kubernetes/kops · error

error deleting autoscaling group %q: %v

Error message

error deleting autoscaling group %q: %v

What it means

DeleteAutoScalingGroup (with ForceDelete) failed while removing the ASG during `kops delete cluster` or IG deletion; the wrapped AWS error typically indicates the ASG is in use, already deleted, or permissions are missing.

Source

Thrown at upup/pkg/fi/cloudup/awsup/aws_cloud.go:423

			req := &ec2.TerminateInstancesInput{
				InstanceIds: detached,
			}
			if _, err := c.EC2().TerminateInstances(ctx, req); err != nil {
				return fmt.Errorf("error deleting detached instances for autoscaling group %q: %v", name, err)
			}
		}
	}

	// Delete ASG
	{
		klog.V(2).Infof("Deleting autoscaling group %q", name)
		request := &autoscaling.DeleteAutoScalingGroupInput{
			AutoScalingGroupName: aws.String(name),
			ForceDelete:          aws.Bool(true),
		}
		_, err := c.Autoscaling().DeleteAutoScalingGroup(ctx, request)
		if err != nil {
			return fmt.Errorf("error deleting autoscaling group %q: %v", name, err)
		}
	}

	// Delete LaunchConfig
	if launchTemplate != "" {
		// Delete launchTemplate
		{
			klog.V(2).Infof("Deleting autoscaling launch template %q", launchTemplate)
			req := &ec2.DeleteLaunchTemplateInput{
				LaunchTemplateName: aws.String(launchTemplate),
			}
			_, err := c.EC2().DeleteLaunchTemplate(ctx, req)
			if err != nil {
				return fmt.Errorf("error deleting autoscaling launch template %q: %v", launchTemplate, err)
			}
		}
	} else if template != "" {
		// Delete LaunchConfig

View on GitHub (pinned to 4c8573c808)

Solutions

1. Check autoscaling:DeleteAutoScalingGroup permissions
2. Retry the delete if the ASG was in a transitional state
3. Manually delete the ASG in the console if it is stuck, then re-run

When it happens

Trigger: Thrown at upup/pkg/fi/cloudup/awsup/aws_cloud.go:423 when the library encounters an invalid state.

Common situations: See trigger scenarios.

AI-assisted analysis of kubernetes/kops@4c8573c808 (2026-09-05). Data as JSON: /api/errors/ab0910b348fcb577. Report an issue: GitHub.