docker/cli · error

could not fetch unlock key: %w

Error message

could not fetch unlock key: %w

What it means

Error "could not fetch unlock key: %w" thrown in docker/cli.

Source

Thrown at cli/command/swarm/unlock_key.go:75

		_, err = apiClient.SwarmUpdate(ctx, client.SwarmUpdateOptions{
			Version: res.Swarm.Version,
			Spec:    res.Swarm.Spec,

			RotateManagerUnlockKey: true,
		})
		if err != nil {
			return err
		}

		if !opts.quiet {
			_, _ = fmt.Fprintln(dockerCLI.Out(), "Successfully rotated manager unlock key.")
		}
	}

	resp, err := apiClient.SwarmGetUnlockKey(ctx)
	if err != nil {
		return fmt.Errorf("could not fetch unlock key: %w", err)
	}

	if resp.Key == "" {
		return errors.New("no unlock key is set")
	}

	if opts.quiet {
		_, _ = fmt.Fprintln(dockerCLI.Out(), resp.Key)
		return nil
	}

	printUnlockCommand(dockerCLI.Out(), resp.Key)
	return nil
}

func printUnlockCommand(out io.Writer, unlockKey string) {
	if len(unlockKey) > 0 {
		_, _ = fmt.Fprintf(out, "To unlock a swarm manager after it restarts, "+

View on GitHub (pinned to e9452d6e78)

When it happens

Trigger: Thrown at cli/command/swarm/unlock_key.go:75 when the library encounters an invalid state.

Common situations: See trigger scenarios.

AI-assisted analysis of docker/cli@e9452d6e78 (2026-08-01). Data as JSON: /data/errors/5c396b8c752b97a9.json. Report an issue: GitHub.