hashicorp/nomad · error

cannot use address_mode="driver": no driver network exists

Error message

cannot use address_mode="driver": no driver network exists

What it means

GetAddress with AddressModeDriver requires a driver network in the allocation's networks; when no driver network exists (e.g. host networking only), driver address mode cannot resolve an IP and the registration fails.

Source

Thrown at client/serviceregistration/address.go:105

			if port <= 0 {
				return "", 0, fmt.Errorf("invalid port: %q: port must be >0", portLabel)
			}

			// A number was given which will use the Consul agent's address and the given port
			// Returning a blank string as an address will use the Consul agent's address
			return "", port, nil
		}
		return mapping.HostIP, mapping.Value, nil

	case structs.AddressModeDriver:
		// Cannot use address mode driver with custom advertise address.
		if address != "" {
			return "", 0, fmt.Errorf("cannot use custom advertise address with %q address mode", structs.AddressModeDriver)
		}

		// Require a driver network if driver address mode is used
		if driverNet == nil {
			return "", 0, fmt.Errorf(`cannot use address_mode="driver": no driver network exists`)
		}

		// If no port label is specified just return the IP
		if portLabel == "" {
			return driverNet.IP, 0, nil
		}

		// If the port is a label, use the driver's port (not the host's)
		if port, ok := ports.Get(portLabel); ok {
			return driverNet.IP, port.To, nil
		}

		// Check if old style driver portmap is used
		if port, ok := driverNet.PortMap[portLabel]; ok {
			return driverNet.IP, port, nil
		}

		// If port isn't a label, try to parse it as a literal port number

View on GitHub (pinned to 482b49bf1a)

Solutions

1. Use a task driver that provides a network when address_mode="driver"
2. Switch address_mode to "host" or "auto" for non-driver-network tasks

When it happens

Trigger: Thrown at client/serviceregistration/address.go:105 when the library encounters an invalid state.

Common situations: See trigger scenarios.

AI-assisted analysis of hashicorp/nomad@482b49bf1a (2026-09-04). Data as JSON: /api/errors/1b80a6e241d77f8f. Report an issue: GitHub.