instructure/canvas-lms · error · GraphQL::ExecutionError

feature flag is disabled

Error message

feature flag is disabled

What it means

CreateInstitutionalTagCategory gates the mutation on the institutional_tags feature flag of the domain root account. When the flag is disabled it raises this GraphQL::ExecutionError before authorization or any model work. Same flag family as the CreateInstitutionalTag gate.

Solutions

1. Enable institutional_tags on the root account via Account feature options or console (set_feature_flag!('institutional_tags', 'on')).
2. Confirm context[:domain_root_account] is the flagged account.
3. Check flag environment/site-level overrides that may disable it in that environment.
4. Clear/refresh feature-flag caches if enabling appears not to take effect.

Example fix

// before
root_account.feature_enabled?(:institutional_tags) # => false
// after
Account.default.set_feature_flag!('institutional_tags', 'on') # then retry

# pre-flight
raise 'flag disabled' unless root_account.feature_enabled?(:institutional_tags)

function canCreateTagCategory(account) {
  return Boolean(account && account.featureFlags && account.featureFlags.includes('institutional_tags'));
}

try {
  await createInstitutionalTagCategory({ variables })
} catch (e) {
  if (e.message === 'feature flag is disabled') {
    // show 'enable institutional tags' guidance instead of retrying
  }
}

When it happens

Trigger: createInstitutionalTagCategory called on an account where feature_enabled?(:institutional_tags) is false — flag never enabled, environment without rollout, or wrong root account resolved in context.

Common situations: Local development without enabling the FF; calling on beta/production before rollout; multi-account setups where only some root accounts have the flag; flag rolled back by a release toggle.

Related errors

• category has reached the maximum number of tags
• feature flag is disabled
• feature flag is disabled
• Grading Assistance is not enabled for this course.
• peer_review_allocation_and_grading feature flag is not…

AI-assisted analysis of instructure/canvas-lms@1c9f0bb801 (2026-09-15). Data as JSON: /api/errors/193f53be5c03af19. Report an issue: GitHub.

Appendix: source

Thrown at app/graphql/mutations/create_institutional_tag_category.rb:32

# A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the GNU Affero General Public License for more
# details.
#
# You should have received a copy of the GNU Affero General Public License along
# with this program. If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
#

# NOTE: Depends on InstitutionalTagCategory model (app/models/institutional_tag_category.rb)

module Mutations
  class CreateInstitutionalTagCategory < BaseMutation
    argument :description, String, required: false
    argument :name,        String, required: true

    field :institutional_tag_category, Types::InstitutionalTagCategoryType, null: true

    def resolve(input:)
      root_account = context[:domain_root_account]
      raise GraphQL::ExecutionError, "feature flag is disabled" unless root_account.feature_enabled?(:institutional_tags)
      raise GraphQL::ExecutionError, "not authorized" unless root_account.grants_right?(current_user, session, :manage_institutional_tags_create)

      category = root_account.institutional_tag_categories.new(
        name: input[:name],
        description: input[:description]
      )

      if category.save
        { institutional_tag_category: category }
      else
        errors_for(category)
      end
    rescue ActiveRecord::RecordInvalid
      errors_for(category)
    rescue ActiveRecord::RecordNotFound
      raise GraphQL::ExecutionError, "not found"
    end
  end

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