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filesystem: a dangling symlink is reported as "Parent directory does not exist" #5191

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#5380
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filesystem: a dangling symlink is reported as "Parent directory does not exist"#5191
#5380
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cliffhall
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bugSomething isn't workingserver-filesystemReference implementation for the Filesystem MCP server - src/filesystemv2
Milestone
v2.3.0

Description

@cliffhall
cliffhall
opened on Oct 20, 2026

Problem

When the requested path is a symlink whose target does not exist, fs.realpath in validatePath (src/filesystem/lib.ts) fails with ENOENT and the code falls through to resolveUnicodeEquivalentPath, whose own realpath of the entry fails as well. validatePath reports that as "Parent directory does not exist:

", naming a directory that does exist. src/filesystem/__tests__/server-paths.test.ts pins the message.

Expected

The error says the path is a broken symlink. Refusing the request is correct and stays.

Prior work

The PR(s) above targeted the pre-refactor code and are closed as part of the backlog triage in #4875; this issue is where the work continues, with the PR(s) as a prototype. Thank you to their authors.

Activity

  1. cliffhall
    added
    bugSomething isn't working
    server-filesystemReference implementation for the Filesystem MCP server - src/filesystem
    v2
    on Oct 20, 2026

  2. cliffhall commented on Oct 20, 2026

    @cliffhall
    cliffhall
    on Oct 20, 2026
    MemberAuthor

    Triage: Priority Low (total 5)

    • Severity 2: a misleading error message; the refusal itself is correct
    • Urgency 2: wanted eventually
    • Bonuses:
    • +1 bug label

    Filed from the PR backlog triage (#4877). Board: Servers V2 (#43), Status Incoming, awaiting maintainer review (no milestone yet).

  3. cliffhall
    added this to the v2.3.0 milestone on Oct 25, 2026
  4. cliffhall
    added a parent issue on Oct 25, 2026
  5. cliffhall
    self-assigned this
    on Oct 28, 2026
  6. cliffhall
    linked a pull request that will close this issuefix(filesystem): report a dangling symlink as broken, not as a missing parent #5380on Oct 28, 2026

  7. cliffhall commented on Oct 29, 2026

    @cliffhall
    cliffhall
    on Oct 29, 2026
    MemberAuthor

    Shipped in #5380, merged into v2/main; it releases with milestone v2.3.0. Tested together with the rest of the #5269 work in the rollup #5405.

  8. cliffhall
    closed this as completedon Oct 29, 2026
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