- dovecot - dovecot.org

Dovecot fails to "initialize SSL server context"
by jaap＠jbril.net 04 Aug '25

04 Aug '25

I am configuring a new mailserver. Postfix works and is getting configured according to our wishes. Dovecot is more stubborn: for some reason I'm not able to understand, it refuses to "initialize SSL server context". complaining that "Can't load SSl Certificate". I believe I have configured the same certificate (and accompanying key) for imap-login that I use for https. But dovecot does not agree. I looked at error:14187180. All I found were errors on the configuration for the Certs cq Keys which I think I am avoiding . Two questions: Please correct me if I'm wrong. Can you clarify dovecot's error message? Jaap Server: * Rocky Linux 9.6 kernel 5.14.0-570.28.1 * Dovecot 2.3.21.1 * Openssl 3.2.2 * Certbot 3.1.0 Https is functioning as expected: ssl-config: * Include /etc/letsencrypt/options-ssl-apache.conf * SSLCertificateFile /etc/letsencrypt/live/radicale.camelopardus.nl/fullchain.pem * SSLCertificateKeyFile /etc/letsencrypt/live/radicale.camelopardus.nl/privkey.pem * ssl_cert = </etc/letsencrypt/live/iris.camelopardus.nl/fullchain.pem test from client: openssl s_client -connect radicale.camelopardus.nl:https reply: *CONNECTED(00000003)* *depth=2 C = US, O = Internet Security Research Group, CN = ISRG Root X1* *verify return:1* *depth=1 C = US, O = Let’s Encrypt, CN = E6* *verify return:1* *depth=0 CN = radicale.camelopardus.nl* *verify return:1* Dovecot responds differently (for Thunderbird as well as) for openssl: conf.d/10-ssl.conf: * ssl_cert = </etc/letsencrypt/live/radicale.camelopardus.nl/fullchain.pem * ssl_key = </etc/letsencrypt/live/radicale.camelopardus.nl/privkey.pem test: openssl s_client -connect radicale.camelopardus.nl:imaps reply: CONNECTED(00000003) write:errno=104 no peer certificate available For both there is the same error in dovecot's log: imap-login: Error: Failed to initialize SSL server context: Can't load SSL certificate (ssl_cert setting): error:14187180: SSL routines:ssl_do_config:bad value: section=system_default, cmd=Groups, arg=X25519:secp256r1:X448:secp521r1:secp384r1:ffdhe2048:ffdhe3072:ffdhe4096:ffdhe6144:ffdhe8192: user=<>, rip=2a10:3781:5ab:1:ff51:cbd1:4d54:fb7b, lip=2a10:3781:5ab:10::aaf,

4 4

migrate to virtual mailboxes before upgrading to 2.4
by roughnecks 04 Aug '25

04 Aug '25

Hello, I was thinking about, maybe, migrating my postfix/dovecot server to virtual mailboxes, before upgrading Debian to Trixie. So, atm, I have system users with ~/Maildir but it's not so convenient anymore. I am looking for some documentation/guide on how to migrate everything to virtual mailboxes. Of course I searched by myself, but didn't find many results. Thanks -- roughnecks

2 1

sieve script is not exescuted
by Kamil Jońca 30 Jul '25

30 Jul '25

I have scripts in 2 places: sieve_script personal { path = ~/.dovecot.sieve } sieve_script before { path = /etc/dovecot/sieve } /etc/dovecot/sieve is directory with (currently) one script. This script add header to message. And it seems, that "before" script is not executed. Any hints? KJ -- http://wolnelektury.pl/wesprzyj/teraz/ "Linux: the operating system with a CLUE... Command Line User Environment". (seen in a posting in comp.software.testing)

6 11

doveadm force-resync crashes at list/mailbox-list-fs-iter.c:507
by Ákos Szőts 29 Jul '25

29 Jul '25

Hi All, In Dovecot 2.4.1 if I start doveadm force-resync with a non-existent mailbox that ends in a slash, the command crashes: gdb -ex run --args doveadm force-resync -A test/ Thread 1 (Thread 0x7f9e5cc4a980 (LWP 442) "doveadm"): #0 fs_list_next_root(ctx=ctx@entry=0x55d248df6898) at list/mailbox-list-fs-iter.c:507 roots= <error reading variable roots (Cannot access memory at address 0x0)> count= <error reading variable count (Cannot access memory at address 0x8)> __func__= "fs_list_next_root" #1 0x00007f9e5dc417c2in fs_list_iter_reset(ctx=0x55d248df6898) at list/mailbox-list-fs-iter.c:830 __func__= <optimized out> #2 fs_list_iter_next(_ctx=0x55d248df6898) at list/mailbox-list-fs-iter.c:912 ctx= <optimized out> ret= 0 __func__= "fs_list_iter_next" #3 0x00007f9e5dc4f8ddin mailbox_list_iter_next_call(ctx=0x55d248df6898) at list/mailbox-list-iter.c:1009 info= <optimized out> set= 0x148d86ee0 ret= <optimized out> #4 mailbox_list_iter_next(ctx=0x55d248df6898) at list/mailbox-list-iter.c:1098 _data_stack_cur_id= 5 info= <optimized out> #5 0x00007f9e5dc50899in mailbox_list_ns_iter_try_next(_ctx=0x55d248df6488, info_r=<synthetic pointer>) at list/mailbox-list-iter.c:616 ctx= 0x55d248df6488 ns= <optimized out> info= <optimized out> suffix= <optimized out> has_children= <optimized out> __func__= <optimized out> #6 mailbox_list_ns_iter_next(_ctx=0x55d248df6488) at list/mailbox-list-iter.c:678 info= 0x0 #7 0x00007f9e5dc4f8ddin mailbox_list_iter_next_call(ctx=0x55d248df6488) at list/mailbox-list-iter.c:1009 info= <optimized out> set= 0x2fffffffd0 ret= <optimized out> #8 mailbox_list_iter_next(ctx=0x55d248df6488) at list/mailbox-list-iter.c:1098 _data_stack_cur_id= 4 info= <optimized out> #9 0x000055d20bc81a20in cmd_force_resync_run(_ctx=0x55d248db57a8, user=0x55d248dc6318) at /usr/src/debug/dovecot-2.4.1-4/src/doveadm/doveadm-mail.c:369 ctx= 0x55d248db57a8 iter_flags= (MAILBOX_LIST_ITER_RAW_LIST| MAILBOX_LIST_ITER_NO_AUTO_BOXES| MAILBOX_LIST_ITER_STAR_WITHIN_NS| MAILBOX_LIST_ITER_RETURN_NO_FLAGS| MAILBOX_LIST_ITER_FORCE_RESYNC) ns_mask= (MAIL_NAMESPACE_TYPE_PRIVATE| MAIL_NAMESPACE_TYPE_SHARED| MAIL_NAMESPACE_TYPE_PUBLIC) iter= 0x55d248df6488 info= <optimized out> ret= <optimized out> patterns= {0x55d248db5300"test/", 0x0} #10 0x000055d20bc856c2in doveadm_mail_next_user(ctx=ctx@entry=0x55d248db57a8, error_r=error_r@entry=0x7ffdbc3f0778) at /usr/src/debug/dovecot-2.4.1-4/src/doveadm/doveadm-mail.c:506 _data_stack_cur_id= 3 cctx= 0x55d248db39b8 input= {event_parent= 0x0, service= 0x55d20bcbd810"doveadm", protocol= 0x0, username= 0x55d248db81a0"akos(a)szots.dev", session_id= 0x0, session_id_prefix= 0x0, session_create_ time= 0, local_ip= {family= 0, u= {ip6= {__in6_u= {__u6_addr8= '\000' <repeats 15 times>, __u6_addr16= {0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0}, __u6_addr32= {0, 0, 0, 0}}}, ip4= {s_addr= 0}}, sco pe_id= 0}, remote_ip= {family= 0, u= {ip6= {__in6_u= {__u6_addr8= '\000' <repeats 15 times>, __u6_addr16= {0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0}, __u6_addr32= {0, 0, 0, 0}}}, ip4= {s_addr= 0}}, scope_id= 0}, local_port= 0, remote_port= 0, local_name= 0x0, userdb_fields= 0x0, code_override_fields= 0x0, forward_fields= 0x0, set_instance= 0x0, flags_override_add= 0, flags_over ride_remove= 0, no_userdb_lookup= false, debug= false, end_client_tls_secured= false, autocreated= false, no_free_init_failure= false} error= 0x0 ip= <optimized out> ret= <optimized out> dropping_privs= true cur_uid= 0 cur_cwd= 0x55d248d86df8"/" cur_ctx= 0x55d248dc2c80 reason= 0x55d248df57f0 __func__= "doveadm_mail_next_user" #11 0x000055d20bc87525in doveadm_mail_all_users(ctx=0x55d248db57a8, wildcard_user=0x55d20bcc015d "*") at /usr/src/debug/dovecot-2.4.1-4/src/doveadm/doveadm-mail.c:584 _data_stack_cur_id= 2 cctx= 0x55d248db39b8 user_idx= 0 ip= <optimized out> user= 0x55d248db81a0"akos(a)szots.dev" error= 0x55d248d8e7d8"\t\350\330H\322U" ret= 1 #12 doveadm_mail_cmd_exec(ctx=0x55d248db57a8, wildcard_user=0x55d20bcc015d "*") at /usr/src/debug/dovecot-2.4.1-4/src/doveadm/doveadm-mail.c:721 cctx= <optimized out> cli= <optimized out> ret= <optimized out> error= 0x55d248d8e7d8"\t\350\330H\322U" #13 doveadm_cmd_ver2_to_mail_cmd_wrapper(cctx=<optimized out>) at /usr/src/debug/dovecot-2.4.1-4/src/doveadm/doveadm-mail.c:1039 mctx= 0x55d248db57a8 mail_cmd= {alloc= 0x55d20bc803f0<cmd_force_resync_alloc>, name= 0x55d20bcbe92d"force-resync", usage_args= 0x55d20bcc5008"[-u <user>|-A] [-S <socket_path>] [-f] <mailbox mask>"} wildcard_user= 0x55d20bcc015d"*" #14 0x000055d20bc9ba77in doveadm_cmdline_run(argc=<optimized out>, argv=0x55d248d8e7c8, cctx=cctx@entry=0x55d248db39b8) at /usr/src/debug/dovecot-2.4.1-4/src/doveadm/doveadm-cmd-parse.c:451 prefix= <optimized out> pargv= {arr= {buffer= 0x55d248db4388, element_size= 112}, v= 0x55d248db4388, v_modifiable= 0x55d248db4388} pargc= 8 pool= 0x55d248db4350 ptr_count= <optimized out> ptr= <optimized out> ptr_end= <optimized out> ptr_last_non_kv= <optimized out> #15 0x000055d20bc9bc2cin doveadm_cmdline_try_run(cmd_name=cmd_name@entry=0x55d248d8e7f9 "force-resync", argc=<optimized out>, argv=<optimized out>, cctx=cctx@entry=0x55d248db39b8) at /usr/s rc/debug/dovecot-2.4.1-4/src/doveadm/doveadm-cmd.c:160 cmd= <optimized out> #16 0x000055d20bc74fdein main(argc=<optimized out>, argv=<optimized out>) at /usr/src/debug/dovecot-2.4.1-4/src/doveadm/doveadm.c:386 service_flags= <optimized out> cmd_name= 0x55d248d8e7f9"force-resync" i= <optimized out> quick_init= false c= <optimized out> longopts= {{name= 0x7f9e5dadb7a8"help", has_arg= 0, flag= 0x0, val= 0}, {name= 0x0, has_arg= 0, flag= 0x0, val= 0}} help_requested= <optimized out> longopt= 0x0 cctx= 0x55d248db39b8 Ákos Hi All, In Dovecot 2.4.1 if I start doveadm force-resync with a non-existent mailbox that ends in a slash, the command crashes: gdb -ex run --args doveadm force-resync -A test/ Thread 1 (Thread 0x7f9e5cc4a980 (LWP 442) "doveadm"): #0 fs_list_next_root (ctx=ctx@entry=0x55d248df6898) at list/mailbox-list-fs-iter.c:507 roots = <error reading variable roots (Cannot access memory at address 0x0)> count = <error reading variable count (Cannot access memory at address 0x8)> __func__ = "fs_list_next_root" #1 0x00007f9e5dc417c2 in fs_list_iter_reset (ctx=0x55d248df6898) at list/mailbox-list-fs-iter.c:830 __func__ = <optimized out> #2 fs_list_iter_next (_ctx=0x55d248df6898) at list/mailbox-list-fs-iter.c:912 ctx = <optimized out> ret = 0 __func__ = "fs_list_iter_next" #3 0x00007f9e5dc4f8dd in mailbox_list_iter_next_call (ctx=0x55d248df6898) at list/mailbox-list-iter.c:1009 info = <optimized out> set = 0x148d86ee0 ret = <optimized out> #4 mailbox_list_iter_next (ctx=0x55d248df6898) at list/mailbox-list-iter.c:1098 _data_stack_cur_id = 5 info = <optimized out> #5 0x00007f9e5dc50899 in mailbox_list_ns_iter_try_next (_ctx=0x55d248df6488, info_r=<synthetic pointer>) at list/mailbox-list-iter.c:616 ctx = 0x55d248df6488 ns = <optimized out> info = <optimized out> suffix = <optimized out> has_children = <optimized out> __func__ = <optimized out> #6 mailbox_list_ns_iter_next (_ctx=0x55d248df6488) at list/mailbox-list-iter.c:678 info = 0x0 #7 0x00007f9e5dc4f8dd in mailbox_list_iter_next_call (ctx=0x55d248df6488) at list/mailbox-list-iter.c:1009 info = <optimized out> set = 0x2fffffffd0 ret = <optimized out> #8 mailbox_list_iter_next (ctx=0x55d248df6488) at list/mailbox-list-iter.c:1098 _data_stack_cur_id = 4 info = <optimized out> #9 0x000055d20bc81a20 in cmd_force_resync_run (_ctx=0x55d248db57a8, user=0x55d248dc6318) at /usr/src/debug/dovecot-2.4.1-4/src/doveadm/doveadm-mail.c:369 ctx = 0x55d248db57a8 iter_flags = (MAILBOX_LIST_ITER_RAW_LIST | MAILBOX_LIST_ITER_NO_AUTO_BOXES | MAILBOX_LIST_ITER_STAR_WITHIN_NS | MAILBOX_LIST_ITER_RETURN_NO_FLAGS | MAILBOX_LIST_ITER_FORCE_RESYNC) ns_mask = (MAIL_NAMESPACE_TYPE_PRIVATE | MAIL_NAMESPACE_TYPE_SHARED | MAIL_NAMESPACE_TYPE_PUBLIC) iter = 0x55d248df6488 info = <optimized out> ret = <optimized out> patterns = {0x55d248db5300 "test/", 0x0} #10 0x000055d20bc856c2 in doveadm_mail_next_user (ctx=ctx@entry=0x55d248db57a8, error_r=error_r@entry=0x7ffdbc3f0778) at /usr/src/debug/dovecot-2.4.1-4/src/doveadm/doveadm-mail.c:506 _data_stack_cur_id = 3 cctx = 0x55d248db39b8 input = {event_parent = 0x0, service = 0x55d20bcbd810 "doveadm", protocol = 0x0, username = 0x55d248db81a0 [1]"akos(a)szots.dev", session_id = 0x0, session_id_prefix = 0x0, session_create_ time = 0, local_ip = {family = 0, u = {ip6 = {__in6_u = {__u6_addr8 = '\000' <repeats 15 times>, __u6_addr16 = {0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0}, __u6_addr32 = {0, 0, 0, 0}}}, ip4 = {s_addr = 0}}, sco pe_id = 0}, remote_ip = {family = 0, u = {ip6 = {__in6_u = {__u6_addr8 = '\000' <repeats 15 times>, __u6_addr16 = {0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0}, __u6_addr32 = {0, 0, 0, 0}}}, ip4 = {s_addr = 0}}, scope_id = 0}, local_port = 0, remote_port = 0, local_name = 0x0, userdb_fields = 0x0, code_override_fields = 0x0, forward_fields = 0x0, set_instance = 0x0, flags_override_add = 0, flags_over ride_remove = 0, no_userdb_lookup = false, debug = false, end_client_tls_secured = false, autocreated = false, no_free_init_failure = false} error = 0x0 ip = <optimized out> ret = <optimized out> dropping_privs = true cur_uid = 0 cur_cwd = 0x55d248d86df8 "/" cur_ctx = 0x55d248dc2c80 reason = 0x55d248df57f0 __func__ = "doveadm_mail_next_user" #11 0x000055d20bc87525 in doveadm_mail_all_users (ctx=0x55d248db57a8, wildcard_user=0x55d20bcc015d "*") at /usr/src/debug/dovecot-2.4.1-4/src/doveadm/doveadm-mail.c:584 _data_stack_cur_id = 2 cctx = 0x55d248db39b8 user_idx = 0 ip = <optimized out> user = 0x55d248db81a0 [2]"akos(a)szots.dev" error = 0x55d248d8e7d8 "\t\350\330H\322U" ret = 1 #12 doveadm_mail_cmd_exec (ctx=0x55d248db57a8, wildcard_user=0x55d20bcc015d "*") at /usr/src/debug/dovecot-2.4.1-4/src/doveadm/doveadm-mail.c:721 cctx = <optimized out> cli = <optimized out> ret = <optimized out> error = 0x55d248d8e7d8 "\t\350\330H\322U" #13 doveadm_cmd_ver2_to_mail_cmd_wrapper (cctx=<optimized out>) at /usr/src/debug/dovecot-2.4.1-4/src/doveadm/doveadm-mail.c:1039 mctx = 0x55d248db57a8 mail_cmd = {alloc = 0x55d20bc803f0 <cmd_force_resync_alloc>, name = 0x55d20bcbe92d "force-resync", usage_args = 0x55d20bcc5008 "[-u <user>|-A] [-S <socket_path>] [-f] <mailbox mask>"} wildcard_user = 0x55d20bcc015d "*" #14 0x000055d20bc9ba77 in doveadm_cmdline_run (argc=<optimized out>, argv=0x55d248d8e7c8, cctx=cctx@entry=0x55d248db39b8) at /usr/src/debug/dovecot-2.4.1-4/src/doveadm/doveadm-cmd-parse.c:451 prefix = <optimized out> pargv = {arr = {buffer = 0x55d248db4388, element_size = 112}, v = 0x55d248db4388, v_modifiable = 0x55d248db4388} pargc = 8 pool = 0x55d248db4350 ptr_count = <optimized out> ptr = <optimized out> ptr_end = <optimized out> ptr_last_non_kv = <optimized out> #15 0x000055d20bc9bc2c in doveadm_cmdline_try_run (cmd_name=cmd_name@entry=0x55d248d8e7f9 "force-resync", argc=<optimized out>, argv=<optimized out>, cctx=cctx@entry=0x55d248db39b8) at /usr/s rc/debug/dovecot-2.4.1-4/src/doveadm/doveadm-cmd.c:160 cmd = <optimized out> #16 0x000055d20bc74fde in main (argc=<optimized out>, argv=<optimized out>) at /usr/src/debug/dovecot-2.4.1-4/src/doveadm/doveadm.c:386 service_flags = <optimized out> cmd_name = 0x55d248d8e7f9 "force-resync" i = <optimized out> quick_init = false c = <optimized out> longopts = {{name = 0x7f9e5dadb7a8 "help", has_arg = 0, flag = 0x0, val = 0}, {name = 0x0, has_arg = 0, flag = 0x0, val = 0}} help_requested = <optimized out> longopt = 0x0 cctx = 0x55d248db39b8 Akos References Visible links 1. mailto:akos@szots.dev 2. mailto:akos@szots.dev

2 2

"lock/disable" user's mailbox
by roughnecks 29 Jul '25

29 Jul '25

Hello, not sure if relevant here, but I'm in need of disabling or locking down an user's mailbox, without completely removing the related system account. It would be nice if said account was not able to receive emails anymore, or "better", until it was re-enabled. Would also be cool if the sender received a warning back, upon the failed dispatch. Does that even make sense? :D I'm running postfix and dovecot on a debian bookworm VPS. Thanks -- roughnecks

2 2

When does dovecot use sendmail_path?
by Joseph Tam 29 Jul '25

29 Jul '25

I'm trying to plug up all the holes where local mail leaves our mail system without a DKIM signature. One avenue is bounce messages. I wrote a small sendmail wrapper to add DKIM signatures, and defined it as the value for dovecot's sendmail_path. I presume Dovecot invokes this executable when it has to send a send message. Under what circumstances does this happen? I tried to provoke a mailout by sending messages to recipients with full quotas and permission locked mailbox files, but could not generate any mail back. Joseph Tam <jtam.home(a)gmail.com>

2 2

'doveadm' error
by Andreas Kossack 28 Jul '25

28 Jul '25

Hi, are there anywhere recommendations or 'best practices' for compiling dovecot-2.4.x at IBMs AIX7.3? With some own patches i can compile it, but one unexpected result is # /usr/local/bin/doveadm mailbox list -u <user> /usr/local/bin/doveconf: invalid option -- u What's wrong? -- Mit freundlichen Grüßen / Best regards / Salutations / Cordialmente ___________________________________________________________________ Brandenburgische Technische Universität Cottbus – Senftenberg E Andreas.Kossack(a)B-TU.De

1 0

one-off doveadm commands broken in 2.4.1 when using docker
by jlh 28 Jul '25

28 Jul '25

Hi all In 2.3, I could use doveadm from the docker image as a standalone tool, but this no longer works in 2.4: $ docker run --rm -ti dovecot/dovecot:2.3-latest doveadm usage: doveadm [-Dv] [-f <formatter>] <command> [<args>] altmove [-u <user>|-A] [-S <socket_path>] [-r] <search query> [...snip...] $ docker run --rm -ti dovecot/dovecot:latest-2.4 doveadm doveconf: Fatal: Cannot expand variable %{env:USER_PASSWORD This was useful for hashing passwords with "doveadm pw". I assume this wasn't an intentional change in how doveadm works. For now I'll just use the old image when hashing passwords. Thank you! Jean-Luc

2 1

siebe settings in 2.4.0
by Helmut K. C. Tessarek 23 Jul '25

23 Jul '25

I've been reading the docs and the migration docs for hours, but the sieve config is a mess. In 2.3.x I am using: plugin { sieve = ~/.sieve sieve_dir = ~/.sieve_storage } and this is how it looks in my home dir: $ ls -la .sie* lrwxrwxrwx 32 a b c d .sieve -> .sieve_storage/MailFilters.sieve .rw------- 0 a b c d .sieve.log .rw------- 17,414 a b c d 2025-07-08 03:00 .sieve.svbin So How do I do the same in 2.4.x? I've come so far as: sieve_script personal { driver = file } But then there are path, bin_path, active_path, name, and a bunch of other settings. Sorry to be a little bit frustrated, but my old settings are not out of the ordinary (2 freaking parameters), but there is no documentation on how to migrate these 2 very simple settings to the new format. The upgrade docs explain the new var expansion and a matrix with old and new parameters. But this info is completely missing for sieve. The doc only points to "script storage". Really? You couldn't have added these 2 parameters to the old-new matrix? I am not asking you to do this for every single sieve parameter, but at least for the 2 or 3 most used ones. Sorry for my rant, but I had to get it out there to not go insane. Cheers, K. C. -- regards Helmut K. C. Tessarek KeyID 0x172380A011EF4944 Key fingerprint = 8A55 70C1 BD85 D34E ADBC 386C 1723 80A0 11EF 4944 /* Thou shalt not follow the NULL pointer for chaos and madness await thee at its end. */

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discarded vacation reply to own address <xxxx> (as specified using :addresses argument)
by Marc 23 Jul '25

23 Jul '25

Did I configure this? Or is this default behaviour of dovecot? How can I turn this off if this is a standard config?

2 1