What causes "source context does not match group context" in instructure/canvas-lms?

Omit sourceContextId/sourceContextType entirely — the mutation defaults to group.context

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

source context does not match group context

Error message

source context does not match group context

What it means

ImportOutcomes raises this when the optional sourceContext explicitly provided does not equal the context of the group being imported. The mutation derives the authoritative source context from group.context; a supplied source_context that disagrees is rejected to prevent importing from a different account/course than the group belongs to.

Solutions

Omit sourceContextId/sourceContextType entirely — the mutation defaults to group.context
Ensure the provided source context matches group.context exactly (same type and id)
Re-fetch the group's context via GraphQL before calling
Fix client state so source context is derived from the selected group, not from page-level context

Example fix

// before (mismatched context)
importOutcomes(input: { groupId: "7", sourceContextId: "2", sourceContextType: "Account", targetGroupId: "5" })
// after: let the mutation infer it
importOutcomes(input: { groupId: "7", targetGroupId: "5" });

Defensive patterns

Strategy: validation

Validate before calling

if (sourceContextId && group.context.id !== sourceContextId) {
  throw new Error("source context does not match group context");
}

Try / catch

try {
  await importOutcomes(input);
} catch (e) {
  if (e.message.includes("does not match group context")) {
    // drop sourceContext fields and retry — mutation will infer group.context
  }
}

Prevention

Prefer omitting sourceContext entirely; the group's own context is authoritative
Derive source context from the selected group object, not page state
Re-fetch group context after any account/course moves

When it happens

Trigger: Calling importOutcomes with groupId belonging to Account A while passing sourceContextId/sourceContextType pointing to Account B or a Course; passing a stale sourceContext after the group was moved to another account.

Common situations: Client caches source context separately from the group; sub-account group imported while root account passed as source; admin UI in one account context operating on a group from another; group migrations changing group.context.

Understand the failure class

Background: "Must be a positive integer", "Invalid value", "Unsupported": the invalid-argument-value error family, when a library rejects the value you pass — this error's family across 35 libraries.

Related errors

AI-assisted analysis of instructure/canvas-lms@1c9f0bb801 (2026-09-15). Data as JSON: /api/errors/16c4b4fe97654d01. Report an issue: GitHub.

Appendix: source

Thrown at app/graphql/mutations/import_outcomes.rb:80

      )
    end

    target_context, target_group = get_target(input)

    verify_authorized_action!(target_context, :manage_outcomes)

    if (group_id = input[:group_id].presence)
      # Import the entire group into the given context
      group = LearningOutcomeGroup.active.find_by(id: group_id)
      if group.nil?
        raise GraphQL::ExecutionError, I18n.t("group not found")
      end

      # If optional source context provided, then check that
      # matches the group's context
      source_context ||= group.context
      if source_context && source_context != group.context
        raise GraphQL::ExecutionError, I18n.t("source context does not match group context")
      end

      # source has to be global or in an associated account
      unless !source_context || target_context.associated_accounts.include?(source_context)
        raise GraphQL::ExecutionError, I18n.t("invalid context for group")
      end

      # source can't be a root group
      if group.learning_outcome_group_id.nil?
        raise GraphQL::ExecutionError, I18n.t("cannot import a root group")
      end

      return process_job(
        source_context:, group:, target_group:
      )
    elsif (outcome_id = input[:outcome_id].presence)
      # Import the selected outcome into the given group

View on GitHub (pinned to 1c9f0bb801)