paperclipai/paperclip · critical · Error

Refusing to remove unsafe install-store path ${paths.cliRoot

Error message

Refusing to remove unsafe install-store path ${paths.cliRoot}.

What it means

Thrown by assertManagedInstallStore() at the very first check: cliRoot is examined with lstatSync and found to be either not a directory or a symlink. This function is the gate before destructive removal operations, so it refuses to act on a path that is not a real directory it controls, preventing accidental deletion of arbitrary targets via symlink redirection.

Source

Thrown at cli/src/install-store.ts:119

  } catch (error) {
    if ((error as NodeJS.ErrnoException).code !== "ENOENT") throw error;
    try {
      fs.writeFileSync(paths.markerPath, MANAGED_STORE_MARKER, { mode: 0o600, flag: "wx" });
    } catch (writeError) {
      if (
        (writeError as NodeJS.ErrnoException).code !== "EEXIST" ||
        fs.readFileSync(paths.markerPath, "utf8") !== MANAGED_STORE_MARKER
      ) {
        throw writeError;
      }
    }
  }
}

export function assertManagedInstallStore(paths = resolveInstallStorePaths()): InstallManifest {
  const cliStat = fs.lstatSync(paths.cliRoot);
  if (!cliStat.isDirectory() || cliStat.isSymbolicLink()) {
    throw new Error(`Refusing to remove unsafe install-store path ${paths.cliRoot}.`);
  }
  assertOwnedByCurrentUser(cliStat, paths.cliRoot);
  let markerStat: fs.Stats;
  try {
    markerStat = fs.lstatSync(paths.markerPath);
  } catch (error) {
    if ((error as NodeJS.ErrnoException).code === "ENOENT") {
      throw new Error(`Refusing to remove unverified install store ${paths.cliRoot}.`);
    }
    throw error;
  }
  if (!markerStat.isFile() || markerStat.isSymbolicLink() || markerStat.nlink > 1) {
    throw new Error(`Refusing to remove unverified install store ${paths.cliRoot}.`);
  }
  assertOwnedByCurrentUser(markerStat, paths.markerPath);
  if (fs.readFileSync(paths.markerPath, "utf8") !== MANAGED_STORE_MARKER) {
    throw new Error(`Refusing to remove unverified install store ${paths.cliRoot}.`);
  }

View on GitHub (pinned to 67001ec6eb)

Solutions

1. Inspect the entry: 'ls -la ~/.paperclip/cli'.
2. If it is a symlink or stray file you control, remove it so the store can be re-initialized, or point PAPERCLIP_HOME elsewhere.
3. If the symlink is unexpected, investigate before removing — do not blindly delete.
4. Once the path is clear, re-run the CLI operation to recreate a genuine store.

Example fix

$ ls -la ~/.paperclip/cli
lrwxrwxrwx  cli -> /some/other/dir
$ rm ~/.paperclip/cli
$ paperclipai install

import fs from "node:fs";
import { resolveInstallStorePaths } from "./install-store.js";

function isRealStoreRoot(paths = resolveInstallStorePaths()): boolean {
  try {
    const st = fs.lstatSync(paths.cliRoot);
    return st.isDirectory() && !st.isSymbolicLink();
  } catch { return false; }
}

import fs from "node:fs";

function isRealDirectory(p: string): boolean {
  const st = fs.lstatSync(p);
  return st.isDirectory() && !st.isSymbolicLink();
}

try {
  assertManagedInstallStore(paths);
} catch (err) {
  if (err instanceof Error && err.message.includes("unsafe install-store path")) {
    console.error(`${paths.cliRoot} is not a real directory; refusing destructive op.`);
    process.exit(1);
  }
  throw err;
}

When it happens

Trigger: Called assertManagedInstallStore() (typically before uninstall/prune/remove flows) where paths.cliRoot is a regular file or a symbolic link rather than a real directory.

Common situations: 1) A symlink was placed at ~/.paperclip/cli. 2) A prior operation left a file at that path. 3) PAPERCLIP_HOME resolves to a location where 'cli' is a symlink or file. 4) Tampering attempt to redirect removal at another directory.

Related errors

• Refusing to use non-directory install-store path ${directory
• Refusing to use unsafe install-store marker ${paths.markerPa
• Refusing to remove unverified install store ${paths.cliRoot}
• Refusing to activate payload outside ${paths.installsRoot}.
• Refusing to modify path not owned by the current user: ${tar

AI-assisted analysis of paperclipai/paperclip@67001ec6eb (2026-08-12). Data as JSON: /api/errors/6138b0623f9e0fe0. Report an issue: GitHub.