zed-industries/zed · error

Cannot read file because its path matches the global `file_s

Error message

Cannot read file because its path matches the global `file_scan_exclusions` setting: {}

What it means

The read_file tool refuses files matching the global `file_scan_exclusions` setting, checking WorktreeSettings::get_global before any filesystem access. This keeps scan-excluded files (lockfiles, build artifacts, vendored code) out of agent context, mirroring the list_directory gate for file reads.

Source

Thrown at crates/agent/src/tools/read_file_tool.rs:305

                            project_path,
                            canonical_target,
                        } => (project_path, Some(canonical_target)),
                    })
                }).map_err(tool_content_err)?;

            let abs_path = project
                .read_with(cx, |project, cx| {
                    project.absolute_path(&project_path, cx)
                })
                .ok_or_else(|| {
                    anyhow!("Failed to convert {} to absolute path", input.path)
                }).map_err(tool_content_err)?;

            // Check settings exclusions synchronously
            project.read_with(cx, |_project, cx| {
                let global_settings = WorktreeSettings::get_global(cx);
                if global_settings.is_path_excluded(&project_path.path) {
                    anyhow::bail!(
                        "Cannot read file because its path matches the global `file_scan_exclusions` setting: {}",
                        input.path
                    );
                }

                if global_settings.is_path_private(&project_path.path) {
                    anyhow::bail!(
                        "Cannot read file because its path matches the global `private_files` setting: {}",
                        input.path
                    );
                }

                let worktree_settings = WorktreeSettings::get(Some((&project_path).into()), cx);
                if worktree_settings.is_path_excluded(&project_path.path) {
                    anyhow::bail!(
                        "Cannot read file because its path matches the worktree `file_scan_exclusions` setting: {}",
                        input.path
                    );

View on GitHub (pinned to bc538def45)

Solutions

1. Narrow or remove the matching glob in the global `file_scan_exclusions` setting and retry
2. Paste the relevant snippet into the chat instead of having the agent read the excluded file
3. Read the file outside the agent if the exclusion is intentional

Example fix

// before — global settings.json
"file_scan_exclusions": ["**/pnpm-lock.yaml"]

// after — rely on defaults; the agent can read the lockfile
"file_scan_exclusions": []

let excluded = project.read_with(cx, |_, cx| {
    WorktreeSettings::get_global(cx).is_path_excluded(&project_path.path)
});
if excluded {
    // skip read_file; the global scan exclusions hide this file from the agent
}

Match the read-file `file_scan_exclusions` message, name the offending glob, and either narrow the setting or supply the content out-of-band.

When it happens

Trigger: read_file on a path matched by a global `file_scan_exclusions` glob — commonly pnpm-lock.yaml, Cargo.lock output dirs, node_modules files, or vendored code covered by defaults or user globs.

Common situations: The agent is asked to read a lockfile or a file under node_modules/target that default or user exclusions cover; user-added globs block files the agent needs.

Related errors

• Cannot list directory because its path matches the user's gl
• Invalid model ID {}
• Cannot read file because its path matches the global `privat
• Cannot read file because its path matches the worktree `file
• output token limit reached

AI-assisted analysis of zed-industries/zed@bc538def45 (2026-08-16). Data as JSON: /api/errors/cb7bb01bb68b140c. Report an issue: GitHub.