Kaniko fails to unpack an image if symlink to a directory was replaced with a new dir and its old target removed

Author: uvlad7Created Apr 7, 2025Updated May 31, 2025

Actual behavior A clear and concise description of what the bug is.

I get an error

INFO[0000] Building stage 'localhost:5000/intermediate:4' [idx: '0', base-idx: '-1'] 
INFO[0000] Unpacking rootfs as cmd RUN touch grass requires it. 
error building image: error building stage: failed to get filesystem from image: mkdir /things: file exists

Maybe it's the same as #3428

Expected behavior A clear and concise description of what you expected to happen.

Dir should be created successfully

To Reproduce Steps to reproduce the behavior:

Create a dir with the following structure

$ tree                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   
.
├── base
│   └── Dockerfile
├── boom
│   └── Dockerfile
├── build.sh
└── intermediate
    └── Dockerfile

3 directories, 4 files
$ cat build.sh                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           
#!/usr/bin/env bash
set -e
# docker run -d -p 5000:5000 --name registry registry:2
dirs=(base intermediate boom)

version=$(getfattr -n user.build_ver --only-values $0 2>/dev/null || echo '0')
version=$((version + 1))
setfattr -n user.build_ver -v $version $0
echo "build version: $version"

for dir in ${dirs[@]}; do
    cd $dir
    docker run --network=host --rm -v $PWD:/workspace gcr.io/kaniko-project/executor@sha256:9e69fd4330ec887829c780f5126dd80edc663df6def362cd22e79bcdf00ac53f --context . --cache-run-layers=false --dockerfile "/workspace/Dockerfile" "--destination=localhost:5000/$dir:$version" --build-arg "VERSION=$version"
    cd ..
done
$ cat base/Dockerfile                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    
# Just because I have it locally
FROM buildpack-deps:bookworm
RUN mkdir stuff && echo "42" > stuff/answer.h && ln -s stuff things
$ cat intermediate/Dockerfile 
ARG VERSION
FROM localhost:5000/base:${VERSION}
RUN rm things && rm -r stuff && mkdir things && echo "34" > things/answer.c
vladimir@np940x5n:~/profit/kanibug$ cat boom/Dockerfile                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    
ARG VERSION
FROM localhost:5000/intermediate:${VERSION}
RUN touch grass

Note:

this also fails

ARG VERSION
FROM localhost:5000/base:${VERSION}
RUN rm things && mkdir things
RUN rm -r stuff && echo "34" > things/answer.c

but remove in different steps

ARG VERSION
FROM localhost:5000/base:${VERSION}
RUN rm things
RUN mkdir things
RUN rm -r stuff && echo "34" > things/answer.c

ARG VERSION
FROM localhost:5000/base:${VERSION}
RUN rm things && rm -r stuff
RUN mkdir things && echo "34" > things/answer.c

works, also it works if target dir is kept

ARG VERSION
FROM localhost:5000/base:${VERSION}
RUN rm things && mkdir things && echo "34" > things/answer.c

run ./build.sh

Additional Information

Dockerfile Please provide either the Dockerfile you're trying to build or one that can reproduce this error. Multiple files above
Build Context Please provide or clearly describe any files needed to build the Dockerfile (ADD/COPY commands) No ADD/COPY commands used
Kaniko Image (fully qualified with digest) gcr.io/kaniko-project/executor@sha256:9e69fd4330ec887829c780f5126dd80edc663df6def362cd22e79bcdf00ac53f

Triage Notes for the Maintainers

Description	Yes/No
Please check if this a new feature you are proposing	- [ ]
Please check if the build works in docker but not in kaniko	- [ ]
Please check if this error is seen when you use `--cache` flag	- [ ]
Please check if your dockerfile is a multistage dockerfile	- [ ]

Source: GoogleContainerTools/kaniko

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