docker/cli · error

unexpected context file

Error message

unexpected context file

What it means

Error "unexpected context file" thrown in docker/cli.

Source

Thrown at cli/context/store/store.go:373

	// Buffered reader will not advance the buffer, needed to determine content type
	r := bufio.NewReader(reader)

	importContentType, err := getImportContentType(r)
	if err != nil {
		return err
	}
	switch importContentType {
	case zipType:
		return importZip(name, s, r)
	default:
		// Assume it's a TAR (TAR does not have a "magic number")
		return importTar(name, s, r)
	}
}

func isValidFilePath(p string) error {
	if p != metaFile && !strings.HasPrefix(p, "tls/") {
		return errors.New("unexpected context file")
	}
	if path.Clean(p) != p {
		return errors.New("unexpected path format")
	}
	if strings.Contains(p, `\`) {
		return errors.New(`unexpected '\' in path`)
	}
	return nil
}

func importTar(name string, s Writer, reader io.Reader) error {
	tr := tar.NewReader(&limitedReader{R: reader, N: maxAllowedFileSizeToImport})
	tlsData := ContextTLSData{
		Endpoints: map[string]EndpointTLSData{},
	}
	var importedMetaFile bool
	for {
		hdr, err := tr.Next()

View on GitHub (pinned to e9452d6e78)

When it happens

Trigger: Thrown at cli/context/store/store.go:373 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/560fdd6ef94e7f4e.json. Report an issue: GitHub.