paperclipai/paperclip · error

Cannot seed worktree database because source config was not…

Error message

Cannot seed worktree database because source config was not found at ${sourceConfigPath}. Use --no-seed or provide --from-config.

What it means

Seed-source guard in worktree init: seeding was requested, but the resolved source config file does not exist, so there is no source instance to copy data from; the command offers --no-seed or an explicit --from-config as the escape hatches.

Solutions

1. Provide --from-config pointing at the source config.
2. Re-run with --no-seed to skip database seeding.

When it happens

Trigger: Thrown at cli/src/commands/worktree.ts:1702 when the library encounters an invalid state.

Common situations: See trigger scenarios.

AI-assisted analysis of paperclipai/paperclip@01ad858492 (2026-08-18). Data as JSON: /api/errors/8613df8187699849. Report an issue: GitHub.

Appendix: source

Thrown at cli/src/commands/worktree.ts:2516

    {
      ...buildWorktreeEnvEntries(paths, branding),
      ...(existingAgentJwtSecret ? { PAPERCLIP_AGENT_JWT_SECRET: existingAgentJwtSecret } : {}),
      ...(existingToolActionSigningSecret ? { PAPERCLIP_TOOL_ACTION_SIGNING_SECRET: existingToolActionSigningSecret } : {}),
    },
    paths.envPath,
  );
  ensureAgentJwtSecret(paths.configPath);
  ensureToolActionSigningSecret(paths.configPath);
  loadPaperclipEnvFile(paths.configPath);
  const copiedGitHooks = copyGitHooksToWorktreeGitDir(cwd);

  let seedSummary: string | null = null;
  let seedExecutionQuarantineSummary: SeededWorktreeExecutionQuarantineSummary | null = null;
  let pausedScheduledRoutineCount: number | null = null;
  let reboundWorkspaceSummary: SeedWorktreeDatabaseResult["reboundWorkspaces"] = [];
  if (opts.seed !== false) {
    if (!sourceConfig) {
      throw new Error(
        `Cannot seed worktree database because source config was not found at ${sourceConfigPath}. Use --no-seed or provide --from-config.`,
      );
    }
    const spinner = p.spinner();
    spinner.start(`Seeding isolated worktree database from source instance (${seedMode})...`);
    const markers = resolveWorktreeSeedMarkerPaths(paths.configPath);
    const releaseSeedLock = await acquireWorktreeSeedLock(markers.lock);
    try {
      const seeded = await runVerifiedWorktreeSeed({
        configPath: paths.configPath,
        sourceConfigPath,
        sourceConfig,
        targetConfig,
        targetPaths: paths,
        instanceId,
        seedMode,
        preserveLiveWork: opts.preserveLiveWork,
        seedDatabase: seedWorktreeDatabase,

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