docker/cli · error

invalid pull option: '%s': must be one of %q, %q or %q

Error message

invalid pull option: '%s': must be one of %q, %q or %q

What it means

Error "invalid pull option: '%s': must be one of %q, %q or %q" thrown in docker/cli.

Source

Thrown at cli/command/container/create.go:388

		}); err != nil {
			response.Warnings = append(response.Warnings, fmt.Sprintf("injecting docker config.json into container failed: %v", err))
		}
	}
	for _, w := range response.Warnings {
		_, _ = fmt.Fprintln(dockerCLI.Err(), "WARNING:", w)
	}

	err = containerIDFile.Write(response.ID)
	return response.ID, err
}

func validatePullOpt(val string) error {
	switch val {
	case PullImageAlways, PullImageMissing, PullImageNever, "":
		// valid option, but nothing to do yet
		return nil
	default:
		return fmt.Errorf(
			"invalid pull option: '%s': must be one of %q, %q or %q",
			val,
			PullImageAlways,
			PullImageMissing,
			PullImageNever,
		)
	}
}

// copyDockerConfigIntoContainer takes the client configuration and copies it
// into the container.
//
// The path should be an absolute path in the container, commonly
// /root/.docker/config.json.
func copyDockerConfigIntoContainer(ctx context.Context, apiClient client.APIClient, containerID string, configPath string, config *configfile.ConfigFile) error {
	var configBuf bytes.Buffer
	if err := config.SaveToWriter(&configBuf); err != nil {
		return fmt.Errorf("saving creds: %w", err)

View on GitHub (pinned to e9452d6e78)

When it happens

Trigger: Thrown at cli/command/container/create.go:388 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/64f694dffbecaa7a.json. Report an issue: GitHub.