nikivdev/code · error

Workspace {} already exists at {}

Error message

Workspace {} already exists at {}

What it means

Before creating a review workspace, run_workspace checks existing_workspace_path. If a workspace with the same name already exists at a different path than the one requested, it bails to avoid two divergent checkouts of the same workspace name.

Source

Thrown at src/jj.rs:613

                    eprintln!("  continuing with current local refs");
                }
            }

            let workspace_name = review_workspace_name(&branch);
            if workspace_name.is_empty() {
                bail!("Invalid review branch name: {}", branch);
            }

            let workspace_path = match path {
                Some(p) => p,
                None => workspace_default_path(&ctx.repo_root, &workspace_name)?,
            };

            if let Some(existing_path) =
                existing_workspace_path(&ctx.workspace_root, &ctx.repo_root, &workspace_name)?
            {
                if existing_path != workspace_path {
                    bail!(
                        "Workspace {} already exists at {}",
                        workspace_name,
                        existing_path.display()
                    );
                }
                println!(
                    "Reusing review workspace {} at {}",
                    workspace_name,
                    existing_path.display()
                );
            } else {
                let resolution = resolve_review_workspace_base(
                    &ctx.repo_root,
                    &branch,
                    &remote,
                    base.as_deref(),
                );
                run_workspace_add(

View on GitHub (pinned to a747e741ae)

Solutions

1. Reuse the existing location: run the command without --path, or cd to the printed existing path.
2. Remove the stale workspace first (`jj workspace delete <name>`) and re-create it at the desired path.
3. If the old directory was intentionally moved, delete the workspace record and recreate it there.

Example fix

// before
flow workspace feature/x --path /tmp/other   # conflicts with existing path
// after
jj workspace delete feature-x
flow workspace feature/x --path /tmp/other

// shell
jj workspace list | grep -q "$WS_NAME" && \
  echo "workspace exists: $(jj workspace list | grep "$WS_NAME") — reuse or delete it first" && exit 1

When it happens

Trigger: `flow workspace <branch>` (run_workspace) when existing_workspace_path finds the workspace registered at path X but the resolved workspace_path (explicit --path or computed default) is Y, with X != Y.

Common situations: Passing a custom --path while the workspace already lives at its default location; moving/renaming the workspace directory manually without updating jj; re-running the command from a different repo clone.

Related errors

• Refusing to overwrite {}
• env file not found: {}
• Path not found: {}
• Path must be a directory: {}
• Destination already exists: {}

AI-assisted analysis of nikivdev/code@a747e741ae (2026-09-01). Data as JSON: /api/errors/0423e9742552e91b. Report an issue: GitHub.