nikivdev/code · error

Failed to bootstrap service

Error message

Failed to bootstrap service: {}

What it means

This is the second bootstrap attempt in enable_service (loading the service), which unlike error 684 tolerates 'already loaded' stderr but still fails when launchctl exits non-zero for any other reason. The distinguishing stderr text is checked before bailing, so genuine bootstrap errors surface here.

Solutions

1. Read the embedded stderr for launchctl's specific failure reason.
2. If the service actually is already loaded, verify with `launchctl print <domain>/<label>` and treat the enable as a no-op success.
3. Run with sudo / in a GUI session as appropriate for the service's domain.
4. Check the plist is readable by the invoking user (permissions/ownership).

Example fix

// before
// error: "Failed to bootstrap service: Bootstrap failed: 125: Domain operation not supported"
ssh host flow macos enable my-daemon
// after
// run in a GUI session, or target the system domain explicitly
sudo flow macos enable my-daemon

let already = std::process::Command::new("launchctl")
    .args(["print", &format!("gui/{}/{}", uid, label)])
    .status()
    .map(|s| s.success())
    .unwrap_or(false);
if already { eprintln!("service already loaded; skipping enable"); return; }

fn is_non_idempotent_bootstrap_failure(err: &anyhow::Error) -> bool {
    let m = err.to_string();
    m.contains("Failed to bootstrap service:") && !m.contains("already loaded")
}

match macos::run_enable(opts) {
    Err(e) if e.to_string().contains("Failed to bootstrap service:") => {
        // "already loaded" cases are tolerated internally; anything reaching here is real
        eprintln!("bootstrap failed: {}", e);
    }
    other => other?,
}

When it happens

Trigger: launchctl bootstrap fails with an error whose stderr does NOT contain "already loaded" or "service already loaded" — e.g. permission denied on the plist, invalid domain, or bootstrap for a GUI service without a logged-in session.

Common situations: Enabling a service that was loaded under a different domain, so bootstrap fails with an unexpected message; running from an SSH session where the GUI domain is unavailable.

Related errors

• Failed to disable service
• Failed to enable service
• Refusing to disable Apple service
• Bike.app failed to open
• codex skill-eval launchd install failed

AI-assisted analysis of nikivdev/code@a747e741ae (2026-09-01). Data as JSON: /api/errors/b262abe98bf06b88. Report an issue: GitHub.

Appendix: source

Thrown at src/macos.rs:771

    // Then bootstrap (load)
    let mut cmd = if svc.service_type.requires_sudo() {
        let mut c = Command::new("sudo");
        c.args(["launchctl", "bootstrap", &domain]);
        c.arg(&svc.plist_path);
        c
    } else {
        let mut c = Command::new("launchctl");
        c.args(["bootstrap", &domain]);
        c.arg(&svc.plist_path);
        c
    };

    let output = cmd.output()?;
    if !output.status.success() {
        let stderr = String::from_utf8_lossy(&output.stderr);
        // Bootstrap may fail if already loaded
        if !stderr.contains("already loaded") && !stderr.contains("service already loaded") {
            bail!("Failed to bootstrap service: {}", stderr);
        }
    }

    Ok(())
}

/// Get the current user's UID.
fn get_uid() -> u32 {
    unsafe { libc::getuid() }
}

/// Load macOS config from global flow.toml.
fn load_macos_config() -> Option<MacosConfig> {
    let config_path = config::default_config_path();
    if !config_path.exists() {
        return None;
    }

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