Error: userdb: client doesn't have lookup permissions for this user
Hi,
I am trying to configure Dovecot 2.4.2 to work as MDA for Postfix 3.10.5, using LMTP and SASL, with virtual users. This is Debian 13. I had Postfix working fine before trying to incorporate Dovecot, and I was also able to get LMTP working with system users (no SASL), but now things are not working. I've followed the guides in the documentation for using Dovecot and Postfix, in particular the following page: https://doc.dovecot.org/2.4.2/howto/sasl/postfix.html I've set up my 'service auth {}' to look like in that page.
When I send mail to <user>, I get the following logs and the message is deferred by Postfix:
lmtp(119643): Connect from local auth(<user>): Error: userdb: client doesn't have lookup permissions for this user: userdb reply doesn't contain uid (to bypass this check, set: service auth { unix_listener /run/dovecot/auth-userdb { mode=0777 } }) lmtp(<user> <mailto:viktor@woloszcz.uk>)<119643><SRJICIBlYGlb0wEAk6KCeQ>: Error: auth-master: userdb lookup(<user>): Auth USER lookup failed lmtp(119643): Error: lmtp-server: conn unix:pid=119900,uid=101 [3]: rcpt <user>: Failed to lookup user <user>: Internal error occurred. Refer to server log for more information. lmtp(119643): Disconnect from local: Logged out (state=READY)
I am using passwd-file passdb '/etc/dovecot/passwd' with entries in the form '<user>:{PLAIN}password'. This file is owned by root and is world-readable.I am not using a userdb but have set 'mail_uid = vmail' and 'mail_gid = vmail' The socket is located at '/var/spool/postfix/dovecot/auth' (i.e. visible to Postfix) and is owned by the postfix user.I've tried changing the permissions of the socket as the error message instructed but this didn't have any effect.
I haven't set 'user = doveauth' as in this page:https://doc.dovecot.org/2.4.2/howto/virtual/postfix.html I don't understand what that would do. Please find attached my full dovecot.conf in case it is useful. Thanks in advance, Viktor
Hi, I am trying to configure Dovecot 2.4.2 to work as MDA for Postfix 3.10.5, using LMTP and SASL, with virtual users. This is Debian 13. I had Postfix working fine before trying to incorporate Dovecot, and I was also able to get LMTP working with system users (no SASL), but now things are not working. I've followed the guides in the documentation for using Dovecot and Postfix, in particular the following page: [1]https://doc.dovecot.org/2.4.2/howto/sasl/postfix.html I've set up my 'service auth {}' to look like in that page. When I send mail to <user>, I get the following logs and the message is deferred by Postfix: lmtp(119643): Connect from local auth(<user>): Error: userdb: client doesn't have lookup permissions for this user: userdb reply doesn't contain uid (to bypass this check, set: service auth { unix_listener /run/dovecot/auth-userdb { mode=0777 } }) lmtp([2]<user>)<119643><SRJICIBlYGlb0wEAk6KCeQ>: Error: auth-master: userdb lookup(<user>): Auth USER lookup failed lmtp(119643): Error: lmtp-server: conn unix:pid=119900,uid=101 [3]: rcpt <user>: Failed to lookup user <user>: Internal error occurred. Refer to server log for more information. lmtp(119643): Disconnect from local: Logged out (state=READY) I am using passwd-file passdb '/etc/dovecot/passwd' with entries in the form '<user>:{PLAIN}password'. This file is owned by root and is world-readable. I am not using a userdb but have set 'mail_uid = vmail' and 'mail_gid = vmail' The socket is located at '/var/spool/postfix/dovecot/auth' (i.e. visible to Postfix) and is owned by the postfix user. I've tried changing the permissions of the socket as the error message instructed but this didn't have any effect. I haven't set 'user = doveauth' as in this page: [3]https://doc.dovecot.org/2.4.2/howto/virtual/postfix.html I don't understand what that would do. Please find attached my full dovecot.conf in case it is useful. Thanks in advance, Viktor
References
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On 09/01/2026 04:57 EET vwoloszczuk--- via dovecot <dovecot@dovecot.org> wrote:
Hi,
I am trying to configure Dovecot 2.4.2 to work as MDA for Postfix 3.10.5, using LMTP and SASL, with virtual users. This is Debian 13. I had Postfix working fine before trying to incorporate Dovecot, and I was also able to get LMTP working with system users (no SASL), but now things are not working. I've followed the guides in the documentation for using Dovecot and Postfix, in particular the following page: https://doc.dovecot.org/2.4.2/howto/sasl/postfix.html I've set up my 'service auth {}' to look like in that page.
When I send mail to <user>, I get the following logs and the message is deferred by Postfix:
lmtp(119643): Connect from local auth(<user>): Error: userdb: client doesn't have lookup permissions for this user: userdb reply doesn't contain uid (to bypass this check, set: service auth { unix_listener /run/dovecot/auth-userdb { mode=0777 } }) lmtp(<user> <mailto:viktor@woloszcz.uk>)<119643><SRJICIBlYGlb0wEAk6KCeQ>: Error: auth-master: userdb lookup(<user>): Auth USER lookup failed lmtp(119643): Error: lmtp-server: conn unix:pid=119900,uid=101 [3]: rcpt <user>: Failed to lookup user <user>: Internal error occurred. Refer to server log for more information. lmtp(119643): Disconnect from local: Logged out (state=READY)
I am using passwd-file passdb '/etc/dovecot/passwd' with entries in the form '<user>:{PLAIN}password'. This file is owned by root and is world-readable.I am not using a userdb but have set 'mail_uid = vmail' and 'mail_gid = vmail' The socket is located at '/var/spool/postfix/dovecot/auth' (i.e. visible to Postfix) and is owned by the postfix user.I've tried changing the permissions of the socket as the error message instructed but this didn't have any effect.
I haven't set 'user = doveauth' as in this page:https://doc.dovecot.org/2.4.2/howto/virtual/postfix.html I don't understand what that would do. Please find attached my full dovecot.conf in case it is useful. Thanks in advance,
Hi
You have configured
service lmtp { user = <user> }
please remove this.
Aki
Hi Aki,
That seems to have fixed things -- now I can receive mail on the system and the other tests in the Testing page are working.
FYI, when I put that line in the config I was following the advice in this section of the documentation:https://doc.dovecot.org/2.4.2/core/config/delivery/lmtp.html#security Maybe that section needs updating?
Thanks for the help ^_^ Viktor
Jan 9, 2026, 09:33 by aki.tuomi@open-xchange.com:
On 09/01/2026 04:57 EET vwoloszczuk--- via dovecot <dovecot@dovecot.org> wrote:
Hi,
I am trying to configure Dovecot 2.4.2 to work as MDA for Postfix 3.10.5, using LMTP and SASL, with virtual users. This is Debian 13. I had Postfix working fine before trying to incorporate Dovecot, and I was also able to get LMTP working with system users (no SASL), but now things are not working. I've followed the guides in the documentation for using Dovecot and Postfix, in particular the following page: https://doc.dovecot.org/2.4.2/howto/sasl/postfix.html I've set up my 'service auth {}' to look like in that page.
When I send mail to <user>, I get the following logs and the message is deferred by Postfix:
lmtp(119643): Connect from local auth(<user>): Error: userdb: client doesn't have lookup permissions for this user: userdb reply doesn't contain uid (to bypass this check, set: service auth { unix_listener /run/dovecot/auth-userdb { mode=0777 } }) lmtp(<user> <mailto:viktor@woloszcz.uk>)<119643><SRJICIBlYGlb0wEAk6KCeQ>: Error: auth-master: userdb lookup(<user>): Auth USER lookup failed lmtp(119643): Error: lmtp-server: conn unix:pid=119900,uid=101 [3]: rcpt <user>: Failed to lookup user <user>: Internal error occurred. Refer to server log for more information. lmtp(119643): Disconnect from local: Logged out (state=READY)
I am using passwd-file passdb '/etc/dovecot/passwd' with entries in the form '<user>:{PLAIN}password'. This file is owned by root and is world-readable.I am not using a userdb but have set 'mail_uid = vmail' and 'mail_gid = vmail' The socket is located at '/var/spool/postfix/dovecot/auth' (i.e. visible to Postfix) and is owned by the postfix user.I've tried changing the permissions of the socket as the error message instructed but this didn't have any effect.
I haven't set 'user = doveauth' as in this page:https://doc.dovecot.org/2.4.2/howto/virtual/postfix.html I don't understand what that would do. Please find attached my full dovecot.conf in case it is useful. Thanks in advance,
Hi
You have configured
service lmtp { user = <user> }
please remove this.
Aki
Hi Aki, That seems to have fixed things -- now I can receive mail on the system and the other tests in the Testing page are working. FYI, when I put that line in the config I was following the advice in this section of the documentation: [1]https://doc.dovecot.org/2.4.2/core/config/delivery/lmtp.html#security Maybe that section needs updating? Thanks for the help ^_^ Viktor Jan 9, 2026, 09:33 by aki.tuomi@open-xchange.com:
On 09/01/2026 04:57 EET vwoloszczuk--- via dovecot
<dovecot@dovecot.org> wrote:
Hi,
I am trying to configure Dovecot 2.4.2 to work as MDA for Postfix
3.10.5, using LMTP and SASL, with virtual users. This is Debian 13. I
had Postfix working fine before trying to incorporate Dovecot, and I
was also able to get LMTP working with system users (no SASL), but now
things are not working.
I've followed the guides in the documentation for using Dovecot and
Postfix, in particular the following page:
https://doc.dovecot.org/2.4.2/howto/sasl/postfix.html
I've set up my 'service auth {}' to look like in that page.
When I send mail to <user>, I get the following logs and the message
is deferred by Postfix:
lmtp(119643): Connect from local
auth(<user>): Error: userdb: client doesn't have lookup permissions
for this user: userdb reply doesn't contain uid (to bypass this check,
set: service auth { unix_listener /run/dovecot/auth-userdb { mode=0777
} })
lmtp(<user>
<mailto:viktor@woloszcz.uk>)<119643><SRJICIBlYGlb0wEAk6KCeQ>: Error:
auth-master: userdb lookup(<user>): Auth USER lookup failed
lmtp(119643): Error: lmtp-server: conn unix:pid=119900,uid=101 [3]:
rcpt <user>: Failed to lookup user <user>: Internal error occurred.
Refer to server log for more information.
lmtp(119643): Disconnect from local: Logged out (state=READY)
I am using passwd-file passdb '/etc/dovecot/passwd' with entries in
the form '<user>:{PLAIN}password'. This file is owned by root and is
world-readable.I am not using a userdb but have set 'mail_uid = vmail'
and 'mail_gid = vmail'
The socket is located at '/var/spool/postfix/dovecot/auth' (i.e.
visible to Postfix) and is owned by the postfix user.I've tried
changing the permissions of the socket as the error message instructed
but this didn't have any effect.
I haven't set 'user = doveauth' as in this
page:https://doc.dovecot.org/2.4.2/howto/virtual/postfix.html
I don't understand what that would do.
Please find attached my full dovecot.conf in case it is useful.
Thanks in advance,
Hi
You have configured
service lmtp {
user = <user>
}
please remove this.
AkiReferences
Visible links
Yeah, that seems to be bit incomplete advice.
Aki
On 09/01/2026 12:54 EET vwoloszczuk--- via dovecot <dovecot@dovecot.org> wrote:
Hi Aki,
That seems to have fixed things -- now I can receive mail on the system and the other tests in the Testing page are working.
FYI, when I put that line in the config I was following the advice in this section of the documentation:https://doc.dovecot.org/2.4.2/core/config/delivery/lmtp.html#security Maybe that section needs updating?
Thanks for the help ^_^ Viktor
Jan 9, 2026, 09:33 by aki.tuomi@open-xchange.com:
On 09/01/2026 04:57 EET vwoloszczuk--- via dovecot <dovecot@dovecot.org> wrote:
Hi,
I am trying to configure Dovecot 2.4.2 to work as MDA for Postfix 3.10.5, using LMTP and SASL, with virtual users. This is Debian 13. I had Postfix working fine before trying to incorporate Dovecot, and I was also able to get LMTP working with system users (no SASL), but now things are not working. I've followed the guides in the documentation for using Dovecot and Postfix, in particular the following page: https://doc.dovecot.org/2.4.2/howto/sasl/postfix.html I've set up my 'service auth {}' to look like in that page.
When I send mail to <user>, I get the following logs and the message is deferred by Postfix:
lmtp(119643): Connect from local auth(<user>): Error: userdb: client doesn't have lookup permissions for this user: userdb reply doesn't contain uid (to bypass this check, set: service auth { unix_listener /run/dovecot/auth-userdb { mode=0777 } }) lmtp(<user> <mailto:viktor@woloszcz.uk>)<119643><SRJICIBlYGlb0wEAk6KCeQ>: Error: auth-master: userdb lookup(<user>): Auth USER lookup failed lmtp(119643): Error: lmtp-server: conn unix:pid=119900,uid=101 [3]: rcpt <user>: Failed to lookup user <user>: Internal error occurred. Refer to server log for more information. lmtp(119643): Disconnect from local: Logged out (state=READY)
I am using passwd-file passdb '/etc/dovecot/passwd' with entries in the form '<user>:{PLAIN}password'. This file is owned by root and is world-readable.I am not using a userdb but have set 'mail_uid = vmail' and 'mail_gid = vmail' The socket is located at '/var/spool/postfix/dovecot/auth' (i.e. visible to Postfix) and is owned by the postfix user.I've tried changing the permissions of the socket as the error message instructed but this didn't have any effect.
I haven't set 'user = doveauth' as in this page:https://doc.dovecot.org/2.4.2/howto/virtual/postfix.html I don't understand what that would do. Please find attached my full dovecot.conf in case it is useful. Thanks in advance,
Hi
You have configured
service lmtp { user = <user> }
please remove this.
Aki
Hi Aki, That seems to have fixed things -- now I can receive mail on the system and the other tests in the Testing page are working. FYI, when I put that line in the config I was following the advice in this section of the documentation: [1]https://doc.dovecot.org/2.4.2/core/config/delivery/lmtp.html#security Maybe that section needs updating? Thanks for the help ^_^ Viktor Jan 9, 2026, 09:33 by aki.tuomi@open-xchange.com:
On 09/01/2026 04:57 EET vwoloszczuk--- via dovecot <dovecot@dovecot.org> wrote: Hi, I am trying to configure Dovecot 2.4.2 to work as MDA for Postfix 3.10.5, using LMTP and SASL, with virtual users. This is Debian 13. I had Postfix working fine before trying to incorporate Dovecot, and I was also able to get LMTP working with system users (no SASL), but now things are not working. I've followed the guides in the documentation for using Dovecot and Postfix, in particular the following page: https://doc.dovecot.org/2.4.2/howto/sasl/postfix.html I've set up my 'service auth {}' to look like in that page. When I send mail to <user>, I get the following logs and the message is deferred by Postfix: lmtp(119643): Connect from local auth(<user>): Error: userdb: client doesn't have lookup permissions for this user: userdb reply doesn't contain uid (to bypass this check, set: service auth { unix_listener /run/dovecot/auth-userdb { mode=0777 } }) lmtp(<user> <mailto:viktor@woloszcz.uk>)<119643><SRJICIBlYGlb0wEAk6KCeQ>: Error: auth-master: userdb lookup(<user>): Auth USER lookup failed lmtp(119643): Error: lmtp-server: conn unix:pid=119900,uid=101 [3]: rcpt <user>: Failed to lookup user <user>: Internal error occurred. Refer to server log for more information. lmtp(119643): Disconnect from local: Logged out (state=READY) I am using passwd-file passdb '/etc/dovecot/passwd' with entries in the form '<user>:{PLAIN}password'. This file is owned by root and is world-readable.I am not using a userdb but have set 'mail_uid = vmail' and 'mail_gid = vmail' The socket is located at '/var/spool/postfix/dovecot/auth' (i.e. visible to Postfix) and is owned by the postfix user.I've tried changing the permissions of the socket as the error message instructed but this didn't have any effect. I haven't set 'user = doveauth' as in this page:https://doc.dovecot.org/2.4.2/howto/virtual/postfix.html I don't understand what that would do. Please find attached my full dovecot.conf in case it is useful. Thanks in advance, Hi You have configured service lmtp { user = <user> } please remove this. AkiReferences
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participants (2)
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Aki Tuomi
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vwoloszczuk＠tutanota.com