Paperclip instance ' ' is already running as . Use…

Error message

Paperclip instance '${instanceId}' is already running as ${status.serviceName}. Use 'paperclipai service status --instance ${instanceId}' or pass --force to bypass this safety check.

What it means

Error "Paperclip instance '${instanceId}' is already running as ${status.serviceName}. Use 'paperclipai service status --instance ${instanceId}' or pass --force to bypass this safety check." thrown in paperclipai/paperclip.

Solutions

Stop the running service with `paperclipai service stop --instance ${instanceId}`, then retry.
Pass --force to bypass the safety check.

When it happens

Trigger: Thrown at cli/src/services/service-manager.ts:310 when the library encounters an invalid state.

Common situations: See trigger scenarios.

AI-assisted analysis of paperclipai/paperclip@120ae5428f (2026-08-18). Data as JSON: /api/errors/7fe7d31928fc884a. Report an issue: GitHub.

Appendix: source

Thrown at cli/src/services/service-manager.ts:310

  const instanceId = resolvePaperclipInstanceId(input.instanceId);
  const platform = input.platform ?? process.platform;
  const runner = input.runner ?? defaultCommandRunner;
  if (platform === "darwin") return { supported: true, manager: new LaunchdServiceManager(instanceId, runner) };
  if (platform !== "linux") return { supported: false, reason: `Service management is not supported on ${platform}. Use paperclipai run instead.` };
  try {
    await runner("systemctl", ["--user", "show-environment"]);
    return { supported: true, manager: new SystemdServiceManager(instanceId, runner) };
  } catch {
    return { supported: false, reason: "No usable systemd user manager was detected (common in containers and WSL1). Use paperclipai run instead." };
  }
}

export async function assertForegroundRunAllowed(instanceId: string, force = false, detector: typeof detectServiceManager = detectServiceManager): Promise<void> {
  if (force || process.env.PAPERCLIP_SERVICE_MANAGED === "1") return;
  const detection = await detector({ instanceId });
  if (!detection.supported) return;
  const status = await detection.manager.status();
  if (status.active) throw new Error(`Paperclip instance '${instanceId}' is already running as ${status.serviceName}. Use 'paperclipai service status --instance ${instanceId}' or pass --force to bypass this safety check.`);
}

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