- dovecot - dovecot.org

compilation build fail
by Franck Bourdonnec 10 Dec '25

10 Dec '25

Hello, I'm used to build Dovecot since a long time without any problem. Last one 2.3.21 With 2.4.2 I get a compiler error !!! CC unix-socket-create.lo CC unlink-directory.lo CC unlink-old-files.lo CC unichar.lo CC unicode-data-types.lo CC unicode-data-tables.lo CC unicode-data.lo CC unicode-transform.lo unicode-transform.c:211:1: error: initializer element is not constant static const size_t uni_hangul_n_count = uni_hangul_v_count * uni_hangul_t_count; ^ unicode-transform.c:212:1: error: initializer element is not constant static const uint16_t uni_hangul_l_end = uni_hangul_l_base + uni_hangul_l_count; ^ unicode-transform.c:213:1: error: initializer element is not constant static const uint16_t uni_hangul_v_end = uni_hangul_v_base + uni_hangul_v_count; ^ unicode-transform.c:214:1: error: initializer element is not constant static const uint16_t uni_hangul_t_end = uni_hangul_t_base + uni_hangul_t_count; ^ Makefile:1684: recipe for target 'unicode-transform.lo' failed make[4]: *** [unicode-transform.lo] Error 1 make[4]: Leaving directory '/data/users/root/dovecot-2.4.2/src/lib' Makefile:1333: recipe for target 'all' failed I know my system is old, Opensuse Leap 42.3. Perhaps something missing , not tested ? /* * Hangul syllable (de)composition */ static const uint16_t uni_hangul_s_base = 0xac00; static const uint16_t uni_hangul_l_base = 0x1100; static const uint16_t uni_hangul_v_base = 0x1161; static const uint16_t uni_hangul_t_base = 0x11a7; static const size_t uni_hangul_l_count = 19; static const size_t uni_hangul_v_count = 21; static const size_t uni_hangul_t_count = 28; static const size_t uni_hangul_n_count = uni_hangul_v_count * uni_hangul_t_count; static const uint16_t uni_hangul_l_end = uni_hangul_l_base + uni_hangul_l_count; static const uint16_t uni_hangul_v_end = uni_hangul_v_base + uni_hangul_v_count; static const uint16_t uni_hangul_t_end = uni_hangul_t_base + uni_hangul_t_count; static const uint16_t uni_hangul_s_end = 0xD7A4; Franck !DSPAM:69384f6f6071731448408!

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Permission denied errors loading configuration in 2.4.1 (running utilities as unprivileged user)
by Jason J.G. White 09 Dec '25

09 Dec '25

I noticed the following after upgrading from 2.3 to 2.4.1: if I run various Dovecot utilities as an unprivileged user, they attempt to load the entire Dovecot configuration. The configuration loading then fails with a "fatal" permission denied error while trying to access the x.509 private key, which is accessible only to root for security reasons. Example: try running sievec as a normal user to compile a Sieve script. This should work, but it doesn't for the aforementioned reason. I'm not asking for help here, as I can work around it, but I would like to make sure it's on the bug list, if not fixed already.

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auth: Fatal: master: service(auth): child N killed with signal 11
by alexey＠*.com 08 Dec '25

08 Dec '25

Hello there, Got a server powered by "AlmaLinux 9.7 (Moss Jungle Cat)" with Dovecot 2.4.2 compiled from sources by directadmin with the following options: ./configure \ --with-ldap=yes \ --with-pam=yes \ --prefix=/usr \ --sysconfdir=/etc \ --localstatedir=/var \ --without-icu Dovecot crashes and no IMAP auth is possible on the server Got this only from dumped core: Reading symbols from /usr/libexec/dovecot/auth... (No debugging symbols found in /usr/libexec/dovecot/auth) [New LWP 3855978] [Thread debugging using libthread_db enabled] Using host libthread_db library "/lib64/libthread_db.so.1". Core was generated by `/usr/libexec/dovecot/auth'. Program terminated with signal SIGSEGV, Segmentation fault. #0 0x00007f6635f5fe41 in sasl_server_instance_create () from /usr/lib64/dovecot/libdovecot.so.0 (gdb) bt #0 0x00007f6635f5fe41 in sasl_server_instance_create () from /usr/lib64/dovecot/libdovecot.so.0 #1 0x000055da11c889bb in auth_sasl_instance_init () #2 0x000055da11c6eb9e in ?? () #3 0x000055da11c6f4ed in auths_preinit () #4 0x000055da11c6d245 in ?? () #5 0x000055da11c6d8a0 in main () (gdb) info threads Id Target Id Frame * 1 Thread 0x7f6636273ac0 (LWP 3855978) 0x00007f6635f5fe41 in sasl_server_instance_create () from /usr/lib64/dovecot/libdovecot.so.0 (gdb) thread apply all bt Thread 1 (Thread 0x7f6636273ac0 (LWP 3855978)): #0 0x00007f6635f5fe41 in sasl_server_instance_create () from /usr/lib64/dovecot/libdovecot.so.0 #1 0x000055da11c889bb in auth_sasl_instance_init () #2 0x000055da11c6eb9e in ?? () #3 0x000055da11c6f4ed in auths_preinit () #4 0x000055da11c6d245 in ?? () #5 0x000055da11c6d8a0 in main () (gdb) thread apply all bt full Thread 1 (Thread 0x7f6636273ac0 (LWP 3855978)): #0 0x00007f6635f5fe41 in sasl_server_instance_create () from /usr/lib64/dovecot/libdovecot.so.0 No symbol table info available. #1 0x000055da11c889bb in auth_sasl_instance_init () No symbol table info available. #2 0x000055da11c6eb9e in ?? () No symbol table info available. #3 0x000055da11c6f4ed in auths_preinit () No symbol table info available. #4 0x000055da11c6d245 in ?? () No symbol table info available. #5 0x000055da11c6d8a0 in main () No symbol table info available. (gdb) Have no issue with Dovecot 2.4.1 Kindly advice. Regards, Alex.

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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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managesieve-crash on 2.4.2
by Bjoern Franke 29 Nov '25

29 Nov '25

Hi, while trying to connect with "sieve-connect", managesieve crashed: Nov 25 14:21:08 mail.schafweide.org dovecot[440904]: managesieve-login: Panic: file client.c: line 350 (managesieve_client_input_next_cmd): assertion failed: (args != NULL) Nov 25 14:21:08 mail.schafweide.org systemd-coredump[440938]: [🡕] Process 440934 (managesieve-log) of user 74 dumped core. Stack trace of thread 440934: #0 0x000079c6cfa9890c n/a (libc.so.6 + 0x9890c) #1 0x000079c6cfa3e3a0 raise (libc.so.6 + 0x3e3a0) #2 0x000079c6cfa2557a abort (libc.so.6 + 0x2557a) #3 0x000079c6cfe5ffff n/a (libdovecot.so.0 + 0x5ffff) #4 0x000079c6cff4f095 n/a (libdovecot.so.0 + 0x14f095) #5 0x000079c6cfe5feb6 i_panic (libdovecot.so.0 + 0x5feb6) #6 0x000062e017df80de n/a (/usr/lib/dovecot/managesieve-login + 0x30de) #7 0x000062e017df8887 n/a (/usr/lib/dovecot/managesieve-login + 0x3887) #8 0x000079c6cff681f4 io_loop_call_io (libdovecot.so.0 + 0x1681f4) #9 0x000079c6cff6a2db io_loop_handler_run_internal (libdovecot.so.0 + 0x16a2db) #10 0x000079c6cff6a397 io_loop_handler_run (libdovecot.so.0 + 0x16a397) #11 0x000079c6cff6a599 io_loop_run (libdovecot.so.0 + 0x16a599) #12 0x000079c6cfeabce1 master_service_run (libdovecot.so.0 + 0xabce1) #13 0x000079c6d02f4350 login_binary_run (libdovecot-login.so.0 + 0x14350) #14 0x000079c6cfa27635 n/a (libc.so.6 + 0x27635) #15 0x000079c6cfa276e9 __libc_start_main (libc.so.6 + 0x276e9) #16 0x000062e017df8405 n/a (/usr/lib/dovecot/managesieve-login + 0x3405) ELF object binary architecture: AMD x86-64 Nov 25 14:21:08 mail.schafweide.org dovecot[440904]: managesieve-login: Fatal: master: service(managesieve-login): child 440934 killed with signal 6 (core dumped) I'm using dovecot/pigeonhole 2.4.2 on Arch. Regards Bjoern

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