remote mise environment cannot contain a comma

Error message

remote mise environment cannot contain a comma: {env}

What it means

Each mise_env entry is passed as a single KEY=VALUE token; values containing commas cannot be represented in the remote environment serialization, so validate_with_source rejects any mise_env value containing a comma after the general validate_value check passes.

Solutions

Split into multiple mise_env entries where the target tool supports repeated keys.
Use a separator the remote tool accepts (e.g. spaces or colons) instead of commas.
Escape/transform the value so commas aren't needed, or set it via a bootstrap/scripted mechanism.

Example fix

// before
mise_env = ["FEATURES=a,b,c"]
// after
mise_env = ["FEATURES=a b c"]

Defensive patterns

Strategy: validation

Validate before calling

function assertMiseEnv(envList) {
  for (const e of envList || []) {
    if (e.includes(',')) throw new Error(`remote mise environment cannot contain a comma: ${e}`);
  }
}

Prevention

Join list-valued env vars with spaces or the tool's accepted separator, never commas.
Split comma-separated values into multiple entries when the target supports repeats.
Lint remote host env entries for ',' before commit.

When it happens

Trigger: A remote host entry has a mise_env item like `FEATURES=a,b,c`; validate() or apply_overrides() iterate mise_env and bail on the comma check.

Common situations: Setting comma-separated list env vars (CARGO_FEATURES, RUSTFLAGS-like lists, tool whitelists); building the env var from a joined list with ',' separator.

Understand the failure class

Background: "is not a valid" / "Invalid ... value" environment variable errors: how libraries validate env vars and what to do when they reject yours — this error's family across 48 libraries.

Related errors

AI-assisted analysis of jdx/mise@533346cc37 (2026-09-17). Data as JSON: /api/errors/53caf2d5a0b1925d. Report an issue: GitHub.

Appendix: source

Thrown at src/system/remote.rs:394

                bail!(
                    "remote host '{}' cannot combine install_mise with remote_mise or bootstrap_command, which already provide mise on the host",
                    self.name
                );
            }
            validate_install_mise_path(install_mise).wrap_err_with(|| {
                format!("remote host '{}' has an invalid install_mise", self.name)
            })?;
        }
        for option in &self.ssh_options {
            validate_value("SSH option", option)?;
        }
        for exclude in &self.exclude {
            validate_value("archive exclude", exclude)?;
        }
        for env in &self.mise_env {
            validate_value("mise environment", env)?;
            if env.contains(',') {
                bail!("remote mise environment cannot contain a comma: {env}");
            }
        }
        if let Some(remote_mise) = &self.remote_mise {
            validate_remote_executable(remote_mise)?;
        }
        if self
            .bootstrap_command
            .as_ref()
            .is_some_and(|command| command.contains('\0'))
        {
            bail!("remote host '{}' bootstrap command contains NUL", self.name);
        }
        Ok(())
    }
}

pub(crate) async fn run(
    host: &RemoteHost,

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