paperclipai/paperclip · error · Error

Working directory does not exist on remote target

Error message

Working directory does not exist on remote target: "${cwd}"${detail ? ` (${detail})` : ""}

What it means

Directory-existence failure on a remote target: creation was not requested (createIfMissing false) and the test -d check found the working directory absent, so commands cannot be launched there; any remote stderr detail is appended.

Solutions

1. Create "${cwd}" on the remote target before running.
2. Fix the configured working directory path.

When it happens

Trigger: Thrown at packages/adapter-utils/src/execution-target.ts:1065 when the library encounters an invalid state.

Common situations: See trigger scenarios.

AI-assisted analysis of paperclipai/paperclip@3f1d897a7c (2026-08-18). Data as JSON: /api/errors/3a69e2acddef13bc. Report an issue: GitHub.

Appendix: source

Thrown at packages/adapter-utils/src/execution-target.ts:1115

      code,
      level: "warn",
      message: "Install command threw before completion.",
      detail: err instanceof Error ? err.message : String(err),
    };
  }
  const tail = (text: string) =>
    text.split(/\r?\n/).filter((line) => line.trim().length > 0).slice(-3).join(" | ").slice(0, 480);
  if (result.timedOut) {
    return {
      code,
      level: "warn",
      message: `Install command timed out: ${trimmed}`,
      detail: tail(result.stderr || result.stdout),
    };
  }
  if ((result.exitCode ?? 1) === 0) {
    return {
      code,
      level: "info",
      message: `Install command ran: ${trimmed}`,
      ...(tail(result.stdout) ? { detail: tail(result.stdout) } : {}),
    };
  }
  return {
    code,
    level: "warn",
    message: `Install command exited ${result.exitCode}: ${trimmed}`,
    detail: tail(result.stderr || result.stdout),
  };
}

export async function readAdapterExecutionTargetHomeDir(
  runId: string,
  target: AdapterExecutionTarget | null | undefined,
  options: AdapterExecutionTargetShellOptions,
): Promise<string | null> {

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