed: {e}");
    }
    Err(e) => return Err(e),
    Ok(_) => {}
}

When it happens

Trigger: Calling `write_file` (directly or via `write_file_creates_nested_path`, `write_file_replaces_stale_flat_file_on_parent_chain`, `write_file_replaces_stale_directory_at_target`, or the `call` entry point) when the target path is not writable: parent directory does not exist and could not be created, a stale directory occupies the target path, the filesystem is read-only, or permissions are insufficient.

Common situations: Running dbt in a container with a read-only or full disk; a previous run left a directory where a file is expected; write permissions on target/ or logs/ directories were tightened; concurrent runs racing on the same artifact path.

Understand the failure class

Background: "failed to write file", "Could not save figure", "Error saving remote file" — file write failed: causes and fixes across languages and libraries — this error's family across 38 libraries.

Related errors

• Failed to write file: {e}
• Failed to create temp file
• Valid UTF-8 path
• File name can't be empty
• Schema not found for canonical FQN: {}

AI-assisted analysis of dbt-labs/dbt-core@0267ce9170 (2026-09-07). Data as JSON: /api/errors/36be6898b8382082. Report an issue: GitHub.