gitbutlerapp/gitbutler · error · anyhow::Error

Branch '{}' cannot be created: the target commit ({}) alread

Error message

Branch '{}' cannot be created: the target commit ({}) already belongs to another branch in the workspace. Each commit can only belong to one branch at a time.

What it means

Error "Branch '{}' cannot be created: the target commit ({}) already belongs to another branch in the workspace. Each commit can only belong to one branch at a time." thrown in gitbutlerapp/gitbutler.

Source

Thrown at crates/but-workspace/src/branch/create_reference.rs:484

        };

        let updated_workspace = graph_with_new_ref.into_workspace()?;
        let has_new_ref_as_standalone_segment = updated_workspace
            .find_segment_and_stack_by_refname(ref_name)
            .is_some();
        let existing_ref_is_in_workspace = existing_ref_target_in_workspace.is_some();
        if !has_new_ref_as_standalone_segment {
            if existing_ref_target_id.is_some()
                && !existing_ref_is_in_workspace
                && !workspace.refname_is_segment(ref_name)
                && workspace.ref_name() != Some(ref_name)
            {
                bail_precondition!(
                    "Reference '{}' already exists and is outside the workspace",
                    ref_name.shorten()
                );
            }
            bail!(
                "Branch '{}' cannot be created: the target commit ({}) already \
                 belongs to another branch in the workspace. Each commit can only \
                 belong to one branch at a time.",
                ref_name.shorten(),
                ref_target_id,
            )
        }

        // Actually apply the changes
        repo.reference(
            ref_name,
            ref_target_id,
            PreviousValue::ExistingMustMatch(gix::refs::Target::Object(ref_target_id)),
            "Dependent branch by GitButler",
        )
        .map_err(|err| {
            if is_not_a_directory_ref_edit_error(&err)
                && let Ok(Some(colliding_ref)) = find_colliding_ref_ancestor(repo, ref_name)

View on GitHub (pinned to caf1f223d3)

When it happens

Trigger: Thrown at crates/but-workspace/src/branch/create_reference.rs:484 when the library encounters an invalid state.

Common situations: See trigger scenarios.

AI-assisted analysis of gitbutlerapp/gitbutler@caf1f223d3 (2026-08-20). Data as JSON: /api/errors/abc17d544133900c. Report an issue: GitHub.