theonedev/onedev · error · ValidationException

Link spec not allowed to link specified issues

Error message

Link spec not allowed to link specified issues

What it means

For a unidirectional link spec, validate() applies the spec's issue query to BOTH ends: the link is rejected unless parsedIssueQuery matches both the source and the target issue. This error is thrown when either endpoint fails the spec's query.

Source

Thrown at server-core/src/main/java/io/onedev/server/model/IssueLink.java:115

				throw new ValidationException("Link spec not allowed to link to the target issue");
			if (!getSpec().getOpposite().isMultiple()
					&& getTarget().getSourceLinks().stream().anyMatch(it -> it.getSpec().equals(getSpec())))
				throw new ValidationException(
						"Opposite side of link spec is not multiple and the target issue is already linked to another issue via this link spec");
			if (!getSpec().getOpposite().getParsedIssueQuery(getSource().getProject())
					.matches(getSource()))
				throw new ValidationException("Opposite side of link spec not allowed to link to the source issue");
		} else {
			if (getSource().getLinks().stream().anyMatch(it -> it.getSpec().equals(getSpec())
					&& it.getLinked(getSource()).equals(getTarget())))
				throw new ValidationException("Specified issues already linked via specified link spec");
			if (!getSpec().isMultiple()
					&& getSource().getLinks().stream().anyMatch(it -> it.getSpec().equals(getSpec())))
				throw new ValidationException(
						"Link spec is not multiple and source issue is already linked to another issue via this link spec");
			var parsedIssueQuery = getSpec().getParsedIssueQuery(getSource().getProject());
			if (!parsedIssueQuery.matches(getSource()) || !parsedIssueQuery.matches(getTarget()))
				throw new ValidationException("Link spec not allowed to link specified issues");
		}
	}
}

View on GitHub (pinned to d44925c47c)

Solutions

  1. Change the non-matching issue's state/type/fields so it satisfies the spec's query.
  2. Update the link spec's issue query to permit the intended issues.
  3. Pick issues matching the query or a different link spec.
Defensive patterns

Strategy: validation

Validate before calling

var q = spec.getParsedIssueQuery(source.getProject());
if (!q.matches(source) || !q.matches(target)) throw new IllegalStateException("both issues must match spec query");

Try / catch

try { IssueLink.createLink(link); } catch (ValidationException e) { // report that the spec's issue query rejects one endpoint }

Prevention

When it happens

Trigger: createLink where the spec (opposite == null) defines an issue query and !query.matches(source) || !query.matches(target) in the source project.

Common situations: Spec restricted to certain issue types/states (e.g. only 'Task' issues may be linked) and one endpoint violates it; issues in projects whose fields don't satisfy the query; stale UI showing an allowed pair after the query changed.

Understand the failure class

Background: "Must be a positive integer", "Invalid value", "Unsupported": the invalid-argument-value error family, when a library rejects the value you pass — this error's family across 35 libraries.

Related errors

AI-assisted analysis of theonedev/onedev@d44925c47c (2026-09-06). Data as JSON: /api/errors/1597ed8f5ca600c0. Report an issue: GitHub.