stablyai/orca · error · Error

Branch "${branchName}" already exists ${lastBranchConflictKi

Error message

Branch "${branchName}" already exists ${lastBranchConflictKind === 'local' ? 'locally' : 'on a remote'}. Pick a different ${branchConflictSubject}.

What it means

Remote worktree create exhausted all candidate remote worktree paths (every path already exists) AND the last collision was caused by a pre-existing branch — locally or on a remote. lastBranchConflictKind records whether the conflicting branch was found locally or remotely; branchConflictSubject is 'branch name' when an override was given, else 'worktree name'. The message tells the user exactly which dimension to change.

Source

Thrown at src/main/ipc/worktree-remote.ts:1609

      }
      lastBranchConflictKind = null
    }
    remotePath = computeRemoteWorktreePath(
      effectiveSanitizedName,
      repo.path,
      worktreePathSettings,
      {
        useConfiguredAbsolutePath: hasRepoWorktreeBasePath(repo)
      }
    )
    if (!(await remotePathExists(fsProvider, remotePath))) {
      remotePathResolved = true
      break
    }
  }
  if (!remotePathResolved) {
    if (lastBranchConflictKind) {
      throw new Error(
        `Branch "${branchName}" already exists ${lastBranchConflictKind === 'local' ? 'locally' : 'on a remote'}. Pick a different ${branchConflictSubject}.`
      )
    }
    throw new Error(
      `Could not find an available remote worktree path for "${sanitizedName}". Pick a different worktree name.`
    )
  }

  validateWorkspaceLineageParentBeforeCreate(
    store,
    args.parentWorkspace,
    worktreeWorkspaceKey(`${repo.id}::${remotePath}`)
  )

  const sparseDirectories = args.sparseCheckout
    ? normalizeSparseDirectories(args.sparseCheckout.directories)
    : []
  if (args.sparseCheckout && sparseDirectories.length === 0) {

View on GitHub (pinned to 1136503c6a)

Solutions

1. Pick a different worktree name or branch name override so it doesn't collide with the existing local/remote branch.
2. Delete or rename the conflicting branch (locally: git branch -D; remotely: git push origin --delete) if it is stale.
3. If collisions are routine, widen the suffix range or change the naming template so the loop has more candidates.

// Pre-check branch availability on local + remote before the create loop
const existsLocal = await localBranchExists(repo.path, candidateBranch)
const existsRemote = await remoteBranchExists(provider, repo.path, candidateBranch)
if (existsLocal || existsRemote) {
  return { ok: false, fieldError: 'branchName', message: `Branch "${candidateBranch}" already exists (${existsLocal ? 'locally' : 'on a remote'}).` }
}

catch (err) {
  if (err instanceof Error && /already exists .*locally|on a remote/.test(err.message)) {
    suggestAlternateNames(repo, sanitizedName)
  } else { throw err }
}

When it happens

Trigger: Remote create loop tries suffixed remote paths; each remotePathExists check returns true; the loop exits with remotePathResolved still false and a prior branch conflict recorded. Reached at worktree-remote.ts:1609.

Common situations: Reusing a worktree name whose branch already exists on origin or locally; suffix exhaustion because many numbered worktrees already occupy the paths; overriding a branch name that collides with an existing local/remote branch.

Related errors

• Could not find an available remote worktree path for "${sani
• Could not resolve a default base ref for this repo. Pick a b
• SSH target "${input.target.connectionId}" is not connected.
• GitHub work items require a GitHub remote for SSH repositori
• Cannot download a directory

AI-assisted analysis of stablyai/orca@1136503c6a (2026-08-12). Data as JSON: /api/errors/9b9b8cfa99d4c17c. Report an issue: GitHub.