paperclipai/paperclip · error · Error

Target worktree database appears to be running

Error message

Target worktree database appears to be running (pid ${runningTargetPid}). Stop Paperclip in ${target.rootPath} before repairing, or re-run with --allow-live-target if you want to override this guard.

What it means

Error "Target worktree database appears to be running (pid ${runningTargetPid}). Stop Paperclip in ${target.rootPath} before repairing, or re-run with --allow-live-target if you want to override this guard." thrown in paperclipai/paperclip.

Solutions

1. Stop Paperclip in ${target.rootPath} and retry the repair.
2. Re-run with --allow-live-target to override the guard (risky).

When it happens

Trigger: Thrown at cli/src/commands/worktree.ts:3554 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/527a53c7ddc29c63. Report an issue: GitHub.

Appendix: source

Thrown at cli/src/commands/worktree.ts:4415

      fromConfig: source.configPath,
      to: target.rootPath,
      seedMode,
      preserveLiveWork: opts.preserveLiveWork,
      yes: true,
      allowLiveTarget: opts.allowLiveTarget,
    });
    return;
  }

  const repairInstanceId = sanitizeWorktreeInstanceId(path.basename(target.rootPath));
  const repairPaths = resolveWorktreeLocalPaths({
    cwd: target.rootPath,
    homeDir: resolveWorktreeHome(opts.home),
    instanceId: repairInstanceId,
  });
  const runningTargetPid = readRunningPostmasterPid(path.resolve(repairPaths.embeddedPostgresDataDir, "postmaster.pid"));
  if (runningTargetPid && !opts.allowLiveTarget) {
    throw new Error(
      `Target worktree database appears to be running (pid ${runningTargetPid}). Stop Paperclip in ${target.rootPath} before repairing, or re-run with --allow-live-target if you want to override this guard.`,
    );
  }
  if (runningTargetPid && opts.allowLiveTarget) {
    p.log.warning(`Proceeding even though the target embedded PostgreSQL appears to be running (pid ${runningTargetPid}).`);
  }

  const originalCwd = process.cwd();
  try {
    process.chdir(target.rootPath);
    await runWorktreeInit({
      home: opts.home,
      fromConfig: source.configPath,
      fromDataDir: opts.fromDataDir,
      fromInstance: opts.fromInstance,
      seed: opts.noSeed ? false : true,
      seedMode,
      preserveLiveWork: opts.preserveLiveWork,

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