hashicorp/terraform · error

Error asking %s: %v

Error message

Error asking %s: %v

What it means

In the confirm() helper (backend_common.go:504-508), op.UIIn.Input() returned an error while reading the user's interactive response (override confirmation, apply/discard, etc.). The error is not context.Canceled and stopCtx isn't canceled, so it's treated as a genuine input-subsystem failure rather than a clean cancel.

Source

Thrown at internal/cloud/backend_common.go:507

					if err == errRunDiscarded {
						err = errApplyDiscarded
						if op.PlanMode == plans.DestroyMode {
							err = errDestroyDiscarded
						}
					}

					result <- err
					return
				}
			}
		}
	}()

	result <- func() error {
		v, err := op.UIIn.Input(doneCtx, opts)
		if err != nil && err != context.Canceled && stopCtx.Err() != context.Canceled {
			return fmt.Errorf("Error asking %s: %v", opts.Id, err)
		}

		// We return the error of our parent channel as we don't
		// care about the error of the doneCtx which is only used
		// within this function. So if the doneCtx was canceled
		// because stopCtx was canceled, this will properly return
		// a context.Canceled error and otherwise it returns nil.
		if doneCtx.Err() == context.Canceled || stopCtx.Err() == context.Canceled {
			return stopCtx.Err()
		}

		// Make sure we cancel the context here so the loop that
		// checks for external changes to the run is ended before
		// we start to make changes ourselves.
		cancel()

		if v != keyword {
			// Retrieve the run again to get its current status.

View on GitHub (pinned to c9def3e214)

Solutions

1. Ensure an interactive TTY is available when prompts are expected; in CI either provide input or use -auto-approve / -input=false appropriately.
2. If using -input=false with a prompt-triggering operation, remove the operation that needs confirmation or pre-approve via -auto-approve.
3. Check the wrapped %v for the specific input error (EOF, read error) and address the stdin source.
4. Re-run in a proper terminal if the input subsystem errored transiently.

Example fix

// before: CI without TTY triggers interactive prompt
// -> Error asking override: EOF
terraform apply
// after: skip interactive input
terraform apply -auto-approve   # or -input=false with a pre-approved run

// Ensure interactive input is feasible before prompting.
func canPrompt(op *backendrun.Operation) bool {
    return op.UIIn != nil && isTTY(os.Stdin)
}

// Skip the prompt path when no TTY is present.
if !canPrompt(op) { return useAutoApproveOrAbort(op) }

When it happens

Trigger: Reached inside the confirm goroutine when Input() fails for a reason other than cancellation, during an interactive prompt (override, apply, destroy). The %s is opts.Id (e.g. 'override', 'approve').

Common situations: Input backend (e.g. readline/terminal) failure. Piped/non-interactive stdin when the UI expected a TTY but got EOF. Misconfigured input plugin. OS-level stdin error in CI environments that partially emulate a UI.

Related errors

• error asking for approval: %w
• Error asking %s: %v
• Failed to override: %w %s
• Failed to request username: %s
• Failed to request password: %s

AI-assisted analysis of hashicorp/terraform@c9def3e214 (2026-08-07). Data as JSON: /api/errors/8be562223555fed3. Report an issue: GitHub.