Cannot use :task syntax outside of monorepo root directory

Error message

Cannot use :task syntax outside of monorepo root directory

What it means

Inside a monorepo, ':task' references are resolved relative to the current package scope, which requires knowing the current working directory's position under the monorepo root. When the CWD cannot be mapped to a package scope inside the monorepo (e.g. running from the root itself or outside any package), colon-prefixed references are rejected; bare names are passed through for global matching.

Solutions

cd into the specific package directory before using ':task' syntax
Use the full '//package:task' path form to name the package explicitly
Use the bare task name for global matching across the monorepo
Add a mise.toml/package definition for the directory if it should be a valid scope

Example fix

// before (at repo root)
mise run :build
// after
mise run //packages/api:build
# or cd packages/api && mise run :build

Defensive patterns

Strategy: fallback

Validate before calling

[ "$(pwd)" != "$(git rev-parse --show-toplevel 2>/dev/null)" ] || echo 'at repo root: use //pkg:task form'

Try / catch

cd "$(git rev-parse --show-toplevel)/packages/api" && mise run :build || mise run //packages/api:build

Prevention

cd into a package directory before using ':task'
Prefer explicit '//pkg:task' references in CI
Map monorepo layout before writing task refs
Don't run scoped tasks from repo root or non-package dirs

When it happens

Trigger: Running `mise run :task` while inside the monorepo but in a directory that has no associated task scope — typically the monorepo root directory or a directory outside all packages.

Common situations: Running from the repository root expecting ':task' to pick a default package; running from a scratch/build directory inside the repo that is not a package; CI checking out the repo and running at top level.

Understand the failure class

Background: "Invalid state transition" errors: "status must be X, actually Y", "already rejected/charging/uninstalled", "cannot ... while running" — what they mean when a library rejects your call — this error's family across 31 libraries.

Related errors

AI-assisted analysis of jdx/mise@533346cc37 (2026-09-17). Data as JSON: /api/errors/abf220daf6714a9c. Report an issue: GitHub.

Appendix: source

Thrown at src/task/task_load_context.rs:247

                .collect();
            cwd.ancestors()
                .find(|a| *a == monorepo_root || roots.iter().any(|r| r == a))
                .unwrap_or(cwd)
        } else {
            cwd
        };
        if let Some(scope) = monorepo_scope(&monorepo_root, scope_dir) {
            // For bare task names, only expand if we're actually in the monorepo
            // For colon patterns, always expand (and error if outside monorepo)

            if is_colon_pattern {
                Ok(format!("{scope}{task}"))
            } else {
                Ok(format!("{scope}:{task}"))
            }
        } else {
            if is_colon_pattern {
                bail!("Cannot use :task syntax outside of monorepo root directory");
            }
            // Bare name outside monorepo - return as-is for global matching
            Ok(task.to_string())
        }
    } else {
        if is_colon_pattern {
            bail!("Cannot use :task syntax without a current working directory");
        }
        Ok(task.to_string())
    }
}

#[cfg(test)]
mod tests {
    use super::*;

    #[test]
    fn test_monorepo_scope() {

View on GitHub (pinned to 533346cc37)