refusing to overwrite non-empty directory {}; pass {} or cho

Error message

refusing to overwrite non-empty directory {}; pass {} or choose an empty/new path

What it means

`mise install <tool>@<version> <path>` (install_into) refuses to install into a non-empty directory by default, to avoid clobbering existing files. The user is prompted to confirm; without a TTY/confirmation (or if they decline) mise bails, suggesting --yes to proceed.

Source

Thrown at src/cli/install_into.rs:152

        // already exists at the install path. Check immediately before the
        // install performs that deletion (rather than at the start of `run`) so
        // a directory that became non-empty during tool resolution can't be
        // clobbered without an explicit opt-in. Refuse to overwrite a non-empty
        // directory (e.g. `.`) unless the user passes -y/--yes or confirms
        // interactively; the prompt defaults to "no" since it is destructive.
        // (#8115)
        if path_has_contents(&install_path) {
            let proceed = Settings::get().yes
                || prompt::confirm_with_default(
                    format!(
                        "{} is not empty; install-into will delete its contents. Continue?",
                        display_path(&install_path)
                    ),
                    false,
                )?
                .is_yes();
            if !proceed {
                bail!(
                    "refusing to overwrite non-empty directory {}; pass {} or choose an empty/new path",
                    display_path(&install_path),
                    style("--yes").yellow().for_stderr()
                );
            }
        }
        backend.install_version(install_ctx, tv).await?;
        Ok(())
    }
}

/// Replacement deletes the destination, so one that overlaps the lock directory
/// in either direction is refused: an ancestor would take the whole directory
/// with it, and a descendant could unlink an active lock file, letting the next
/// process create a replacement and install alongside the holder.
fn lock_dir_overlap(destination: &Path, lock_dir: &Path) -> eyre::Report {
    eyre!(
        "install-into destination {} overlaps mise's lock directory {}; choose a different destination",

View on GitHub (pinned to afd2eddd3a)

Solutions

Pass --yes if you intentionally want to overwrite the non-empty directory.
Choose an empty or new target directory for the install.
Delete or clear the existing directory contents first if they are no longer needed.
In CI, decide explicitly: either pre-clean the directory or add --yes to the command.

Example fix

// before (fails on non-empty dir, non-interactive)
mise install node@20.0.0 ~/.nodes/20.0.0
// after
mise install --yes node@20.0.0 ~/.nodes/20.0.0

Defensive patterns

Strategy: validation

Validate before calling

# shell: ensure target dir is empty (or absent) before non-interactive install
if [ -d "$DIR" ] && [ -n "$(ls -A "$DIR")" ]; then echo "refusing: $DIR not empty"; exit 1; fi
mise install node@20.0.0 "$DIR"

Prevention

Pre-clean or choose a fresh directory before installing into an explicit path.
In CI/non-interactive contexts, always pass --yes deliberately or pre-validate emptiness.
Never reuse old version directories for new installs.

When it happens

Trigger: Running `mise install <tool>@<version> <existing-dir>` where the target install_path already contains files and neither an affirmative interactive confirmation nor the --yes flag is provided.

Common situations: Re-running an install into a previously populated directory; scripting/CI where there is no TTY so the prompt cannot be answered; re-using an old version directory by mistake.

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 jdx/mise@afd2eddd3a (2026-09-09). Data as JSON: /api/errors/467800e1e0e2859a. Report an issue: GitHub.