Cannot anymore create volumes with docker compose

[gautaz]

Issue Description

After upgrading podman to version 5.6.2 and issuing a "podman system reset", I get this error:

❯ podman compose run --rm test
[+] Creating 1/1
 ✘ Volume podtest_test  Error                                                                                                                                                                                               0.0s
Error response from daemon: adding volume to state: adding volume podtest_test config to database: attempt to write a readonly database
Error: executing /home/del/.nix-profile/bin/docker-compose run --rm test: exit status 1

with the following compose.yaml:

services:
  test:
    image: alpine
    volumes:
      - test:/test

volumes:
  test:

Steps to reproduce the issue

Steps to reproduce the issue

1. use podman 5.6.2 with docker/compose version 2.39.4
2. use the compose.yaml file from the bug report
3. issue "podman compose run --rm test"

Describe the results you received

✘ Volume podtest_test Error 0.0s
Error response from daemon: adding volume to state: adding volume podtest_test config to database: attempt to write a readonly database
Error: executing /home/del/.nix-profile/bin/docker-compose run --rm test: exit status 1

Describe the results you expected

I expect the test volume to be created and mounted in a running test service.

podman info output

host:
  arch: amd64
  buildahVersion: 1.41.5
  cgroupControllers:
  - cpu
  - io
  - memory
  - pids
  cgroupManager: systemd
  cgroupVersion: v2
  conmon:
    package: Unknown
    path: /nix/store/fp3m0k2piiikfax9233dg5648r277h5i-podman-helper-binary-wrapper/bin/conmon
    version: 'conmon version 2.1.13, commit: '
  cpuUtilization:
    idlePercent: 88.79
    systemPercent: 2.12
    userPercent: 9.09
  cpus: 16
  databaseBackend: sqlite
  distribution:
    codename: xantusia
    distribution: nixos
    version: "25.11"
  eventLogger: journald
  freeLocks: 2048
  hostname: hepao
  idMappings:
    gidmap:
    - container_id: 0
      host_id: 100
      size: 1
    - container_id: 1
      host_id: 100000
      size: 65536
    uidmap:
    - container_id: 0
      host_id: 1000
      size: 1
    - container_id: 1
      host_id: 100000
      size: 65536
  kernel: 6.12.50
  linkmode: dynamic
  logDriver: journald
  memFree: 11016368128
  memTotal: 33350582272
  networkBackend: netavark
  networkBackendInfo:
    backend: netavark
    dns:
      package: Unknown
      path: /nix/store/c7xq867fkn8bz3x2wpn8i8s9bq27pjv3-podman-5.6.2/libexec/podman/aardvark-dns
      version: aardvark-dns 1.16.0
    package: Unknown
    path: /nix/store/c7xq867fkn8bz3x2wpn8i8s9bq27pjv3-podman-5.6.2/libexec/podman/netavark
    version: netavark 1.16.1
  ociRuntime:
    name: crun
    package: Unknown
    path: /nix/store/fp3m0k2piiikfax9233dg5648r277h5i-podman-helper-binary-wrapper/bin/crun
    version: |-
      crun version 1.24
      commit: 1.24
      rundir: /run/user/1000/crun
      spec: 1.0.0
      +SYSTEMD +SELINUX +APPARMOR +CAP +SECCOMP +EBPF +CRIU +YAJL
  os: linux
  pasta:
    executable: /nix/store/c7xq867fkn8bz3x2wpn8i8s9bq27pjv3-podman-5.6.2/libexec/podman/pasta
    package: Unknown
    version: |
      pasta 2025_09_11.6cbcccc
      Copyright Red Hat
      GNU General Public License, version 2 or later
        <https://www.gnu.org/licenses/old-licenses/gpl-2.0.html>
      This is free software: you are free to change and redistribute it.
      There is NO WARRANTY, to the extent permitted by law.
  remoteSocket:
    exists: true
    path: /run/user/1000/podman/podman.sock
  rootlessNetworkCmd: pasta
  security:
    apparmorEnabled: false
    capabilities: CAP_CHOWN,CAP_DAC_OVERRIDE,CAP_FOWNER,CAP_FSETID,CAP_KILL,CAP_NET_BIND_SERVICE,CAP_SETFCAP,CAP_SETGID,CAP_SETPCAP,CAP_SETUID,CAP_SYS_CHROOT
    rootless: true
    seccompEnabled: true
    seccompProfilePath: ""
    selinuxEnabled: false
  serviceIsRemote: false
  slirp4netns:
    executable: ""
    package: ""
    version: ""
  swapFree: 49114230784
  swapTotal: 50054819840
  uptime: 30h 35m 8.00s (Approximately 1.25 days)
  variant: ""
plugins:
  authorization: null
  log:
  - k8s-file
  - none
  - passthrough
  - journald
  network:
  - bridge
  - macvlan
  - ipvlan
  volume:
  - local
registries:
  search:
  - docker.io
  - quay.io
store:
  configFile: /home/del/.config/containers/storage.conf
  containerStore:
    number: 0
    paused: 0
    running: 0
    stopped: 0
  graphDriverName: overlay
  graphOptions: {}
  graphRoot: /home/del/.local/share/containers/storage
  graphRootAllocated: 449495171072
  graphRootUsed: 138841501696
  graphStatus:
    Backing Filesystem: btrfs
    Native Overlay Diff: "true"
    Supports d_type: "true"
    Supports shifting: "false"
    Supports volatile: "true"
    Using metacopy: "false"
  imageCopyTmpDir: /var/tmp
  imageStore:
    number: 0
  runRoot: /run/user/1000/containers
  transientStore: false
  volumePath: /home/del/.local/share/containers/storage/volumes
version:
  APIVersion: 5.6.2
  Built: 315532800
  BuiltTime: Tue Jan  1 01:00:00 1980
  GitCommit: ""
  GoVersion: go1.25.0
  Os: linux
  OsArch: linux/amd64
  Version: 5.6.2

Podman in a container

No

Privileged Or Rootless

Rootless

Upstream Latest Release

Yes

Additional environment details

❯ podman compose version
Docker Compose version 2.39.4

Additional information

❯ journalctl --user -u podman.service
Oct 15 15:56:22 hepao podman[73296]: @ - - [15/Oct/2025:15:56:22 +0200] "HEAD /_ping HTTP/1.1" 200 0 "" "Docker-Client/unknown-version (linux)"
Oct 15 15:56:22 hepao podman[73296]: @ - - [15/Oct/2025:15:56:22 +0200] "GET /v1.41/info HTTP/1.1" 200 3137 "" "compose/2.39.4"
Oct 15 15:56:22 hepao podman[73296]: @ - - [15/Oct/2025:15:56:22 +0200] "GET /v1.41/networks/podtest_default HTTP/1.1" 200 694 "" "compose/2.39.4"
Oct 15 15:56:22 hepao podman[73296]: time="2025-10-15T15:56:22+02:00" level=info msg="Request Failed(Not Found): no such volume"
Oct 15 15:56:22 hepao podman[73296]: @ - - [15/Oct/2025:15:56:22 +0200] "GET /v1.41/volumes/podtest_test HTTP/1.1" 404 69 "" "compose/2.39.4"
Oct 15 15:56:22 hepao podman[73296]: time="2025-10-15T15:56:22+02:00" level=info msg="Request Failed(Internal Server Error): adding volume to state: adding volume podtest_test config to database: attempt to write a readonly database"
Oct 15 15:56:22 hepao podman[73296]: @ - - [15/Oct/2025:15:56:22 +0200] "POST /v1.41/volumes/create HTTP/1.1" 500 184 "" "compose/2.39.4"

[mheon]

Do normal Podman commands (IE podman volume create) work?

[github-actions]

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• provide an exact reproducer where possible
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[gautaz]

Do normal Podman commands (IE podman volume create) work?

Yes, the issue is only happening when using docker/compose.
Also, using podman/compose works, by the way.

It would also be easier for the user to diagnose the issue if the error message was a bit more specific about which database is currently not writable.

[mheon]

If you use podman --remote volume create do you see the problem? I'm wondering if this is API only.

[gautaz]

Thanks @mheon for your insight, it seems like that during the podman update something went wrong with the podman service started by systemctl in user mode.
After restarting the service, everything is running smoothly again.

Is it possible that somehow the podman daemon was still running with the previous podman version while I was using the new one?
That would perhaps explain the odd database error returned by the API with a 500 status.

I am closing this issue as it seems more related to the way the distro (NixOS) updated the podman version rather than a problem with podman itself.