Error: Sub-process /data/data/com.termux/files/usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code (1)

[Lai-0602]

Title is for SEO only.

The problem

Every time I try to install any packages using pkg or apt, Termux returns an error.

• Using pkg:

~ $ pkg install pandoc
Installing:                                           
  pandoc

Summary:                                              
  Upgrading: 0, Installing: 1, Removing: 0, Not Upgrad
ing: 34
  Download size: 0 B / 19.4 MB
  Space needed: 167 MB                                

Selecting previously unselected package pandoc.
(Reading database ... 3875 files and directories curre
ntly installed.)
Preparing to unpack .../pandoc_3.1.13_aarch64.deb ...
Unpacking pandoc (3.1.13) ...
Setting up pandoc (3.1.13) ...                        
error: "/data/data/com.termux/files/usr/bin/pandoc" ha
s unexpected e_type: 2
dpkg: error processing package pandoc (--configure):
 installed pandoc package post-installation script sub
process returned error exit status 1
Errors were encountered while processing:             
 pandoc
Error: Sub-process /data/data/com.termux/files/usr/bin
/dpkg returned an error code (1)

• Using apt:

~ $ pkg install pandoc
~ $ apt install pandoc                                
pandoc is already the newest version (3.1.13).
Summary:
  Upgrading: 0, Installing: 0, Removing: 0, Not Upgrad
ing: 34
  1 not fully installed or removed.
  Space needed: 0 B

Continue? [Y/n]
Setting up pandoc (3.1.13) ...
error: "/data/data/com.termux/files/usr/bin/pandoc" ha
s unexpected e_type: 2
dpkg: error processing package pandoc (--configure):
 installed pandoc package post-installation script sub
process returned error exit status 1
Errors were encountered while processing:
 pandoc
Error: Sub-process /data/data/com.termux/files/usr/bin
/dpkg returned an error code (1)

What I tried

I tried erasing Termux's data from system settings and reinstalling the app. However, none of these worked.

Termux info

~ $ termux-info
Termux Variables:
TERMUX_EXEC__PROC_SELF_EXE=/data/data/com.termux/files
/usr/bin/termux-info
TERMUX_VERSION=googleplay.2025.01.18                  
TERMUX__USER_ID=0
Packages CPU architecture:                            
aarch64
Subscribed repositories:                              
# sources.list
deb https://termux.net stable main
Updatable packages:                                   
apt/stable 3.0.1 aarch64 [upgradable from: 2.9.23]
bash/stable 5.3 aarch64 [upgradable from: 5.2.37]
ca-certificates/stable 1:2025.05.20 all [upgradable fr
om: 2024.09.24]
command-not-found/stable 2.4.0-81 aarch64 [upgradable 
from: 2.4.0-58]
coreutils/stable 9.7-2 aarch64 [upgradable from: 9.5-3
]
curl/stable 8.15.0 aarch64 [upgradable from: 8.11.1]
debianutils/stable 5.23.1 aarch64 [upgradable from: 5.
21]
diffutils/stable 3.12-1 aarch64 [upgradable from: 3.10
]
ed/stable 1.21.1 aarch64 [upgradable from: 1.21]      
gawk/stable 5.3.1-1 aarch64 [upgradable from: 5.3.0]
gpgv/stable 2.5.5 aarch64 [upgradable from: 2.4.5-7]
grep/stable 3.12-1 aarch64 [upgradable from: 3.11]
inetutils/stable 2.6 aarch64 [upgradable from: 2.5]
less/stable 679-1 aarch64 [upgradable from: 668]
libassuan/stable 3.0.2 aarch64 [upgradable from: 3.0.1
-2]
libcurl/stable 8.15.0 aarch64 [upgradable from: 8.11.1
]
libgcrypt/stable 1.11.1 aarch64 [upgradable from: 1.11
.0]
libgnutls/stable 3.8.9 aarch64 [upgradable from: 3.8.5
-1]
libgpg-error/stable 1.55 aarch64 [upgradable from: 1.5
0]
libidn2/stable 2.3.8 aarch64 [upgradable from: 2.3.7]
liblzma/stable 5.8.1 aarch64 [upgradable from: 5.6.3]
libnettle/stable 3.10.2 aarch64 [upgradable from: 3.10
]
libnghttp2/stable 1.66.0 aarch64 [upgradable from: 1.6
4.0]
libnghttp3/stable 1.10.1 aarch64 [upgradable from: 1.7
.0]
libsmartcols/stable 2.40.2-4 aarch64 [upgradable from:
 2.40.2-2]
nano/stable 8.5-2 aarch64 [upgradable from: 8.3]
openssl/stable 1:3.5.1 aarch64 [upgradable from: 3.3.2
]
patch/stable 2.8 aarch64 [upgradable from: 2.7.6-3]
pcre2/stable 10.45 aarch64 [upgradable from: 10.44]
readline/stable 8.3.1 aarch64 [upgradable from: 8.2.13
]
termux-exec/stable 1.8 aarch64 [upgradable from: 1.7]
termux-licenses/stable 2.1 all [upgradable from: 2.0-4
]
termux-tools/stable 3.0.8-2 aarch64 [upgradable from: 
3.0.8]
util-linux/stable 2.40.2-4 aarch64 [upgradable from: 2
.40.2-2]
termux-tools version:
3.0.8
Android version:
15
Kernel build information:
Linux localhost 6.1.93-android14-11 #1 SMP PREEMPT Fri
 Jun 13 05:41:16 UTC 2025 aarch64 Android
Device manufacturer:
samsung
Device model:
SM-S7210
LD Variables:
LD_LIBRARY_PATH=
LD_PRELOAD=/data/data/com.termux/files/usr/lib/libterm
ux-exec.so
~ $

Also, my device is not rooted.

Help please

Does anyone know how to solve the problem?
Is there anything more that I can provide for further assistance?
Thanks.

[robertkirkman]

You are using Google Play Termux,

while Google Play Termux does have some advantages and special features compared to F-Droid Termux, unfortunately, at this time it is a little bit less stable than F-Droid Termux.

Could you please try uninstalling Google Play Termux and instead installing F-Droid Termux from F-Droid, here?

https://f-droid.org/en/packages/com.termux/