elsa-workflows/elsa-core · error · JsonException

Unexpected end of JSON while reading secret metadata.

Error message

Unexpected end of JSON while reading secret metadata.

What it means

After reading a metadata property name, the converter reads the next token for the value; if the reader is exhausted (no more tokens) the JSON ended mid-property and this JsonException is thrown. Like error 306, it signals truncated/incomplete JSON, here inside the secret metadata object.

Solutions

1. Repair or re-save the secret document so the metadata object is complete.
2. Restore the document from backup if the value is unrecoverable.
3. Check storage column sizes/encoding for truncation causes.
4. Parse-validate JSON completeness before persisting or forwarding it.

Example fix

// before (truncated)
{ "metadata": { "env":

// after
{ "metadata": { "env": "prod" } }

try { using var _ = JsonDocument.Parse(json); } catch (JsonException) { throw new InvalidOperationException("Secret JSON is truncated or malformed."); }

try { var secret = JsonSerializer.Deserialize<Secret>(json, options); }
catch (JsonException ex) when (ex.Message.Contains("Unexpected end of JSON")) { /* reload from backup or re-create the secret */ }

When it happens

Trigger: Deserializing a Secret whose JSON ends right after a metadata property name, e.g. "metadata": { "env": — from a truncated write, cut-off response, or manually clipped document.

Common situations: Storage truncation (column size limits), interrupted writes/crashes mid-save, or manually pasted JSON missing its tail.

Understand the failure class

Background: JSON parse error: "Unexpected token" / "not valid JSON" / "failed to parse" — what JSON parsers are really complaining about — this error's family across 45 libraries.

• Parsing and encoding errors: unexpected token, malformed input — why parsers reject input and how to find the real culprit.

Related errors

• Unexpected end of JSON while reading secret tags.
• Expected a metadata property name.
• Expected an object of string metadata values.
• Expected end of object.
• Stored secret document

AI-assisted analysis of elsa-workflows/elsa-core@fe9217bdfa (2026-09-13). Data as JSON: /api/errors/f24943d6dd8c6ae0. Report an issue: GitHub.

Appendix: source

Thrown at src/modules/Elsa.Secrets/Models/OrdinalIgnoreCaseDictionaryConverter.cs:27

    {
        if (reader.TokenType == JsonTokenType.Null)
            return new Dictionary<string, string>(StringComparer.OrdinalIgnoreCase);

        if (reader.TokenType != JsonTokenType.StartObject)
            throw new JsonException("Expected an object of string metadata values.");

        var values = new Dictionary<string, string>(StringComparer.OrdinalIgnoreCase);
        while (reader.Read())
        {
            if (reader.TokenType == JsonTokenType.EndObject)
                return values;

            if (reader.TokenType != JsonTokenType.PropertyName)
                throw new JsonException("Expected a metadata property name.");

            var key = reader.GetString()!;
            if (!reader.Read())
                throw new JsonException("Unexpected end of JSON while reading secret metadata.");

            if (reader.TokenType == JsonTokenType.Null)
                continue;

            if (reader.TokenType != JsonTokenType.String)
                throw new JsonException("Expected a string metadata value.");

            var value = reader.GetString();
            if (value != null)
                values[key] = value;
        }

        throw new JsonException("Unexpected end of JSON while reading secret metadata.");
    }

    public override void Write(Utf8JsonWriter writer, IDictionary<string, string> value, JsonSerializerOptions options)
    {
        writer.WriteStartObject();

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