deepseek-ai/deepseek-harness · error · Error

File already exists at: ${target.displayPath}. Cannot overwr

Error message

File already exists at: ${target.displayPath}. Cannot overwrite files using command `create`.

What it means

Error "File already exists at: ${target.displayPath}. Cannot overwrite files using command `create`." thrown in deepseek-ai/deepseek-harness.

Source

Thrown at packages/fs/tool-str-replace-editor/src/index.ts:250

    throw new FsError(`cannot view "${target.displayPath}": not a regular file or directory`, 'FS_NOT_REGULAR_FILE')
  }
  const content = await ctx.fs.readText(target, exec.signal)
  ctx.emit('fs/observed', target, { kind: 'present', version: info.version }, exec)
  return formatFileView(target.displayPath, content, maxOutputChars, viewRange)
}

async function createFile(
  ctx: Context,
  policy: MutationPolicy,
  path: string,
  fileText: string | undefined,
  exec: ToolRunContext,
): Promise<string> {
  const content = requiredForCommand(fileText, 'file_text', 'create')
  const sandboxPolicy = policy.resolve(exec)
  const target = await resolveTarget(ctx, path, exec.signal)
  if (await ctx.fs.stat(target, exec.signal) !== undefined) {
    throw new Error(`File already exists at: ${target.displayPath}. Cannot overwrite files using command \`create\`.`)
  }
  const intent = await ctx.waterfall(
    'fs/write-intent',
    target,
    exec,
    () => ({ kind: 'createIfAbsent' } as const),
  )
  let outcome
  try {
    outcome = await ctx.fs.writeText(
      target,
      content,
      intent,
      exec.signal,
      sandboxPolicy,
    )
  } catch (error: unknown) {
    throw policy.mapError(error, sandboxPolicy)

View on GitHub (pinned to b150a551b8)

When it happens

Trigger: Thrown at packages/fs/tool-str-replace-editor/src/index.ts:250 when the library encounters an invalid state.

Common situations: See trigger scenarios.

AI-assisted analysis of deepseek-ai/deepseek-harness@b150a551b8 (2026-08-24). Data as JSON: /api/errors/397afb088bd513e4. Report an issue: GitHub.