eyaltoledano/claude-task-master · error

FIX_DEPENDENCIES_ERROR

FIX_DEPENDENCIES_ERROR

Error message

${error.message}

What it means

Catch-all for fixDependenciesDirect: any error thrown by the core fixDependencies logic (with silent mode disabled in the finally path) is logged and returned as FIX_DEPENDENCIES_ERROR with the raw error.message. It signals the dependency-repair pass itself failed, distinct from argument or file-existence problems.

Source

Thrown at mcp-server/src/core/direct-functions/fix-dependencies.js:79

		disableSilentMode();

		return {
			success: true,
			data: {
				message: 'Dependencies fixed successfully',
				tasksPath,
				tag: tag || 'master'
			}
		};
	} catch (error) {
		// Make sure to restore normal logging even if there's an error
		disableSilentMode();

		log.error(`Error fixing dependencies: ${error.message}`);
		return {
			success: false,
			error: {
				code: 'FIX_DEPENDENCIES_ERROR',
				message: error.message
			}
		};
	}
}

View on GitHub (pinned to c0c98d367c)

Solutions

1. Read the returned error.message and the server log line 'Error fixing dependencies: ...' for the root cause
2. Validate tasks.json parses (JSON.parse) and has the expected shape before retrying
3. Fix file permissions so the MCP server process can write the file
4. Back up tasks.json, restore a known-good version, and re-run fix_dependencies

Example fix

// before
const data = JSON.parse(fs.readFileSync(tasksPath)); // throws on trailing comma -> FIX_DEPENDENCIES_ERROR
// after
const raw = fs.readFileSync(tasksPath, 'utf8');
try { JSON.parse(raw); } catch (e) {
  console.error(`tasks.json is invalid JSON: ${e.message}; restore or repair it first`);
  process.exit(1);
}
await mcp.call('fix_dependencies', { tasksJsonPath: tasksPath });

const raw = fs.readFileSync(tasksPath, 'utf8');
const data = JSON.parse(raw); // throws on invalid JSON
if (!Array.isArray(data.tasks)) throw new Error('tasks.json malformed: tasks[] missing');
fs.accessSync(tasksPath, fs.constants.W_OK); // throws if not writable

function isFixDependenciesError(res) {
  return res && res.success === false && res.error?.code === 'FIX_DEPENDENCIES_ERROR';
}

const res = await callTool('fix_dependencies', { tasksJsonPath });
if (!res.success && res.error?.code === 'FIX_DEPENDENCIES_ERROR') {
  console.error('Dependency fix failed:', res.error.message);
  // snapshot before retrying so tasks.json is recoverable
  fs.copyFileSync(tasksJsonPath, tasksJsonPath + '.bak');
}

When it happens

Trigger: Core fixDependencies throws: tasks.json is unparseable JSON, schema is invalid (tasks not an array), permission denied writing the file, or an internal assertion while resolving dependency cycles.

Common situations: Hand-edited tasks.json with invalid JSON; read-only volume or root-owned file; partially migrated file from an older Task Master version; concurrent MCP sessions writing the same file.

Related errors

• CORE_FUNCTION_ERROR
• INITIALIZATION_FAILED
• PARSE_PRD_CORE_ERROR
• CORE_FUNCTION_ERROR
• CORE_FUNCTION_ERROR

AI-assisted analysis of eyaltoledano/claude-task-master@c0c98d367c (2026-08-29). Data as JSON: /api/errors/22f8538891c62ba2. Report an issue: GitHub.