gohugoio/hugo · error

failed to create config from modules config

Error message

failed to create config from modules config: %w

What it means

When modules contribute config files (l.ModulesConfigFiles non-empty), Hugo re-reads the merged config via a second fromLoadConfigResult call. If that re-decode fails, the error is wrapped here. The cause is a config value injected by a module/theme that is invalid when combined with project config.

Solutions

1. Inspect the wrapped decode error for the section key and module config file (named in LoadingInfo.ConfigFiles).
2. Update or pin the offending theme/module to a compatible version.
3. Override the conflicting section in project config with explicit values.
4. Run `hugo config` after temporarily disabling module imports to compare.

Example fix

# before: theme ships an invalid outputformats entry
[[module.imports]]
path = "old-theme"

# after
[[module.imports]]
path = "fixed-theme"

# Re-run config decode with modules to surface the merged conflict
hugo config --renderToMemory >/dev/null || echo "module-config conflict"

When it happens

Trigger: A theme/module defines `[languages]`, `[markup]`, `[outputformats]`, etc. that conflict with or are malformed relative to the project config after merge; a module adds a section whose type mismatches after merge.

Common situations: Upgrading a theme that changed a config section shape; two modules merging the same key with incompatible types; a theme assuming a Hugo feature your version/config doesn't support.

Related errors

• failed to load modules
• cannot vendor module
• could not determine content directory for
• failed to apply mounts for project
• failed to create config from result

AI-assisted analysis of gohugoio/hugo@52c9bd7908 (2026-08-09). Data as JSON: /api/errors/2b4ee63cbb3d8bef. Report an issue: GitHub.

Appendix: source

Thrown at config/allconfig/load.go:86

		return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to load config: %w", err)
	}

	configs, err = fromLoadConfigResult(d.Fs, d.Logger, res)
	if err != nil {
		return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to create config from result: %w", err)
	}

	moduleConfig, modulesClient, err := l.loadModules(configs, d.IgnoreModuleDoesNotExist)
	if err != nil {
		return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to load modules: %w", err)
	}

	if len(l.ModulesConfigFiles) > 0 {
		// Config merged in from modules.
		// Re-read the config.
		configs, err = fromLoadConfigResult(d.Fs, d.Logger, res)
		if err != nil {
			return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to create config from modules config: %w", err)
		}
		if err := configs.transientErr(); err != nil {
			return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to create config from modules config: %w", err)
		}
		configs.LoadingInfo.ConfigFiles = append(configs.LoadingInfo.ConfigFiles, l.ModulesConfigFiles...)
	} else if err := configs.transientErr(); err != nil {
		return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to create config: %w", err)
	}

	configs.Modules = moduleConfig.AllModules
	configs.ModulesClient = modulesClient

	if !d.SkipNpmCheck && npm.NpmPackNeedsUpdate(d.Fs, configs.Modules) {
		d.Logger.Warnln(`npm dependencies are out of sync, please run "hugo mod npm pack" (you may also want to run "npm install" after that)`)
	}

	if err := configs.Init(d.Fs, d.Logger); err != nil {
		return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to init config: %w", err)

View on GitHub (pinned to 52c9bd7908)