jdx/mise · error

cannot nest relay sessions

Error message

cannot nest relay sessions

What it means

The `mise ssh` command was asked to start a relay session (`--relay-session`) while already inside a scoped relay session. Relay sessions use a socket and cannot be stacked, so mise bails instead of creating a nested session.

Solutions

1. Exit the current relay session before starting a new one.
2. Drop the --relay-session flag and run the command inside the existing session.
3. Use a fresh shell that is not inside a relay session.

Example fix

// before
mise ssh --relay-session host  # inside an existing relay session
// after
exit   # leave the outer relay session
mise ssh --relay-session host

if (process.env.MISE_RELAY_SESSION_ACTIVE) { throw new Error('already inside a relay session; do not pass --relay-session again'); }

try { await run('mise ssh --relay-session host') } catch (e) { if (String(e).includes('cannot nest relay sessions')) { /* run without the flag or alert the user */ } }

When it happens

Trigger: Invoking `mise ssh --relay-session ...` (the `relay_session` flag) while `scope` (an outer relay scope) is already set.

Common situations: Running a second `mise ssh` relay command inside a shell already launched through a relay session; wrapping relay invocations in scripts that execute within an existing relay.

Related errors

• GitHub relay requires a POSIX target
• a repository preview directory requires a dry run
• cannot set up from a setup repository
• GitHub relay requires Linux or macOS
• GitHub relay socket forwarding failed

AI-assisted analysis of jdx/mise@533346cc37 (2026-09-17). Data as JSON: /api/errors/7434f00d1e1b8ad0. Report an issue: GitHub.

Appendix: source

Thrown at src/cli/ssh.rs:156

                self.repository_dry_run,
            )?;
            return Ok(());
        }
        let scope = crate::github_relay::Scope::from_flags(
            self.github_relay_read_only,
            &self.github_relay_repo,
            self.github_relay_all_repos,
        )?;
        let scope = crate::github_relay::configure(
            scope,
            self.github_relay_log_requests,
            self.github_relay_no_log_requests,
            self.github_relay_log_format.as_deref(),
            self.github_relay_max_duration.as_deref(),
        )?;
        if let Some(socket) = self.relay_session {
            if scope.is_some() {
                bail!("cannot nest relay sessions");
            }
            #[cfg(unix)]
            {
                crate::ui::ctrlc::exit_on_ctrl_c(false);
                let mut command = self.command;
                if let Some(first) = self.destination {
                    command.insert(0, first);
                }
                return crate::system::remote::interruptible(crate::github_relay::unix::session(
                    &socket, command,
                ))
                .await;
            }
            #[cfg(not(unix))]
            bail!("GitHub relay requires a POSIX target: {}", socket.display());
        }
        let destination = self
            .destination

View on GitHub (pinned to 533346cc37)