nats-io/nats-server · error

Error subscribing to forwarded proposals: %v

Error message

Error subscribing to forwarded proposals: %v

What it means

The leader failed to create its internal subscription on the proposals subject (psubj) at the start of runAsLeader. Without it, forwarded proposals from followers cannot be received, so the node steps down (noLeader) instead of running an incomplete leader.

Source

Thrown at server/raft.go:3426

			n.tryCommit(n.pindex)
			return true
		}
	}
	return true
}

func (n *raft) runAsLeader() {
	if n.State() == Closed {
		return
	}

	n.Lock()
	psubj, rpsubj, term := n.psubj, n.rpsubj, n.term

	// For forwarded proposals, both normal and remove peer proposals.
	fsub, err := n.subscribe(psubj, n.handleForwardedProposal)
	if err != nil {
		n.warn("Error subscribing to forwarded proposals: %v", err)
		n.stepdownLocked(noLeader)
		n.Unlock()
		return
	}
	rpsub, err := n.subscribe(rpsubj, n.handleForwardedRemovePeerProposal)
	if err != nil {
		n.warn("Error subscribing to forwarded remove peer proposals: %v", err)
		n.unsubscribe(fsub)
		n.stepdownLocked(noLeader)
		n.Unlock()
		return
	}

	// Cleanup our subscription when we leave.
	defer func() {
		n.Lock()
		n.unsubscribe(fsub)
		n.unsubscribe(rpsub)

View on GitHub (pinned to 3a66a489d2)

Solutions

1. Inspect the underlying NATS subsystem error (max subscriptions, memory limits, shutdown in progress)
2. Verify system/memory limits are not exhausted on the server
3. The node will retry leadership via a new election once conditions clear; no manual action needed for transient errors

When it happens

Trigger: Thrown at server/raft.go:3426 when the library encounters an invalid state.

Common situations: See trigger scenarios.

AI-assisted analysis of nats-io/nats-server@3a66a489d2 (2026-09-02). Data as JSON: /api/errors/038b4b03b562f944. Report an issue: GitHub.