juanfont/headscale · error

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

Error message

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

Unable to get diagnostic build output (command may have failed silently)

What it means

Error "%s could not start tailscale container (version: %s): %w Unable to get diagnostic build output (command may have failed silently)" thrown in juanfont/headscale.

Source

Thrown at integration/tsic/tsic.go:535

						maxLines,
						relevantOutput,
					)
				}

				if buildOutput != "" {
					// Build succeeded on retry but container creation still failed
					return nil, fmt.Errorf(
						"%s could not start tailscale container (version: %s): %w\n\nDocker build succeeded on retry, but container creation failed. Last %d lines of build output:\n%s",
						hostname,
						version,
						err,
						maxLines,
						relevantOutput,
					)
				}

				// No output at all - diagnostic build command may have failed
				return nil, fmt.Errorf(
					"%s could not start tailscale container (version: %s): %w\n\nUnable to get diagnostic build output (command may have failed silently)",
					hostname,
					version,
					err,
				)
			}
		}
	case "unstable":
		// ghcr.io/tailscale/tailscale:unstable is stale (last updated
		// 2022); only tailscale/tailscale on Docker Hub publishes
		// current unstable builds.
		tailscaleOptions.Repository = "tailscale/tailscale"
		tailscaleOptions.Tag = version

		err = dockertestutil.PullWithAuth(pool, tailscaleOptions.Repository+":"+tailscaleOptions.Tag)
		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)

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:535 when the library encounters an invalid state.

Common situations: The tailscale container failed to start and no diagnostic build output could be captured. Check Docker daemon health and image availability manually.

AI-assisted analysis of juanfont/headscale@565fd254d0 (2026-08-15). Data as JSON: /api/errors/d691159c172712c7. Report an issue: GitHub.