December 2025 - dovecot

Can't get Dovecot working with Exim
by Christopher Curzio 07 Dec '25

07 Dec '25

Hello everyone. I'm in the process of migrating my mail server to Debian running exim4 and dovecot. I was previously using exim4 and dovecot on Slackware and I moved the configs over, however I can't get dovecot working with exim on the new system. These configs worked fine previously. I did have to make some minor changes, but overall everything is mostly the same as it was. dovecot config: https://pastebin.com/Hrhj6xeb exim config: https://pastebin.com/bAQ9mTJb No matter what I do, I'm getting this when mail is received: dovecot_delivery transport output: Can't open log file /var/log/dovecot/deliver-error.log: Permi ssion denied I've tried everything, even going as far as setting permissions on /var/log/dovecot to a+rwx recursive (solely as a test) but I still get the same message. Help getting this working would be greatly appreciated since I've exhausted my own knowledge trying to wrench it into submission. Thanks. Hello everyone. I'm in the process of migrating my mail server to Debian running exim4 and dovecot. I was previously using exim4 and dovecot on Slackware and I moved the configs over, however I can't get dovecot working with exim on the new system. These configs worked fine previously. I did have to make some minor changes, but overall everything is mostly the same as it was. dovecot config: [1]https://pastebin.com/Hrhj6xeb exim config: [2]https://pastebin.com/bAQ9mTJb No matter what I do, I'm getting this when mail is received: dovecot_delivery transport output: Can't open log file /var/log/dovecot/deliver-error.log: Permi ssion denied I've tried everything, even going as far as setting permissions on /var/log/dovecot to a+rwx recursive (solely as a test) but I still get the same message. Help getting this working would be greatly appreciated since I've exhausted my own knowledge trying to wrench it into submission. Thanks. References Visible links 1. https://pastebin.com/Hrhj6xeb 2. https://pastebin.com/bAQ9mTJb

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Issues with mail_crypt plugin: per-user encryption with keys from LDAP
by luis.neapolis＠gmail.com 06 Dec '25

06 Dec '25

Hi everyone, I am trying to configure Dovecot's mail_crypt plugin to support per-user encryption, with public and private keys stored in LDAP and retrieved via userdb. My Goal: 1) Each user has their own key pair (public/private) stored in LDAP. 2) Incoming emails should be encrypted via LMTP using the user’s public key. 3) Users should be able to read emails via IMAP/Webmail using their private key, which is password-protected (the user’s login password). Current situation: 1) Using global keys (same key for all users) works fine: LMTP encrypts emails and users can read them correctly. 2) When trying to use per-user keys, I get encryption errors in IMAP, because Dovecot seems to require the private key even during LMTP, even though only the public key should be needed for encryption. Typical error: lmtp(…): Failed to initialize user: mail_crypt_plugin: main: crypt_private_key_password unset, no password to decrypt the key file Example configuration (LDAP userdb): crypt_user_key_require_encrypted = yes userdb ldap { driver = ldap ldap_filter = (&(objectClass=MailClass) (mail=%{user})) result_internalfail = continue-ok fields { quota_storage_size = %{ldap:quota|default('5')}G mail_home = %{ldap:homeDirectory} crypt_global_public_key_file=inline:%{ldap:CryptoGlobalPubKey|default("")} crypt_global_private_key/main/crypt_private_key_file=inline:%{ldap:CryptoGlobalPrivKey|default('')} crypt_private_key_password=%{password} } } Questions / help requested: 1) Is it possible to configure mail_crypt so that LMTP can encrypt emails using only the user’s public key, without needing the private key? 2) What is the correct way to use per-user keys with password-protected private keys? 3) Are there any working examples of mail_crypt configurations using LDAP as the source for per-user keys? I am fully aware that LMTP needs the private key of the user even if LMTP doesn't use, but during LMTP session the user password is not available. Version: 2.4.2-1 (0962ed2104) Thanks in advance for any guidance!

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Panic: file imap-sieve-storage.c: line 216 (imap_sieve_add_mailbox_event): assertion failed: (ismt->src_box == NULL || ismt->src_box == src_box)
by Thomas 03 Dec '25

03 Dec '25

Hello, I'm new to dovecot and greet everyone! I come from courier-imap and updated my imap server now to dovecot-2.4.2. All user directories and files were copied 1:1. In some cases, I now receive the following message in logfiles: 2025-11-28 15:20:52.184760182 Nov 28 15:20:52 imap(Email_address_hidden)<2297539><zNQfVqhEx98l90IK>: Error: Raw backtrace: libdovecot.so.0(backtrace_append+0x39) [0x7f8eb793ab09] -> libdovecot.so.0(backtrace_get+0x22) [0x7f8eb793ac42] -> libdovecot.so.0(+0x1493fc) [0x7f8eb79493fc] -> libdovecot.so.0(+0x149491) [0x7f8eb7949491] -> libdovecot.so.0(+0x6bde2) [0x7f8eb786bde2] -> lib95_imap_sieve_plugin.so(+0x49b7) [0x7f8eb74bb9b7] -> lib95_imap_sieve_plugin.so(+0x7c8b) [0x7f8eb74bec8b] -> libdovecot-storage.so.0(index_mail_free+0xe) [0x7f8eb7cb4c9e] -> lib95_imap_sieve_plugin.so(+0x6ef5) [0x7f8eb74bdef5] -> libdovecot-storage.so.0(mail_free+0x1a) [0x7f8eb7c29bca] -> libdovecot-storage.so.0(+0xf5c52) [0x7f8eb7cc7c52] -> libdovecot-storage.so.0(mail_index_transaction_commit_full+0x8c) [0x7f8eb7ce11ec] -> libdovecot-storage.so.0(index_transaction_commit+0xf2) [0x7f8eb7cc81f2] -> libdovecot-storage.so.0(+0xcff1e) [0x7f8eb7ca1f1e] -> lib95_imap_sieve_plugin.so(+0x8576) [0x7f8eb74bf576] -> lib15_notify_plugin.so(+0x368f) [0x7f8eb7bc668f] -> lib10_quota_plugin.so(+0xd99d) [0x7f8eb74d999d] -> libdovecot-storage.so.0(mailbox_transaction_commit_get_changes+0x79) [0x7f8eb7c3bac9] -> imap(+0x1762b) [0x562bf69c462b] -> imap(command_exec+0xa4) [0x562bf69d3334] -> imap(+0x24180) [0x562bf69d1180] -> imap(+0x24214) [0x562bf69d1214] -> imap(+0x2449b) [0x562bf69d149b] -> imap(client_handle_input+0x1c5) [0x562bf69d1675] -> imap(client_input+0x73) [0x562bf69d1c33] -> libdovecot.so.0(io_loop_call_io+0x67) [0x7f8eb7960187] -> libdovecot.so.0(io_loop_handler_run_internal+0x12a) [0x7f8eb79618ba] -> libdovecot.so.0(io_loop_handler_run+0x51) [0x7f8eb7960231] -> libdovecot.so.0(io_loop_run+0x48) [0x7f8eb7960408] -> libdovecot.so.0(master_service_run+0x19e) [0x7f8eb78b011e] 2025-11-28 15:20:52.940692672 Nov 28 15:20:52 imap(Email_address_hiddene)<2297539><zNQfVqhEx98l90IK>: Fatal: master: service(imap): child 2297539 killed with signal 6 (core dumped) If I filter for "Panic" now I see: 2025-11-28 15:20:52.183676628 Nov 28 15:20:52 imap(Email_address_hidden)<2297539><zNQfVqhEx98l90IK>: Panic: file imap-sieve-storage.c: line 216 (imap_sieve_add_mailbox_event): assertion failed: (ismt->src_box == NULL || ismt->src_box == src_box) Panic repeats up to several times. In moment of crash I can find lots [# of repeats] of copies of ONE mail file in users .Trash/tmp dir. Original mail file also in e.g. INBOX/cur Please tell me wht's going on here. I checked all permission, dirs and so on. CentOS 10 s/qmail dovecot-2.4.2 dovecot-pigeonhole-2.4.2 Regards, Thomas

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Defining "INBOX" in mdbox context from ldap
by Florian Lohoff 03 Dec '25

03 Dec '25

Hi, i am in the middle of converting a handful of 2.3 installations to 2.4 and while at it i fail to see a point on how to define what the INBOX is in the mdbox/ldap context. So right now i am transferring the attributes from LDAP like this (iredmail schema) fields { user=%{ldap:mail} home=%{ldap:storageBaseDirectory} mail_driver=%{ldap:MailMessageStore | index(':', 0)} mail_path=%{ldap:mailMessageStore | index(':', 1)} quota_storage_size=%{ldap:mailQuota} } I fail to find the syntax for "mail_inbox_path" - In maildir its obvious. I tried various things but it mainly failed on me. I now removed it completely from the config which it seems makes the dbox/mdbox driver assume a sane default of "INBOX". But i am still wondering how do i configure the INBOX. I'd like to fetch that information from LDAP as i think i still have a handful of Maildir/mdbox mix installations. Flo -- Florian Lohoff f(a)zz.de Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.

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Re: Dovecot 2.4.1 with mbox format
by "Tóth Attila" 02 Dec '25

02 Dec '25

Hi Bill, 2025.December 1.(H) 23:56 időpontban Bill Steinberg via dovecot ezt írta: > Hello again, > I didn't fully read the section in the documentation about using the > mbox > format. There is a setting, mail_inbox_path = /var/mail/%{user} to > specify > the iNBOX location for mails that are stored in /var/mail. > After setting mail_inbox_path I did initially have an issue about > dovecot > being able to write dotlock files, which was noted in the > documentation. I > was able to fix by adding users to the group "mail". > I am using these settings in the new server now: > > mail_driver = mbox > > mail_path = ~/mail > > mail_inbox_path = /var/mail/%{user} > > mail_index_path = ~/mail/index > > mail_control_path = ~/mail/control I'm struggling with the same setup as yourself. Sendmail delivers mails under /var/spool/mail/username and mail user agents were fetching the incoming mail from there and put them under /home/username/mail. This has been fine for ages - I have to say decades now. While 2.3 created files/directories in the name of the current user under ~/mail, 2.4 tries to write as mail:mail and therefore gets denied, since the user directories are owned by username:users and obviously have no permissions for other users. This change of behaviour is unacceptable in my opinion and 2.4 should also act in the name of the actual user. If some of the files would be owned by mail:mail and others by username:users: that would be a mess and the user would not be able to read contents using other user agents (for e.g. alpine) or make a backup of their own emails using an arbitrary tool or script of their own. For this reason I downgraded back to 2.3, because I have no time to dig deeper into this and reintroduce the mechanism granting current user access rights - running certain processes under proper conditions. Bill: how do you achieve that dovecot creates and writes files in users home directories in the name of the current user? Back in the good old 2.3 days I had this in the config and everything just worked as expected: mail_location = mbox:~/mail/:INBOX=/var/spool/mail/%u In case of the new 2.4 version I was unsuccessful with the following: mail_driver = mbox mail_path = /home/%{user}/mail mail_inbox_path = /var/spool/mail/%{user} server dovecot: imap(user)<48978><1LgipBQ3LO1/AAAB>: Error: mkdir(/home/user/mail/.imap) failed: Permission denied (euid=8(mail) egid=12(mail) missing +x perm: /home/user/mail, dir owned by 1000:100 mode=0700) Although I haven't specified mail_index_path and mail_control_path as you, I wouldn't expect this to make any difference regarding user rights. I'm aware, that mbox is deprecated, but still: this is a regression from my point of view. So how about user rights in your case Bill? Thanks: Dwokfur > > On Dec 1, 2025, at 10:18AM, Bill Steinberg via dovecot > <dovecot(a)dovecot.org> wrote: > Hello, > I'm attempting to upgrade a mbox format based dovecot server to the > latest > 2.4.1 on Fedora release 43. I am using sendmail at the MTA. I have provided a synopsis of my 2.4.1 dovecot config below. The dovecot > server > I'm attempting to upgrade is running dovecot 2.3.21 on Fedora 37. In the 2.3.21 setup all mbox based folders are at the top level in > the > user's ~/mail location For example Sent, Trash, Drafts, ... In dovecot 2.4.1 this setting no longer works: "mail_location = mbox:~/mail:INBOX=/var/mail/%u",so when a client connects to the > dovecot > server their sendmail based mbox /var/mail isn't visible. Additionally mbox folders directly under a user's ~/mail iike Sent, > Trash, > Drafts are not visible either. > The new 2.4.1 dovecot server creates a folder named "inbox" under > ~/mail > as well as an .imap directory which contains directories that > appear > to > correspond to the folders at the top level along with other dovecot > based > files. > Can you describe how I would make the seamail delivered mail in > /var/spool > as well as a users top level mbox folders accessible in the new > dovecot > mbox structures? > Thanks in advance for any help, > -Bill > ====================================== > Dovecot config > ====================================== > > dovecot_config_version = 2.4.1 > > dovecot_storage_version = 2.4.1 > > protocols { > > imap = yes > > lmtp = yes > > } > > mail_driver = mbox > > mail_home = /home/%{user} > > mail_path = ~/mail > > mbox_write_locks = fcntl > > namespace inbox { > > inbox = yes > > separator = / > > } > _______________________________________________ > dovecot mailing list -- dovecot(a)dovecot.org > To unsubscribe send an email to dovecot-leave(a)dovecot.org > _______________________________________________ > dovecot mailing list -- dovecot(a)dovecot.org > To unsubscribe send an email to dovecot-leave(a)dovecot.org >

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Dovecot 2.4.1 with mbox format
by Bill Steinberg 02 Dec '25

02 Dec '25

Hello, I’m attempting to upgrade a mbox format based dovecot server to the latest 2.4.1 on Fedora release 43. I am using sendmail at the MTA. I have provided a synopsis of my 2.4.1 dovecot config below. The dovecot server I’m attempting to upgrade is running dovecot 2.3.21 on Fedora 37. In the 2.3.21 setup all mbox based folders are at the top level in the user’s ~/mail location For example Sent, Trash, Drafts, … In dovecot 2.4.1 this setting no longer works: "mail_location = mbox:~/mail:INBOX=/var/mail/%u”,so when a client connects to the dovecot server their sendmail based mbox /var/mail isn’t visible. Additionally mbox folders directly under a user’s ~/mail iike Sent, Trash, Drafts are not visible either. The new 2.4.1 dovecot server creates a folder named “inbox” under ~/mail as well as an .imap directory which contains directories that appear to correspond to the folders at the top level along with other dovecot based files. Can you describe how I would make the seamail delivered mail in /var/spool as well as a users top level mbox folders accessible in the new dovecot mbox structures? Thanks in advance for any help, -Bill ====================================== Dovecot config ====================================== dovecot_config_version = 2.4.1 dovecot_storage_version = 2.4.1 protocols { imap = yes lmtp = yes } mail_driver = mbox mail_home = /home/%{user} mail_path = ~/mail mbox_write_locks = fcntl namespace inbox { inbox = yes separator = / } Hello, I'm attempting to upgrade a mbox format based dovecot server to the latest 2.4.1 on Fedora release 43. I am using sendmail at the MTA. I have provided a synopsis of my 2.4.1 dovecot config below. The dovecot server I'm attempting to upgrade is running dovecot 2.3.21 on Fedora 37. In the 2.3.21 setup all mbox based folders are at the top level in the user's ~/mail location For example Sent, Trash, Drafts, ... In dovecot 2.4.1 this setting no longer works: "mail_location = mbox:~/mail:INBOX=/var/mail/%u",so when a client connects to the dovecot server their sendmail based mbox /var/mail isn't visible. Additionally mbox folders directly under a user's ~/mail iike Sent, Trash, Drafts are not visible either. The new 2.4.1 dovecot server creates a folder named "inbox" under ~/mail as well as an .imap directory which contains directories that appear to correspond to the folders at the top level along with other dovecot based files. Can you describe how I would make the seamail delivered mail in /var/spool as well as a users top level mbox folders accessible in the new dovecot mbox structures? Thanks in advance for any help, -Bill ====================================== Dovecot config ====================================== dovecot_config_version = 2.4.1 dovecot_storage_version = 2.4.1 protocols { imap = yes lmtp = yes } mail_driver = mbox mail_home = /home/%{user} mail_path = ~/mail mbox_write_locks = fcntl namespace inbox { inbox = yes separator = / }

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