zellij-org/zellij · error · anyhow::Error

Failed to find active pane

Error message

Failed to find active pane

What it means

Thrown in handle_mouse_release (mouse_handler.rs) when, after stopping a possible resize, tab.get_active_pane_id(client_id) returns None — the releasing client has no active pane. get_active_pane_id checks only the floating map when floats are visible, otherwise only the tiled map, so a visible-but-unfocused floating overlay or an emptied tab yields None.

Solutions

1. If the tab was empty at release, the error is expected — no click routing is possible; open or focus a pane and retry.
2. If floats are visible, focus one float (click on it after re-showing) so get_active_pane_id consults a populated focus slot.
3. If panes are visibly focused and it still errors, capture client_id and mouse sequence and report upstream as a focus-tracking bug.
4. Update zellij.

// guard mouse-release handling on focus existing
let Some(active_pane_id) = tab.get_active_pane_id(client_id) else {
    return Ok(MouseEffect::default()); // nothing focused: ignore the release
};

match Self::handle_mouse_release(tab, position, client_id) {
    Ok(effect) => effect,
    Err(e) if e.to_string().ends_with("Failed to find active pane") => MouseEffect::default(),
    Err(e) => return Err(e),
}

When it happens

Trigger: Mouse button released while no pane is active for the client: the last pane exited while the button was held, or floating panes are visible with no floating pane focused for that client at release time.

Common situations: Holding a mouse button while a command pane exits; releasing after the focused floating pane was closed mid-press; reconnecting client whose focus was not yet restored.

Related errors

• failed to find active pane id for client
• Failed to find pane
• no active pane for client
• cannot acquire poisoned lock
• cannot acquire poisoned lock for

AI-assisted analysis of zellij-org/zellij@bf8d23a4f7 (2026-08-19). Data as JSON: /api/errors/303f2ddd1f97fd9e. Report an issue: GitHub.

Appendix: source

Thrown at zellij-server/src/tab/mouse_handler.rs:912

            MouseAction::NoAction => Ok(MouseEffect::default()),
        }
    }

    fn execute_stop_resize(
        tab: &mut Tab,
        position: Position,
        client_id: ClientId,
    ) -> Result<MouseEffect> {
        let err_context = || "failed to stop resize";
        let never_resized = Self::stop_pane_resize_with_mouse(tab, position, client_id)
            .with_context(err_context)?;
        if never_resized {
            let pane_id_at_position = Self::get_pane_at(tab, &position, false)
                .with_context(err_context)?
                .map(|p| p.pid());
            let active_pane_id = tab
                .get_active_pane_id(client_id)
                .ok_or_else(|| anyhow!("Failed to find active pane"))?;
            if let Some(pane_id) = pane_id_at_position {
                if pane_id != active_pane_id {
                    Self::focus_pane_at(tab, &position, client_id).with_context(err_context)?;
                }
            }
        }
        Ok(MouseEffect::state_changed())
    }

    fn execute_focus_pane(
        tab: &mut Tab,
        position: Position,
        client_id: ClientId,
    ) -> Result<MouseEffect> {
        let err_context = || "failed to focus pane";
        clear_hover_for_client(tab, client_id);
        let active_pane_id_before = tab
            .get_active_pane_id(client_id)

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