Persistent data check does not work with volumes #2048

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MrUnknownDE · 2026-04-06T02:51:21+02:00

MrUnknownDE commented

2026-04-06 02:51:21 +02:00

Originally created by @TymanWasTaken on 7/20/2022

Subject of the issue

When using a docker volume, vaultwarden incorrectly determines it to not be persistent storage

Deployment environment

vaultwarden version: 1.25.1

Install method: Docker image
Clients used: N/A
Reverse proxy and version: N/A
MySQL/MariaDB or PostgreSQL version: N/A
Other relevant details: Docker version 20.10.17

Steps to reproduce

Attempt to run vaultwarden mounting a docker volume to /data, no other configuration changes

Expected behaviour

Vaultwarden starts fine

Actual behaviour

Vaultwarden refuses to start without the I_REALLY_WANT_VOLATILE_STORAGE env variable set

Troubleshooting data

No troubleshooting data, but I believe this is caused because of a difference in how bind mounts work and how volume works. From what I can tell, vaultwarden detects non-persistent storage by creating a file in the dockerimage, and then checking for it on start. However, this is flawed because docker will automatically populate volumes with any files that images create, making that file visible to vaultwarden regardless of the fact that it is actually persistent storage. I temporarily fixed this by just setting I_REALLY_WANT_VOLATILE_STORAGE=true, but it is still a bug that should probably be fixed.

*Originally created by @TymanWasTaken on 7/20/2022*   ### Subject of the issue  When using a docker volume, vaultwarden incorrectly determines it to not be persistent storage ### Deployment environment     * vaultwarden version: 1.25.1  * Install method: Docker image * Clients used: N/A  * Reverse proxy and version: N/A  * MySQL/MariaDB or PostgreSQL version: N/A  * Other relevant details: Docker version 20.10.17 ### Steps to reproduce  Attempt to run vaultwarden mounting a docker volume to `/data`, no other configuration changes ### Expected behaviour  Vaultwarden starts fine ### Actual behaviour  Vaultwarden refuses to start without the I_REALLY_WANT_VOLATILE_STORAGE env variable set ### Troubleshooting data  No troubleshooting data, but I believe this is caused because of a difference in how bind mounts work and how volume works. From what I can tell, vaultwarden detects non-persistent storage by creating a file in the dockerimage, and then checking for it on start. However, this is flawed because docker will automatically populate volumes with any files that images create, making that file visible to vaultwarden regardless of the fact that it is actually persistent storage. I temporarily fixed this by just setting I_REALLY_WANT_VOLATILE_STORAGE=true, but it is still a bug that should probably be fixed.

MrUnknownDE closed this issue

2026-04-06 02:51:21 +02:00

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Reference: github/vaultwarden#2048