puppetlabs/puppet · warning · Puppet::Error

Unknown service state '%{current_state}' for service '%{reso

Error message

Unknown service state '%{current_state}' for service '%{resource_name}'

What it means

Raised by Puppet's Windows service provider when the SCM reports a service state the provider cannot map to stopped/paused/running (mapped: STOPPED/STOP_PENDING, PAUSED/PAUSE_PENDING, RUNNING/CONTINUE_PENDING/START_PENDING). Practically it is an internal guard: the surrounding `rescue => detail` catches it, emits 'Puppet.warning(Status for service ... could not be retrieved: ...)' and falls back to :stopped, so the catalog run continues and the service gets started.

Source

Thrown at lib/puppet/provider/service/windows.rb:104

  end

  def stop
    Puppet::Util::Windows::Service.stop(@resource[:name], timeout: @resource[:timeout])
  end

  def status
    return :stopped unless Puppet::Util::Windows::Service.exists?(@resource[:name])

    current_state = Puppet::Util::Windows::Service.service_state(@resource[:name])
    state = case current_state
            when :SERVICE_STOPPED, :SERVICE_STOP_PENDING
              :stopped
            when :SERVICE_PAUSED, :SERVICE_PAUSE_PENDING
              :paused
            when :SERVICE_RUNNING, :SERVICE_CONTINUE_PENDING, :SERVICE_START_PENDING
              :running
            else
              raise Puppet::Error, _("Unknown service state '%{current_state}' for service '%{resource_name}'") % { current_state: current_state, resource_name: @resource[:name] }
            end
    debug("Service #{@resource[:name]} is #{current_state}")
    state
  rescue => detail
    Puppet.warning("Status for service #{@resource[:name]} could not be retrieved: #{detail}")
    :stopped
  end

  def default_timeout
    Puppet::Util::Windows::Service::DEFAULT_TIMEOUT
  end

  # returns all providers for all existing services and startup state
  def self.instances
    services = []
    Puppet::Util::Windows::Service.services.each do |service_name, _|
      services.push(new(:name => service_name))
    end

View on GitHub (pinned to e227c27540)

Solutions

1. Check the accompanying warning for the raw state value and query the node: `Get-Service <name>` / `sc.exe query <name>`.
2. If the state is transitional (start/pause pending), wait and re-run; the service usually settles into a mapped state.
3. Upgrade the Puppet agent so the SCM helper's state list covers the reported state.
4. If the fallback (:stopped) causes an unwanted start, set `ensure => stopped` or use `hasstatus => false`-style manual checks appropriate to your Puppet version.

state = Puppet::Util::Windows::Service.service_state('myapp')
known = %i[SERVICE_STOPPED SERVICE_STOP_PENDING SERVICE_PAUSED SERVICE_PAUSE_PENDING SERVICE_RUNNING SERVICE_CONTINUE_PENDING SERVICE_START_PENDING]
warn 'unmapped SCM state' unless known.include?(state)

MAPPED_STATES = %i[SERVICE_STOPPED SERVICE_STOP_PENDING SERVICE_PAUSED SERVICE_PAUSE_PENDING SERVICE_RUNNING SERVICE_CONTINUE_PENDING SERVICE_START_PENDING].freeze

def puppet_status_symbol(scm_state)
  case scm_state
  when :SERVICE_STOPPED, :SERVICE_STOP_PENDING then :stopped
  when :SERVICE_PAUSED, :SERVICE_PAUSE_PENDING then :paused
  when :SERVICE_RUNNING, :SERVICE_CONTINUE_PENDING, :SERVICE_START_PENDING then :running
  end # nil for unmapped
end

When it happens

Trigger: A `status` query returning an unmapped state symbol — e.g., SERVICE_UNKNOWN or a transitional/undocumented state from an older or newer SCM helper — during ensure-sync or an explicit start/stop. The visible symptom is the warning line plus Puppet treating the service as stopped.

Common situations: Puppet version skew between agent and the Windows::Service helper's state list; services in unusual driver/kernel states; tests stubbing service_state with unexpected symbols. Low operational impact because of the built-in fallback.

Related errors

• Unknown start type: %{start_type}
• Will not start disabled service %{resource_name} without man
• Service query for %{parameter_name} failed
• Failed to send the %{control_signal} signal to the service.
• RegisterEventSourceW failed to open Windows eventlog

AI-assisted analysis of puppetlabs/puppet@e227c27540 (2026-08-21). Data as JSON: /api/errors/e3aa4868d10fcef9. Report an issue: GitHub.