hashicorp/terraform · error

error loading config with snapshot

Error message

error loading config with snapshot: %w

What it means

parseRunVariables calls op.ConfigLoader.LoadRootModule(op.ConfigDir); if that returns diagnostics with errors (syntax errors, malformed HCL, unreadable files), the first error diagnostic is wrapped and surfaced. This runs before uploading the config snapshot, so it gates on local config validity.

Solutions

1. Run `terraform validate` locally to surface the exact HCL error before retrying.
2. Open the first diagnostic (configDiags.Errs()[0] is wrapped)—its message names the file and line.
3. Fix file permissions if the runner cannot read a .tf/.tfvars file.
4. Verify module source paths resolve in the runner's working directory.

Example fix

// before (variables.tf)
variable "instance_count" {
  type = number
  default = "3"   // type mismatch
}

// after
variable "instance_count" {
  type    = number
  default = 3
}

// run validate before pushing the snapshot
diags := root.LoadConfig(op.ConfigDir)
if diags.HasErrors() {
    return diags.Errs()[0]
}

When it happens

Trigger: LoadRootModule returns configDiags.HasErrors(): HCL syntax error in a .tf/.tfvars file; missing required provider block; circular module references; unreadable file due to permissions; invalid variable definitions.

Common situations: Developer committed a typo in a .tf file; a referenced module path is wrong; .tfvars has a syntax error; file mode/ownership blocks the runner from reading a .tf file.

Related errors

• backend does not support key/value tags. Try using key-only…
• Error asking
• error creating workspace
• error finding remote workspace
• error loading state

AI-assisted analysis of hashicorp/terraform@d32a084675 (2026-08-11). Data as JSON: /api/errors/d4b7dd4d1ad54bfa. Report an issue: GitHub.

Appendix: source

Thrown at internal/cloud/backend_common.go:659

				uploaded = true
			}
		}
	}

	if !uploaded {
		return nil, b.generalError(
			"Failed to upload configuration files", errors.New("operation timed out"))
	}

	log.Printf("[TRACE] backend/cloud: configuration uploaded and ready")

	return cv, nil
}

func (b *Cloud) parseRunVariables(op *backendrun.Operation) ([]*tfe.RunVariable, error) {
	config, configDiags := op.ConfigLoader.LoadRootModule(op.ConfigDir)
	if configDiags.HasErrors() {
		return nil, fmt.Errorf("error loading config with snapshot: %w", configDiags.Errs()[0])
	}

	variables, varDiags := ParseCloudRunVariables(op.Variables, config.Variables)

	if varDiags.HasErrors() {
		return nil, varDiags.Err()
	}

	runVariables := make([]*tfe.RunVariable, 0, len(variables))
	for name, value := range variables {
		runVariables = append(runVariables, &tfe.RunVariable{
			Key:   name,
			Value: value,
		})
	}

	return runVariables, nil
}

View on GitHub (pinned to d32a084675)