hashicorp/nomad · error

must specify change script configuration value when change m

Error message

must specify change script configuration value when change mode is script

What it means

Template.Validate: the change mode was set to "script" but no change_script block was provided. Script-mode re-renders require a command to run, unlike noop/restart/signal modes.

Source

Thrown at nomad/structs/structs.go:8992

	if err != nil {
		mErr.Errors = append(mErr.Errors, fmt.Errorf("invalid destination path: %v", err))
	} else if escaped {
		mErr.Errors = append(mErr.Errors, fmt.Errorf("destination escapes allocation directory"))
	}

	// Verify a proper change mode
	switch t.ChangeMode {
	case TemplateChangeModeNoop, TemplateChangeModeRestart:
	case TemplateChangeModeSignal:
		if t.ChangeSignal == "" {
			_ = multierror.Append(&mErr, fmt.Errorf("Must specify signal value when change mode is signal"))
		}
		if t.Envvars {
			_ = multierror.Append(&mErr, fmt.Errorf("cannot use signals with env var templates"))
		}
	case TemplateChangeModeScript:
		if t.ChangeScript == nil {
			_ = multierror.Append(&mErr, fmt.Errorf("must specify change script configuration value when change mode is script"))
		}

		if err = t.ChangeScript.Validate(); err != nil {
			_ = multierror.Append(&mErr, err)
		}
	default:
		_ = multierror.Append(&mErr, TemplateChangeModeInvalidError)
	}

	// Verify the splay is positive
	if t.Splay < 0 {
		_ = multierror.Append(&mErr, fmt.Errorf("Must specify positive splay value"))
	}

	// Verify the permissions
	if t.Perms != "" {
		if _, err := strconv.ParseUint(t.Perms, 8, 12); err != nil {
			_ = multierror.Append(&mErr, fmt.Errorf("Failed to parse %q as octal: %v", t.Perms, err))

View on GitHub (pinned to 482b49bf1a)

Solutions

1. Add a change_script block with a valid command path
2. Switch to change_mode = "restart" or "noop" if no script is needed

When it happens

Trigger: Thrown at nomad/structs/structs.go:8992 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/71dd4dc54ee595a1. Report an issue: GitHub.