juanfont/headscale · error

%s could not start tailscale container (version: %s): %w

Error message

%s could not start tailscale container (version: %s): %w

What it means

Error "%s could not start tailscale container (version: %s): %w" thrown in juanfont/headscale.

Source

Thrown at integration/tsic/tsic.go:589

		if err != nil {
			//nolint:gosec // G706: tag value is from MustTestVersions, not external input
			log.Printf("Pull failed for %s:%s, error: %v", tailscaleOptions.Repository, tailscaleOptions.Tag, err)
		}

		container, err = pool.RunWithOptions(
			tailscaleOptions,
			dockertestutil.DockerRestartPolicy,
			dockertestutil.DockerAllowLocalIPv6,
			dockertestutil.DockerAllowNetworkAdministration,
			dockertestutil.DockerMemoryLimit,
		)
		if err != nil {
			log.Printf("Docker run failed for %s (version: v%s), error: %v", hostname, version, err)
		}
	}

	if err != nil {
		return nil, fmt.Errorf(
			"%s could not start tailscale container (version: %s): %w",
			hostname,
			version,
			err,
		)
	}

	log.Printf("Created %s container\n", hostname)

	tsic.container = container

	for i, cert := range tsic.caCerts {
		err = tsic.WriteFile(fmt.Sprintf("%s/user-%d.crt", caCertRoot, i), cert)
		if err != nil {
			return nil, fmt.Errorf("writing TLS certificate to container: %w", err)
		}
	}

View on GitHub (pinned to 565fd254d0)

Solutions

1. Inspect the wrapped error for the underlying cause and correct the failing condition (could not start tailscale container (version); retry the operation after fixing the input, configuration, or environment.

Example fix

Inspect the wrapped error for the underlying cause and correct the failing condition (could not start tailscale container (version); retry the operation after fixing the input, configuration, or environment.

When it happens

Trigger: Thrown at integration/tsic/tsic.go:589 when the library encounters an invalid state.

Common situations: Starting the tailscale container failed. Check Docker logs for the container and that the image for the requested version exists.

AI-assisted analysis of juanfont/headscale@565fd254d0 (2026-08-15). Data as JSON: /api/errors/2f68580945f4f03c. Report an issue: GitHub.