wavetermdev/waveterm · error

path must be absolute, got relative path: %s

Error message

path must be absolute, got relative path: %s

What it means

read_text_file only accepts absolute paths. After ExpandHomeDir resolves the filename, verifyReadTextFileInput checks filepath.IsAbs and rejects relative paths. This prevents reads that silently depend on the server process's working directory.

Source

Thrown at pkg/aiusechat/tools_readfile.go:212

		return true, "Git credentials file"
	}

	return false, ""
}

func verifyReadTextFileInput(input any, toolUseData *uctypes.UIMessageDataToolUse) error {
	params, err := parseReadTextFileInput(input)
	if err != nil {
		return err
	}

	expandedPath, err := wavebase.ExpandHomeDir(params.Filename)
	if err != nil {
		return fmt.Errorf("failed to expand path: %w", err)
	}

	if !filepath.IsAbs(expandedPath) {
		return fmt.Errorf("path must be absolute, got relative path: %s", params.Filename)
	}

	if blocked, reason := isBlockedFile(expandedPath); blocked {
		return fmt.Errorf("access denied: potentially sensitive file: %s", reason)
	}

	fileInfo, err := os.Stat(expandedPath)
	if err != nil {
		return fmt.Errorf("failed to stat file: %w", err)
	}

	if fileInfo.IsDir() {
		return fmt.Errorf("path is a directory, cannot be read with the read_text_file tool. use the read_dir tool if available to read directories")
	}

	return nil
}

View on GitHub (pinned to a4447c1563)

Solutions

1. Prefix the filename with "/" (or a Windows drive root).
2. Use "~/..." so ExpandHomeDir produces an absolute path.
3. Run filepath.IsAbs(expandedPath) in the caller before invoking the tool.

Example fix

// before
{"filename": "./config/settings.json"}
// after
{"filename": "/home/user/project/config/settings.json"}

const abs = require('path').isAbsolute(p) || p.startsWith('~');
if (!abs) throw new Error("use an absolute path for read_text_file");

func isAbsAfterExpansion(p string) bool {
    exp, err := wavebase.ExpandHomeDir(p)
    return err == nil && filepath.IsAbs(exp)
}

if err := verifyReadTextFileInput(params); err != nil {
    if strings.Contains(err.Error(), "path must be absolute") {
        // convert to absolute via filepath.Abs or cwd prefix, then retry
    }
}

When it happens

Trigger: Calling read_text_file with {"filename": "config.json"} or "./config.json" where expansion leaves the path relative.

Common situations: Agents working from a repo root assuming cwd-relative reads; symlinks or env drift making what was absolute relative; Windows paths passed without a drive letter.

Related errors

• Invalid command path: ${formatPath(path)}
• accessing file %s: %w
• getting absolute path for %s: %w
• reading directory %s: %w
• reading file %s: %w

AI-assisted analysis of wavetermdev/waveterm@a4447c1563 (2026-09-01). Data as JSON: /api/errors/b663d1e0f49e748b. Report an issue: GitHub.