configure_gitea crash loop when admin user has been renamed via the UI #1519

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opened 2026-03-31 12:55:09 +00:00 by zugao · 0 comments

zugao commented

2026-03-31 12:55:09 +00:00

Bug description

When the initial admin user created by the Helm chart is renamed via the Forgejo UI settings, the configure_gitea init container crashes on the next pod restart, causing a Init:Error loop that requires manual database intervention to recover.

Steps to reproduce

Deploy a Forgejo instance using this Helm chart
Log in as the initial admin user (e.g. forgejo_admin)
Go to Settings → Account and rename the account to any other name (e.g. pippo)
Restart the pod
The pod enters Init:Error and never starts

Error

The init container log shows:

  No admin user 'forgejo_admin' found. Creating now...
  Error: user already exists [name: ]

The create fails because user ID 1 already exists in the database under the new name. The script does not know this, so it treats the situation as a missing admin and attempts a creation that is guaranteed to fail.

### Bug description When the initial admin user created by the Helm chart is renamed via the Forgejo UI settings, the `configure_gitea` init container crashes on the next pod restart, causing a `Init:Error `loop that requires manual database intervention to recover. ### Steps to reproduce 1. Deploy a Forgejo instance using this Helm chart 2. Log in as the initial admin user (e.g. forgejo_admin) 3. Go to Settings → Account and rename the account to any other name (e.g. pippo) 4. Restart the pod 5. The pod enters Init:Error and never starts ### Error The init container log shows: ``` No admin user 'forgejo_admin' found. Creating now... Error: user already exists [name: ] ``` The create fails because user ID 1 already exists in the database under the new name. The script does not know this, so it treats the situation as a missing admin and attempts a creation that is guaranteed to fail.

~~zugao referenced this issue 2026-04-08 09:25:32 +00:00~~

fix: handle renamed first user in web UI #1523