hyperledger/fabric · error

attempted to change consensus type from %s to %s, but curren

Error message

attempted to change consensus type from %s to %s, but current config ConsensusType.State is not in maintenance mode

What it means

inspect rejects a change of ConsensusType.Type when the current config's ConsensusType.State is STATE_NORMAL. The consensus type may only be changed while the channel is in maintenance mode, so the update is rejected until the channel has first entered STATE_MAINTENANCE.

Source

Thrown at orderer/common/msgprocessor/maintenancefilter.go:124

	if ordererConfig.ConsensusState() != nextOrdererConfig.ConsensusState() {
		if err1Change := mf.ensureConsensusTypeChangeOnly(configEnvelope); err1Change != nil {
			return err1Change
		}
		if ordererConfig.ConsensusType() != nextOrdererConfig.ConsensusType() {
			return errors.Errorf("attempted to change ConsensusType.Type from %s to %s, but ConsensusType.State is changing from %s to %s",
				ordererConfig.ConsensusType(), nextOrdererConfig.ConsensusType(), ordererConfig.ConsensusState(), nextOrdererConfig.ConsensusState())
		}
		if !bytes.Equal(nextOrdererConfig.ConsensusMetadata(), ordererConfig.ConsensusMetadata()) {
			return errors.Errorf("attempted to change ConsensusType.Metadata, but ConsensusType.State is changing from %s to %s",
				ordererConfig.ConsensusState(), nextOrdererConfig.ConsensusState())
		}
	}

	// ConsensusType.Type can only change in maintenance-mode, and only within the set of permitted types.
	// Note: only etcdraft to BFT transitions are supported.
	if ordererConfig.ConsensusType() != nextOrdererConfig.ConsensusType() {
		if ordererConfig.ConsensusState() == orderer.ConsensusType_STATE_NORMAL {
			return errors.Errorf("attempted to change consensus type from %s to %s, but current config ConsensusType.State is not in maintenance mode",
				ordererConfig.ConsensusType(), nextOrdererConfig.ConsensusType())
		}
		if nextOrdererConfig.ConsensusState() == orderer.ConsensusType_STATE_NORMAL {
			return errors.Errorf("attempted to change consensus type from %s to %s, but next config ConsensusType.State is not in maintenance mode",
				ordererConfig.ConsensusType(), nextOrdererConfig.ConsensusType())
		}

		if !mf.permittedTargetConsensusTypes[nextOrdererConfig.ConsensusType()] {
			return errors.Errorf("attempted to change consensus type from %s to %s, transition not supported",
				ordererConfig.ConsensusType(), nextOrdererConfig.ConsensusType())
		}

		if nextOrdererConfig.ConsensusType() == "BFT" {
			updatedMetadata := &smartbft.Options{}
			if err := proto.Unmarshal(nextOrdererConfig.ConsensusMetadata(), updatedMetadata); err != nil {
				return errors.Wrap(err, "failed to unmarshal BFT metadata configuration")
			}

View on GitHub (pinned to 2736b63f8f)

Solutions

1. First submit a config update setting ConsensusType.State to STATE_MAINTENANCE (type unchanged)
2. Then change ConsensusType.Type to a permitted target (BFT) while in maintenance
3. Finally exit maintenance with a third update setting State to STATE_NORMAL
4. Check current state with `osnadmin channel list`/configtxlator before attempting the type change

Example fix

// before: type change attempted from NORMAL
{"type": "BFT", "state": "STATE_NORMAL"}
// after: enter maintenance first
// update 1: {"type": "etcdraft", "state": "STATE_MAINTENANCE"}
// update 2: {"type": "BFT", "state": "STATE_MAINTENANCE"}

cur, _ := support.OrdererConfig()
if cur.ConsensusType() != next.ConsensusType() && cur.ConsensusState() == orderer.ConsensusType_STATE_NORMAL {
	return errors.New("enter STATE_MAINTENANCE before changing consensus type")
}

When it happens

Trigger: Submitting a config update changing the orderer consensus type (e.g. etcdraft to BFT) while current ConsensusType.State is STATE_NORMAL.

Common situations: Skipping the maintenance-mode entry step of the raft-to-BFT migration procedure; operator assumes type can be changed directly; stale channel state assumption after another admin reverted to NORMAL.

Related errors

• config transaction inspection failed
• next config attempted to change ConsensusType.State to %s, b
• attempted to change ConsensusType.Type from %s to %s, but Co
• updated config does not include a config update
• failed to parse config

AI-assisted analysis of hyperledger/fabric@2736b63f8f (2026-09-04). Data as JSON: /api/errors/a73866b7e8885cd6. Report an issue: GitHub.