Critical startup failure on 'latest' Docker image: su-exec: Permission denied #14935

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GiteaMirror · 2025-11-02T11:26:11-06:00

GiteaMirror commented

2025-11-02 11:26:11 -06:00

Originally created by @magowiz on GitHub (Sep 8, 2025).

Description

Hello Gitea Team,

I am experiencing a critical startup failure when using the gitea/gitea:latest Docker image. The container enters a crash loop.

Environment Details:
All environment details (Host OS, Docker Version, docker-compose.yml) are included in the attached log file.

Problem Description:
When trying to start a Gitea container using image: gitea/gitea:latest with the provided docker-compose.yml, the container fails
to start and logs show a repeated su-exec: /usr/local/bin/gitea: Permission denied error.

Diagnostics and Findings:

We have confirmed that this is not a standard file permission issue, as permissions inside the container appear to be correct
(-rwxr-xr-x).
The key finding is that the issue does not occur when using a specific version tag, for example gitea/gitea:1.21.11. The
container with the versioned tag starts without the su-exec permission error.
This strongly suggests the issue is with the build of the :latest tag itself.
Side note: Running the broken :latest image, even briefly, updated the database schema, making it incompatible with older Gitea
versions.

Please find all relevant logs, configuration, and system info in the attached file.

Thank you.

gitea_logs.txt

Gitea Version

1.24.5

Can you reproduce the bug on the Gitea demo site?

No

Log Gist

No response

Screenshots

No response

Git Version

No response

Operating System

Raspbian

How are you running Gitea?

I'm running gitea in a docker compose.

Database

Sqlite3

Originally created by @magowiz on GitHub (Sep 8, 2025). ### Description Hello Gitea Team, I am experiencing a critical startup failure when using the gitea/gitea:latest Docker image. The container enters a crash loop. Environment Details: All environment details (Host OS, Docker Version, docker-compose.yml) are included in the attached log file. Problem Description: When trying to start a Gitea container using image: gitea/gitea:latest with the provided docker-compose.yml, the container fails to start and logs show a repeated su-exec: /usr/local/bin/gitea: Permission denied error. Diagnostics and Findings: - We have confirmed that this is not a standard file permission issue, as permissions inside the container appear to be correct (-rwxr-xr-x). - The key finding is that the issue does not occur when using a specific version tag, for example gitea/gitea:1.21.11. The container with the versioned tag starts without the su-exec permission error. - This strongly suggests the issue is with the build of the :latest tag itself. - Side note: Running the broken :latest image, even briefly, updated the database schema, making it incompatible with older Gitea versions. Please find all relevant logs, configuration, and system info in the attached file. Thank you. [gitea_logs.txt](https://github.com/user-attachments/files/22208357/gitea_logs.txt) ### Gitea Version 1.24.5 ### Can you reproduce the bug on the Gitea demo site? No ### Log Gist _No response_ ### Screenshots _No response_ ### Git Version _No response_ ### Operating System Raspbian ### How are you running Gitea? I'm running gitea in a docker compose. ### Database Sqlite3

GiteaMirror added the issue/needs-feedback label 2025-11-02 11:26:11 -06:00

GiteaMirror closed this issue

2025-11-02 11:26:12 -06:00

GiteaMirror commented

2025-11-02 11:26:13 -06:00

@wxiaoguang commented on GitHub (Sep 8, 2025):

It doesn't seem to be a Gitea's problem.

Maybe you made something wrong in your configuration or there are some bugs in your container volumes (drivers)

services:
  server:
    image: gitea/gitea:latest
    container_name: gitea
    volumes:
      - ./gitea:/data
    ports:
      - "3002:3000"
      - "3022:22"

@wxiaoguang commented on GitHub (Sep 8, 2025): It doesn't seem to be a Gitea's problem. Maybe you made something wrong in your configuration or there are some bugs in your container volumes (drivers) ``` services: server: image: gitea/gitea:latest container_name: gitea volumes: - ./gitea:/data ports: - "3002:3000" - "3022:22" ```

GiteaMirror commented

2025-11-02 11:26:13 -06:00

@magowiz commented on GitHub (Sep 8, 2025):

Hello,
I've performed further testing with the gitea/gitea:latest Docker image, using docker compose service definition provided, unfortunately, the issue persists. The container still fails to start with the su-exec: /usr/local/bin/gitea: Permission denied error, leading to a continuous crash loop.
Furthermore, when attempting to revert to gitea/gitea:1.21.11 works but there is: "Your database (migration version: 321) is for a newer Gitea, you can not use the newer database for this old Gitea release (280)."
Thank you for your attention to this matter.

@magowiz commented on GitHub (Sep 8, 2025): Hello, I've performed further testing with the `gitea/gitea:latest` Docker image, using docker compose service definition provided, unfortunately, the issue persists. The container still fails to start with the `su-exec: /usr/local/bin/gitea: Permission denied` error, leading to a continuous crash loop. Furthermore, when attempting to revert to `gitea/gitea:1.21.11` works but there is: "Your database (migration version: 321) is for a newer Gitea, you can not use the newer database for this old Gitea release (280)." Thank you for your attention to this matter.

GiteaMirror commented

2025-11-02 11:26:13 -06:00

@wxiaoguang commented on GitHub (Sep 8, 2025):

You can try it in another environment. I have tried that simple docker-compose file, it doesn't fail. And plenty of users also use latest image, there is nothing wrong in it.

See my comment:

or there are some bugs in your container volumes (drivers)

(for example: Git push fails with "Permission denied" on tmp_objdir in rootless Gitea on Kubernetes with old Longhorn CSI driver #35032 )

@wxiaoguang commented on GitHub (Sep 8, 2025): You can try it in another environment. I have tried that simple docker-compose file, it doesn't fail. And plenty of users also use latest image, there is nothing wrong in it. See my comment: > **or there are some bugs in your container volumes (drivers)** (for example: Git push fails with "Permission denied" on tmp_objdir in rootless Gitea on Kubernetes with old Longhorn CSI driver #35032 )

GiteaMirror commented

2025-11-02 11:26:14 -06:00

@magowiz commented on GitHub (Sep 8, 2025):

I tried successfully using a couple of version earlier, with same example, same environment, for me downgrading to 1.24.3 gave me back a working gitea, now I have other issues involving mine data, but it is another problem.

I used exactly your compose service, it didn't work until I pinned gitea 1.24.3, I don't know, maybe recent builds has some issues with arm64 ?

@magowiz commented on GitHub (Sep 8, 2025): I tried successfully using a couple of version earlier, with same example, same environment, for me downgrading to `1.24.3` gave me back a working gitea, now I have other issues involving mine data, but it is another problem. I used exactly your compose service, it didn't work until I pinned gitea 1.24.3, I don't know, maybe recent builds has some issues with arm64 ?

GiteaMirror commented

2025-11-02 11:26:14 -06:00

@wxiaoguang commented on GitHub (Sep 8, 2025):

I used exactly your compose service, it didn't work until I pinned gitea 1.24.3, I don't know, maybe recent builds has some issues with arm64 ?

Really strange, I am also testing it on arm64, docker inspect says:

                "org.opencontainers.image.created": "2025-08-13T16:00:30.404Z",
                "org.opencontainers.image.revision": "136ec9ef812a3e684c6c86f535e3db5f74654308",
                "org.opencontainers.image.version": "1.24.5"


        "ImageManifestDescriptor": {
            "mediaType": "application/vnd.oci.image.manifest.v1+json",
            "digest": "sha256:f0eb0ad9bba4f15f7a06181dd173d1d0e1948da6643b6f089df2eaa00a3fb31f",
            "size": 1624,
            "platform": {
                "architecture": "arm64",
                "os": "linux"
            }
        }

@wxiaoguang commented on GitHub (Sep 8, 2025): > I used exactly your compose service, it didn't work until I pinned gitea 1.24.3, I don't know, maybe recent builds has some issues with arm64 ? Really strange, I am also testing it on arm64, `docker inspect` says: ``` "org.opencontainers.image.created": "2025-08-13T16:00:30.404Z", "org.opencontainers.image.revision": "136ec9ef812a3e684c6c86f535e3db5f74654308", "org.opencontainers.image.version": "1.24.5" "ImageManifestDescriptor": { "mediaType": "application/vnd.oci.image.manifest.v1+json", "digest": "sha256:f0eb0ad9bba4f15f7a06181dd173d1d0e1948da6643b6f089df2eaa00a3fb31f", "size": 1624, "platform": { "architecture": "arm64", "os": "linux" } } ```

GiteaMirror commented

2025-11-02 11:26:14 -06:00

@wxiaoguang commented on GitHub (Sep 8, 2025):

same environment,

Can you try another clean environment?

@wxiaoguang commented on GitHub (Sep 8, 2025): > same environment, Can you try another clean environment?

GiteaMirror commented

2025-11-02 11:26:14 -06:00

@GiteaBot commented on GitHub (Oct 9, 2025):

We close issues that need feedback from the author if there were no new comments for a month. 🍵

@GiteaBot commented on GitHub (Oct 9, 2025): We close issues that need feedback from the author if there were no new comments for a month. :tea:

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Reference: github-starred/gitea#14935