n8n-io/n8n · error · Error

--build-cwd directory does not exist: ${args.buildCwd}

Error message

--build-cwd directory does not exist: ${args.buildCwd}

What it means

The --build-cwd flag sets the working directory for the build subprocess (where claude -p runs), letting the user spawn the builder from a project where they have Claude skills/settings configured. main() (line 461) checks existsSync(args.buildCwd) and throws if the directory does not exist, preventing the subprocess from failing later with a less informative error.

Source

Thrown at packages/@n8n/instance-ai/evaluations/cli/build-mcp-manifest.ts:462

		execSync('command -v claude', { stdio: 'ignore' });
	} catch {
		throw new Error('claude not on PATH');
	}

	// Repo root scopes the staged MCP config (cwd fallback). Best-effort: the disk
	// source resolves/validates its own test-case dir below; langtracer pulls cases
	// over MCP, so it needs no repo at all and can run outside the n8n checkout.
	let repoRoot: string | undefined;
	try {
		repoRoot = execSync('git rev-parse --show-toplevel', { stdio: ['ignore', 'pipe', 'ignore'] })
			.toString()
			.trim();
	} catch {
		repoRoot = undefined;
	}

	if (args.buildCwd && !existsSync(args.buildCwd)) {
		throw new Error(`--build-cwd directory does not exist: ${args.buildCwd}`);
	}

	// Resolve slug -> conversation from the chosen source. Disk reads --workflow-dir
	// (positional slugs or discovered), langtracer pulls a suite over MCP; both feed
	// the same buildOne prompt.
	const casesBySlug = new Map<string, ConversationTurn[]>();
	if (args.source === 'langtracer') {
		const suite = args.suite;
		if (!suite) throw new Error('--source langtracer requires --suite <slug>');
		const cases = await loadTestCasesFromLangTracer({
			suite,
			tier: args.tier,
			logger: createLogger(false),
		});
		for (const { fileSlug, testCase } of cases)
			casesBySlug.set(fileSlug, testCase.conversation ?? []);
		if (args.slugs.length > 0) {
			const requested = new Set(args.slugs);

View on GitHub (pinned to 5ac6606e81)

Solutions

1. Verify the directory exists: ls <path>
2. Use an absolute path to avoid ambiguity with the current working directory
3. Create the directory if needed: mkdir -p <path>
4. Omit --build-cwd to use the default (repo root when inside the repo, otherwise process.cwd())

Example fix

# before
pnpm eval:build-mcp-manifest --build-cwd ~/projects/wrong

# after
pnpm eval:build-mcp-manifest --build-cwd ~/projects/correct

import { existsSync } from 'fs';
if (args.buildCwd && !existsSync(args.buildCwd)) {
  throw new Error(`--build-cwd directory does not exist: ${args.buildCwd}`);
}

When it happens

Trigger: Running `pnpm eval:build-mcp-manifest --build-cwd /nonexistent/path`. The check fires after git repo-root resolution but before any build work begins.

Common situations: Typo in the path. The directory was deleted or not yet created. A relative path resolved against an unexpected working directory.

Related errors

• Workflow directory not found: ${workflowDir}
• Disk source needs the n8n repo (run from inside it) or --wor
• --max-attempts must be >= 1
• --source langtracer requires --suite <slug>
• Failed to parse ${label} at ${path}: ${msg}

AI-assisted analysis of n8n-io/n8n@5ac6606e81 (2026-08-12). Data as JSON: /api/errors/1f005d2bba075eda. Report an issue: GitHub.