gitbutlerapp/gitbutler · error

Gerrit push flags (--wip, --ready, --hashtag/--tag, --topic,

Error message

Gerrit push flags (--wip, --ready, --hashtag/--tag, --topic, --topic-from-branch, --private) can only be used when gerrit_mode is enabled for this repository

What it means

`but push` reads gerrit mode from the repo's Git setting `gitbutler.gerritMode` (default false) and `get_gerrit_flags` refuses any of --wip, --ready, --hashtag/--tag, --topic, --topic-from-branch, or --private when gerrit mode is off. These flags only make sense for Gerrit's refs/for push targets, so a plain push rejects them up front.

Source

Thrown at crates/but/src/command/legacy/push.rs:1053

    branches_info.sort_by(|a, b| a.2.cmp(&b.2).then(a.0.cmp(&b.0)));

    Ok(branches_info)
}

pub fn get_gerrit_flags(
    args: &Command,
    branch_name: &str,
    gerrit_mode: bool,
) -> anyhow::Result<Vec<but_gerrit::PushFlag>> {
    let has_gerrit_flag = args.wip
        || args.ready
        || !args.hashtag.is_empty()
        || args.topic.is_some()
        || args.topic_from_branch
        || args.private;

    if has_gerrit_flag && !gerrit_mode {
        return Err(anyhow::anyhow!(
            "Gerrit push flags (--wip, --ready, --hashtag/--tag, --topic, --topic-from-branch, --private) can only be used when gerrit_mode is enabled for this repository"
        ));
    }

    if !gerrit_mode {
        return Ok(vec![]);
    }

    let mut flags = Vec::new();

    // Handle Wip/Ready - Ready is default if neither is specified
    if args.wip {
        flags.push(but_gerrit::PushFlag::Wip);
    } else {
        // Default to Ready, or explicit Ready
        flags.push(but_gerrit::PushFlag::Ready);
    }

View on GitHub (pinned to caf1f223d3)

Solutions

1. Enable gerrit mode for this repo: `git config gitbutler.gerritMode true` (or the equivalent GitButler setting)
2. Or drop the flags: `but push`
3. Verify with `git config --get gitbutler.gerritMode`
4. Keep Gerrit-specific aliases scoped to Gerrit clones

Example fix

# before
but push --wip
# error: Gerrit push flags ... can only be used when gerrit_mode is enabled

# after
git config gitbutler.gerritMode true
but push --wip

# Gate Gerrit flags on the repo setting
if [ "$(git config --bool gitbutler.gerritMode)" = "true" ]; then
  but push --wip "$@"
else
  but push "$@"
fi

fn gerrit_flags_allowed(repo: &gix::Repository) -> anyhow::Result<bool> {
    Ok(repo.git_settings()?.gitbutler_gerrit_mode.unwrap_or(false))
}

When it happens

Trigger: Running `but push --wip` (or any listed flag) in a repository where `git config gitbutler.gerritMode` is unset or false.

Common situations: Dotfiles or aliases carrying Gerrit flags into non-Gerrit repos; gerritMode config lost after re-cloning; a team template assumes Gerrit but the repo never opted in.

Related errors

• failed to determine remote for non remote-tracking branch {t
• Neither found push remote found in workspace nor unambiguous
• Hashtag cannot be empty
• Topic cannot be empty
• Failed to determine Gerrit target branch

AI-assisted analysis of gitbutlerapp/gitbutler@caf1f223d3 (2026-08-20). Data as JSON: /api/errors/d68d22d6507ea84c. Report an issue: GitHub.