No handling for fatal: could not fetch ... from promisor remote #2306
Description
I have a github workflow that runs on: pull_request; it uses actions/checkout (Download action repository 'actions/checkout@v5' (SHA:08c6903cd8c0fde910a37f88322edcfb5dd907a8) and I've configured it with debug logging:
GIT_CURL_VERBOSE: True
GIT_TRACE: True
GIT_SSH_COMMAND: ssh -v -v -v
I used GitHub to edit a file on the branch which triggered a pull_request event which failed:
2025-11-14T17:10:25.3560801Z 17:10:25.348049 run-command.c:673 trace: run_command: git index-pack --stdin --fix-thin '--keep=fetch-pack 1943 on runnervmg1sw1' --promisor --pack_header=2,11023
2025-11-14T17:10:25.3565838Z 17:10:25.348078 run-command.c:765 trace: start_command: /usr/lib/git-core/git index-pack --stdin --fix-thin '--keep=fetch-pack 1943 on runnervmg1sw1' --promisor --pack_header=2,11023
2025-11-14T17:10:25.3571334Z 17:10:25.350074 git.c:502 trace: built-in: git index-pack --stdin --fix-thin '--keep=fetch-pack 1943 on runnervmg1sw1' --promisor --pack_header=2,11023
2025-11-14T17:10:25.5846003Z 17:10:25.579680 http.c:890 == Info: Connection #0 to host github.com left intact
2025-11-14T17:10:25.7976266Z From https://github.com/{OWNER}/{REPO}
2025-11-14T17:10:25.7984180Z * [new branch] ...
...
2025-11-14T17:10:25.8379809Z * [new branch] ...
2025-11-14T17:10:25.8384292Z 17:10:25.816340 run-command.c:673 trace: run_command: git maintenance run --auto --no-quiet --detach
2025-11-14T17:10:25.8390770Z 17:10:25.816461 run-command.c:765 trace: start_command: /usr/lib/git-core/git maintenance run --auto --no-quiet --detach
2025-11-14T17:10:25.8395653Z 17:10:25.818986 git.c:502 trace: built-in: git maintenance run --auto --no-quiet --detach
2025-11-14T17:10:25.8401517Z [command]/usr/bin/git branch --list --remote origin/main
2025-11-14T17:10:25.8404822Z 17:10:25.826308 git.c:502 trace: built-in: git branch --list --remote origin/main
2025-11-14T17:10:25.8407140Z origin/main
2025-11-14T17:10:25.8410791Z [command]/usr/bin/git rev-parse refs/remotes/origin/main
2025-11-14T17:10:25.8414296Z 17:10:25.833821 git.c:502 trace: built-in: git rev-parse refs/remotes/origin/main
2025-11-14T17:10:25.8417395Z 86025ee73343ce5e9d776a2427899b0f49be410f
2025-11-14T17:10:25.8421719Z ##[endgroup]
2025-11-14T17:10:25.8424147Z ##[group]Determining the checkout info
2025-11-14T17:10:25.8426644Z ##[endgroup]
2025-11-14T17:10:25.8428342Z [command]/usr/bin/git sparse-checkout disable
2025-11-14T17:10:25.8432629Z 17:10:25.842755 git.c:502 trace: built-in: git sparse-checkout disable
2025-11-14T17:10:25.8467372Z [command]/usr/bin/git config --local --unset-all extensions.worktreeConfig
2025-11-14T17:10:25.8494854Z 17:10:25.848987 git.c:502 trace: built-in: git config --local --unset-all extensions.worktreeConfig
2025-11-14T17:10:25.8505084Z ##[group]Checking out the ref
2025-11-14T17:10:25.8513724Z [command]/usr/bin/git checkout --progress --force -B main refs/remotes/origin/main
2025-11-14T17:10:25.8537505Z 17:10:25.853155 git.c:502 trace: built-in: git checkout --progress --force -B main refs/remotes/origin/main
2025-11-14T17:10:25.8549151Z 17:10:25.853820 run-command.c:673 trace: run_command: git -c fetch.negotiationAlgorithm=noop fetch origin --no-tags --no-write-fetch-head --recurse-submodules=no --filter=blob:none --stdin
2025-11-14T17:10:25.8561326Z 17:10:25.853870 run-command.c:765 trace: start_command: /usr/lib/git-core/git -c fetch.negotiationAlgorithm=noop fetch origin --no-tags --no-write-fetch-head --recurse-submodules=no --filter=blob:none --stdin
2025-11-14T17:10:25.8574083Z 17:10:25.855476 git.c:502 trace: built-in: git fetch origin --no-tags --no-write-fetch-head --recurse-submodules=no --filter=blob:none --stdin
2025-11-14T17:10:25.8587254Z 17:10:25.855938 run-command.c:673 trace: run_command: GIT_DIR=.git git remote-https origin https://github.com/{OWNER}/{REPO}
2025-11-14T17:10:25.8594132Z 17:10:25.856019 run-command.c:765 trace: start_command: /usr/lib/git-core/git remote-https origin https://github.com/{OWNER}/{REPO}
2025-11-14T17:10:25.8600166Z 17:10:25.857522 git.c:806 trace: exec: git-remote-https origin https://github.com/{OWNER}/{REPO}
2025-11-14T17:10:25.8605654Z 17:10:25.857628 run-command.c:673 trace: run_command: git-remote-https origin https://github.com/{OWNER}/{REPO}
2025-11-14T17:10:25.8612228Z 17:10:25.857692 run-command.c:765 trace: start_command: /usr/lib/git-core/git-remote-https origin https://github.com/{OWNER}/{REPO}
2025-11-14T17:10:25.8636002Z 17:10:25.863118 http.c:890 == Info: Couldn't find host github.com in the .netrc file; using defaults
2025-11-14T17:10:25.8663977Z 17:10:25.865983 http.c:890 == Info: Host github.com:443 was resolved.
2025-11-14T17:10:25.8666638Z 17:10:25.865993 http.c:890 == Info: IPv6: (none)
2025-11-14T17:10:25.8668338Z 17:10:25.865996 http.c:890 == Info: IPv4: 140.82.116.4
2025-11-14T17:10:25.8670322Z 17:10:25.866012 http.c:890 == Info: Trying 140.82.116.4:443...
2025-11-14T17:10:25.8864718Z 17:10:25.884554 http.c:890 == Info: Connected to github.com (140.82.116.4) port 443
2025-11-14T17:10:25.9147885Z 17:10:25.913680 http.c:890 == Info: found 440 certificates in /etc/ssl/certs
2025-11-14T17:10:25.9151357Z 17:10:25.913751 http.c:890 == Info: GnuTLS ciphers: NORMAL:-ARCFOUR-128:-CTYPE-ALL:+CTYPE-X509:-VERS-SSL3.0
2025-11-14T17:10:25.9153730Z 17:10:25.913779 http.c:890 == Info: ALPN: curl offers h2,http/1.1
2025-11-14T17:10:25.9342508Z 17:10:25.933529 http.c:890 == Info: SSL connection using TLS1.3 / ECDHE_RSA_AES_128_GCM_SHA256
2025-11-14T17:10:25.9365475Z 17:10:25.936038 http.c:890 == Info: server certificate verification OK
2025-11-14T17:10:25.9370389Z 17:10:25.936049 http.c:890 == Info: server certificate status verification SKIPPED
2025-11-14T17:10:25.9374034Z 17:10:25.936147 http.c:890 == Info: common name: github.com (matched)
2025-11-14T17:10:25.9376857Z 17:10:25.936155 http.c:890 == Info: server certificate expiration date OK
2025-11-14T17:10:25.9379220Z 17:10:25.936160 http.c:890 == Info: server certificate activation date OK
2025-11-14T17:10:25.9381277Z 17:10:25.936170 http.c:890 == Info: certificate public key: EC/ECDSA
2025-11-14T17:10:25.9383163Z 17:10:25.936175 http.c:890 == Info: certificate version: #3
2025-11-14T17:10:25.9384987Z 17:10:25.936186 http.c:890 == Info: subject: CN=github.com
2025-11-14T17:10:25.9386998Z 17:10:25.936193 http.c:890 == Info: start date: Wed, 05 Feb 2025 00:00:00 GMT
2025-11-14T17:10:25.9389186Z 17:10:25.936199 http.c:890 == Info: expire date: Thu, 05 Feb 2026 23:59:59 GMT
2025-11-14T17:10:25.9392493Z 17:10:25.936225 http.c:890 == Info: issuer: C=GB,ST=Greater Manchester,L=Salford,O=Sectigo Limited,CN=Sectigo ECC Domain Validation Secure Server CA
2025-11-14T17:10:25.9395106Z 17:10:25.936239 http.c:890 == Info: ALPN: server accepted h2
2025-11-14T17:10:25.9396752Z 17:10:25.936304 http.c:890 == Info: using HTTP/2
2025-11-14T17:10:25.9399873Z 17:10:25.936348 http.c:890 == Info: [HTTP/2] [1] OPENED stream for https://github.com/{OWNER}/{REPO}/info/refs?service=git-upload-pack
2025-11-14T17:10:25.9402493Z 17:10:25.936354 http.c:890 == Info: [HTTP/2] [1] [:method: GET]
2025-11-14T17:10:25.9404335Z 17:10:25.936358 http.c:890 == Info: [HTTP/2] [1] [:scheme: https]
2025-11-14T17:10:25.9406274Z 17:10:25.936361 http.c:890 == Info: [HTTP/2] [1] [:authority: github.com]
2025-11-14T17:10:25.9409354Z 17:10:25.936366 http.c:890 == Info: [HTTP/2] [1] [:path: /{OWNER}/{REPO}/info/refs?service=git-upload-pack]
2025-11-14T17:10:25.9412134Z 17:10:25.936370 http.c:890 == Info: [HTTP/2] [1] [user-agent: git/2.51.2 (github-actions-checkout)]
2025-11-14T17:10:25.9414220Z 17:10:25.936373 http.c:890 == Info: [HTTP/2] [1] [accept: */*]
2025-11-14T17:10:25.9416431Z 17:10:25.936377 http.c:890 == Info: [HTTP/2] [1] [accept-encoding: deflate, gzip, br, zstd]
2025-11-14T17:10:25.9418810Z 17:10:25.936381 http.c:890 == Info: [HTTP/2] [1] [authorization: basic <redacted>]
2025-11-14T17:10:25.9420934Z 17:10:25.936384 http.c:890 == Info: [HTTP/2] [1] [accept-language: C, *;q=0.9]
2025-11-14T17:10:25.9422897Z 17:10:25.936387 http.c:890 == Info: [HTTP/2] [1] [pragma: no-cache]
2025-11-14T17:10:25.9424850Z 17:10:25.936391 http.c:890 == Info: [HTTP/2] [1] [git-protocol: version=2]
2025-11-14T17:10:25.9426818Z 17:10:25.936424 http.c:837 => Send header, 0000000368 bytes (0x00000170)
2025-11-14T17:10:25.9429778Z 17:10:25.936430 http.c:849 => Send header: GET /{OWNER}/{REPO}/info/refs?service=git-upload-pack HTTP/2
2025-11-14T17:10:25.9432053Z 17:10:25.936433 http.c:849 => Send header: Host: github.com
2025-11-14T17:10:25.9434258Z 17:10:25.936436 http.c:849 => Send header: User-Agent: git/2.51.2 (github-actions-checkout)
2025-11-14T17:10:25.9436202Z 17:10:25.936439 http.c:849 => Send header: Accept: */*
2025-11-14T17:10:25.9438224Z 17:10:25.936442 http.c:849 => Send header: Accept-Encoding: deflate, gzip, br, zstd
2025-11-14T17:10:25.9440437Z 17:10:25.936445 http.c:849 => Send header: AUTHORIZATION: basic <redacted>
2025-11-14T17:10:25.9442403Z 17:10:25.936448 http.c:849 => Send header: Accept-Language: C, *;q=0.9
2025-11-14T17:10:25.9444222Z 17:10:25.936451 http.c:849 => Send header: Pragma: no-cache
2025-11-14T17:10:25.9446084Z 17:10:25.936454 http.c:849 => Send header: Git-Protocol: version=2
2025-11-14T17:10:25.9447689Z 17:10:25.936457 http.c:849 => Send header:
2025-11-14T17:10:26.0362078Z 17:10:26.033553 http.c:837 <= Recv header, 0000000013 bytes (0x0000000d)
2025-11-14T17:10:26.0367092Z 17:10:26.033577 http.c:849 <= Recv header: HTTP/2 401
2025-11-14T17:10:26.0371315Z 17:10:26.033585 http.c:837 <= Recv header, 0000000026 bytes (0x0000001a)
2025-11-14T17:10:26.0375126Z 17:10:26.033590 http.c:849 <= Recv header: server: GitHub-Babel/3.0
2025-11-14T17:10:26.0380225Z 17:10:26.033595 http.c:837 <= Recv header, 0000000054 bytes (0x00000036)
2025-11-14T17:10:26.0384356Z 17:10:26.033598 http.c:849 <= Recv header: content-security-policy: default-src 'none'; sandbox
2025-11-14T17:10:26.0388158Z 17:10:26.033603 http.c:837 <= Recv header, 0000000041 bytes (0x00000029)
2025-11-14T17:10:26.0392208Z 17:10:26.033606 http.c:849 <= Recv header: content-type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8
2025-11-14T17:10:26.0395776Z 17:10:26.033611 http.c:837 <= Recv header, 0000000040 bytes (0x00000028)
2025-11-14T17:10:26.0399677Z 17:10:26.033615 http.c:849 <= Recv header: www-authenticate: Basic realm="GitHub"
2025-11-14T17:10:26.0403233Z 17:10:26.033621 http.c:837 <= Recv header, 0000000020 bytes (0x00000014)
2025-11-14T17:10:26.0406400Z 17:10:26.033625 http.c:849 <= Recv header: content-length: 87
2025-11-14T17:10:26.0413120Z 17:10:26.033629 http.c:837 <= Recv header, 0000000037 bytes (0x00000025)
2025-11-14T17:10:26.0416625Z 17:10:26.033633 http.c:849 <= Recv header: date: Fri, 14 Nov 2025 17:10:25 GMT
2025-11-14T17:10:26.0420206Z 17:10:26.033638 http.c:837 <= Recv header, 0000000023 bytes (0x00000017)
2025-11-14T17:10:26.0423481Z 17:10:26.033641 http.c:849 <= Recv header: x-frame-options: DENY
2025-11-14T17:10:26.0427161Z 17:10:26.033646 http.c:837 <= Recv header, 0000000073 bytes (0x00000049)
2025-11-14T17:10:26.0432039Z 17:10:26.033649 http.c:849 <= Recv header: strict-transport-security: max-age=31536000; includeSubDomains; preload
2025-11-14T17:10:26.0436262Z 17:10:26.033653 http.c:837 <= Recv header, 0000000059 bytes (0x0000003b)
2025-11-14T17:10:26.0440682Z 17:10:26.033656 http.c:849 <= Recv header: x-github-request-id: B801:3AB10D:1C00D19:1C75F16:69176281
2025-11-14T17:10:26.0444531Z 17:10:26.033660 http.c:837 <= Recv header, 0000000002 bytes (0x00000002)
2025-11-14T17:10:26.0447244Z 17:10:26.033664 http.c:849 <= Recv header:
2025-11-14T17:10:26.0450619Z 17:10:26.033678 http.c:890 == Info: Connection #0 to host github.com left intact
2025-11-14T17:10:26.0487654Z ##[error]fatal: could not read Username for 'https://github.com': terminal prompts disabled
2025-11-14T17:10:26.1233818Z ##[error]fatal: could not fetch bd7c3f497fbc33b4f7b2e64162e2e262239939d2 from promisor remote
2025-11-14T17:10:26.1275817Z ##[error]The process '/usr/bin/git' failed with exit code 128I think that what happened is that:
- github triggered a pull_request event which created a github workflow run
- some pieces of the commit were available in the repository
- not all of the pieces were available
- the workflow triggered a
git-upload-packrequest which asked the github server forbd7c3f497fbc33b4f7b2e64162e2e262239939d2which failed - the action died (no retries)
I have code which tries to debug things, but it doesn't know what to do here. And I'm not actually sure how to detect what went wrong since I don't have access to the logs.