different-ai/openwork · error

OpenWork server cannot remove skills for this workspace.

Error message

OpenWork server cannot remove skills for this workspace.

What it means

When removing a skill, the store deletes it through the OpenWork server if the workspace has an OpenWork target (server enabled + client + workspace id available). If a target exists but this code path cannot use it (missing openworkClient/openworkWorkspaceId, or the target workspace isn't server-managed), it throws this error instead of attempting a local delete that would not actually remove a server-backed skill.

Source

Thrown at apps/app/src/react-app/domains/settings/state/extensions-store.ts:696

  };

  const deleteWorkspaceSkill = async (name: string) => {
    const isRemoteWorkspace = options.workspaceType() === "remote";
    const isLocalWorkspace = options.workspaceType() === "local";
    const root = options.selectedWorkspaceRoot().trim();
    const { openworkSnapshot, openworkClient, openworkWorkspaceId, hasOpenworkTarget } =
      await resolveWorkspaceServerTarget();
    const canUseOpenworkServer =
      hasOpenworkTarget &&
      openworkSnapshot.openworkServerCapabilities?.skills?.write !== false;

    if (canUseOpenworkServer && openworkClient && openworkWorkspaceId) {
      await openworkClient.deleteSkill(openworkWorkspaceId, name);
      return;
    }

    if (hasOpenworkTarget) {
      throw new Error("OpenWork server cannot remove skills for this workspace.");
    }

    if (isRemoteWorkspace) {
      throw new Error("OpenWork server unavailable. Connect to remove skills.");
    }

    if (!isDesktopRuntime()) {
      throw new Error(t("skills.desktop_required"));
    }

    if (!isLocalWorkspace || !root) {
      throw new Error(t("skills.pick_workspace_first"));
    }

    const result = (await uninstallSkillCommand(root, name)) as { ok: boolean; stderr?: string; stdout?: string };
    if (!result.ok) {
      throw new Error(result.stderr || result.stdout || t("skills.uninstall_failed"));
    }

View on GitHub (pinned to 2b7df46e8a)

Solutions

1. Connect/sign in to the OpenWork server so openworkClient and openworkWorkspaceId resolve, then retry the delete.
2. Verify the workspace id is still valid on the server; re-sync workspace state.
3. If the skill is server-managed by policy, remove it via the Den/server admin surface instead.
4. Restart the app to rebuild the client/session if state appears stale.

Example fix

// before
if (hasOpenworkTarget) {
  throw new Error("OpenWork server cannot remove skills for this workspace.");
}
// after
if (hasOpenworkTarget) {
  const connected = await ensureServerConnected();
  if (connected && openworkWorkspaceId) {
    await openworkClient.deleteSkill(openworkWorkspaceId, name);
    return;
  }
  throw new Error("OpenWork server cannot remove skills for this workspace.");
}

if (hasOpenworkTarget && !(canUseOpenworkServer && openworkClient && openworkWorkspaceId)) {
  // reconnect/refresh server session before offering skill delete
}

function canDeleteOnServer(s: { openworkClient?: unknown; openworkWorkspaceId?: string }): s is { openworkClient: NonNullable<unknown>; openworkWorkspaceId: string } {
  return s.openworkClient != null && typeof s.openworkWorkspaceId === "string" && s.openworkWorkspaceId.length > 0;
}

try {
  await removeSkill(name);
} catch (err) {
  if (err.message.includes("cannot remove skills")) await reconnectServerAndRetry(() => removeSkill(name));
  else throw err;
}

When it happens

Trigger: Deleting a skill from a workspace whose config declares an OpenWork server target while openworkClient/openworkWorkspaceId are not resolvable, or when canUseOpenworkServer is false despite hasOpenworkTarget being true.

Common situations: Workspace config lists cloud imports/skills but the app never established the server session; workspace id changed on the server; stale client after sign-out; org-managed workspace where the local user cannot delete.

Related errors

• OpenWork server unavailable. Connect to remove skills.
• Failed to delete skill (${response.status}).
• OpenWork server cannot read MCP config for this workspace.
• Cannot create a task without a selected workspace.
• Workspace path is unavailable; attachments could not be copi

AI-assisted analysis of different-ai/openwork@2b7df46e8a (2026-09-01). Data as JSON: /api/errors/97971cad1c4ffcc3. Report an issue: GitHub.