can not run under Rosetta, check that the installed build of

Error message

can not run under Rosetta, check that the installed build of Go is right for your CPU architecture

What it means

CheckRosetta detects when a Go binary compiled for amd64 is being transparently translated by Apple's Rosetta on Apple Silicon. Delve requires ptrace-level access that does not work reliably under Rosetta translation, so it refuses to run rather than misbehave. The error tells the developer their Go toolchain/build does not match the actual CPU architecture.

Source

Thrown at pkg/proc/macutil/rosetta_darwin.go:16

package macutil

import (
	"errors"
	"syscall"
)

// CheckRosetta returns an error if the calling process is being translated
// by Apple Rosetta.
func CheckRosetta() error {
	pt, err := syscall.Sysctl("sysctl.proc_translated")
	if err != nil {
		return nil
	}
	if len(pt) > 0 && pt[0] == 1 {
		return errors.New("can not run under Rosetta, check that the installed build of Go is right for your CPU architecture")
	}
	return nil
}

View on GitHub (pinned to a23773e6c3)

Solutions

Install native arm64 builds of both Go and delve (go.dev/dl arm64 package, darwin/arm64 delve release)
Check with 'file $(which dlv)' and 'go env GOARCH' that both are arm64
Reinstall the Go toolchain natively (remove Rosetta-installed versions)
Run from a native arm64 terminal, not one running under Rosetta

Example fix

// before (Rosetta shell)
$ go install github.com/go-delve/delve/cmd/dlv@latest  # GOARCH=amd64
// after
$ arch -arm64 /bin/zsh
go install github.com/go-delve/delve/cmd/dlv@latest   # GOARCH=arm64

Defensive patterns

Strategy: validation

Validate before calling

// preflight in a script before launching dlv
if [ "$(sysctl -n sysctl.proc_translated 2>/dev/null || echo 0)" = "1" ]; then
  echo "Running under Rosetta - reinstall native arm64 Go and delve"; exit 1
fi

Try / catch

if err := macutil.CheckRosetta(); err != nil {
    fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "refusing to start: %v\n", err)
    os.Exit(1)
}

Prevention

Install darwin/arm64 builds of Go and delve on Apple Silicon
Verify with 'file $(which dlv)' and 'go version' that both are arm64
Avoid installing Go via Rosetta-targeted package managers
Use native terminals (not x86_64 terminal emulators) for debugging sessions

When it happens

Trigger: Running an amd64 delve (or delve process launched under translation) on an arm64 Mac; the sysctl 'sysctl.proc_translated' returns 1 indicating Rosetta translation.

Common situations: Downloading an amd64 delve release or Homebrew x86_64 build on an M1/M2/M3 Mac; Go toolchain installed as x86_64 under Rosetta; running through a terminal emulator in x86 mode.

Related errors

AI-assisted analysis of go-delve/delve@a23773e6c3 (2026-08-31). Data as JSON: /api/errors/753272289944d2e0. Report an issue: GitHub.