google-gemini/gemini-cli · error · Error

Path is not a directory

Error message

Path is not a directory: ${absolutePath}

What it means

resolveAndValidateDir found that the given directory path exists but is not a directory (statSync reports a file, symlink to a file, or other non-directory entry). The offending absolute path is embedded in the message; this is an input-validation guard for workspace directory configuration.

Solutions

1. Point the configuration at an actual directory path
2. Remove or replace the file occupying that path
3. Check for a mis-specified path that omits a directory component

When it happens

Trigger: Thrown at packages/core/src/utils/workspaceContext.ts:145 when the library encounters an invalid state.

Common situations: See trigger scenarios.

AI-assisted analysis of google-gemini/gemini-cli@6a466a7e2f (2026-09-16). Data as JSON: /api/errors/d7ce78c8bb1fa8a9. Report an issue: GitHub.

Appendix: source

Thrown at packages/core/src/utils/workspaceContext.ts:145

      // Resolve symlinks and SFNs canonically
      const resolved = resolveToRealPath(
        path.resolve(this.targetDir, pathToAdd),
      );
      this.readOnlyPaths.add(resolved);
    } catch (e) {
      debugLogger.warn(`Failed to add read-only path ${pathToAdd}:`, e);
    }
  }

  private resolveAndValidateDir(directory: string): string {
    const absolutePath = path.resolve(this.targetDir, directory);

    if (!fs.existsSync(absolutePath)) {
      throw new Error(`Directory does not exist: ${absolutePath}`);
    }
    const stats = fs.statSync(absolutePath);
    if (!stats.isDirectory()) {
      throw new Error(`Path is not a directory: ${absolutePath}`);
    }

    // Resolve workspace directory canonically (supporting Windows SFNs)
    return resolveToRealPath(absolutePath);
  }

  /**
   * Gets a copy of all workspace directories.
   * @returns Array of absolute directory paths
   */
  getDirectories(): readonly string[] {
    return Array.from(this.directories);
  }

  getInitialDirectories(): readonly string[] {
    return Array.from(this.initialDirectories);
  }

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