testcontainers/testcontainers-java · error · IllegalStateException

Path already configured for copy

Error message

Path already configured for copy: ${mountableFile}

What it means

Guard in GenericContainer.withCopyFileToContainer: the same MountableFile source was already registered in copyToFileContainerPathMap, i.e. a duplicate copy of the same path was configured. Testcontainers forbids configuring the same source for copy twice, so an IllegalStateException is thrown naming the offending file.

Solutions

1. Call withCopyFileToContainer only once per unique MountableFile source
2. Remove duplicate copy registrations of the same path from container setup

When it happens

Trigger: Thrown at core/src/main/java/org/testcontainers/containers/GenericContainer.java:1265 when the library encounters an invalid state.

Common situations: See trigger scenarios.

AI-assisted analysis of testcontainers/testcontainers-java@8e549514e3 (2026-09-12). Data as JSON: /api/errors/1cd2e2b4e6d08c77. Report an issue: GitHub.

Appendix: source

Thrown at core/src/main/java/org/testcontainers/containers/GenericContainer.java:1265

        return self();
    }

    /**
     * {@inheritDoc}
     */
    @Override
    public SELF withWorkingDirectory(String workDir) {
        this.setWorkingDirectory(workDir);
        return self();
    }

    /**
     * {@inheritDoc}
     */
    @Override
    public SELF withCopyFileToContainer(MountableFile mountableFile, String containerPath) {
        if (copyToFileContainerPathMap.containsKey(mountableFile)) {
            throw new IllegalStateException("Path already configured for copy: " + mountableFile);
        }
        copyToFileContainerPathMap.put(mountableFile, containerPath);
        return self();
    }

    /**
     * {@inheritDoc}
     */
    @Override
    public SELF withCopyToContainer(Transferable transferable, String containerPath) {
        copyToTransferableContainerPathMap.put(transferable, containerPath);
        return self();
    }

    /**
     * Get the IP address that this container may be reached on (may not be the local machine).
     *
     * @return an IP address

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