ENABLE_IMAGE_GENERATION: true hardcoded default in base compose — image button errors when ComfyUI not running

[yasinBursali]

Bug Report: ENABLE_IMAGE_GENERATION: true hardcoded default in base compose — image button visible in Open WebUI even without ComfyUI running

Severity: Low
Category: UX / Docker Compose Default
Platform: macOS (all minimum installs); Linux CPU-mode installs
Confidence: Confirmed (static inspection)

Description

docker-compose.base.yml sets ENABLE_IMAGE_GENERATION: "${ENABLE_IMAGE_GENERATION:-true}" on the Open WebUI service. ComfyUI is NOT in the base stack — it's a GPU-backend-gated extension that only starts on NVIDIA/AMD with explicit --rag / --all installer flags or manual enable. On a minimum install (macOS, or Linux CPU), Open WebUI happily enables its image generation UI but any click results in a connection error to http://comfyui:8188.

Affected File(s)

• dream-server/docker-compose.base.yml — Open WebUI environment: block, line ~76 (ENABLE_IMAGE_GENERATION: "${ENABLE_IMAGE_GENERATION:-true}").

Root Cause

The default-true was written assuming ComfyUI is always available, which is not the case on the supported macOS platform (ComfyUI's manifest.yaml sets gpu_backends: [amd, nvidia] — Apple Silicon is excluded).

Evidence

# docker-compose.base.yml, open-webui.environment
ENABLE_IMAGE_GENERATION: "${ENABLE_IMAGE_GENERATION:-true}"

ComfyUI manifest:

# extensions/services/comfyui/manifest.yaml
gpu_backends:
  - amd
  - nvidia

Live macOS install:

$ docker ps --filter name=comfyui --format '{{.Names}}'
# (empty — ComfyUI not running)

$ docker exec dream-webui env | grep ENABLE_IMAGE
ENABLE_IMAGE_GENERATION=true

Platform Analysis

• macOS: affected (all minimum installs; ComfyUI not supported on Apple Silicon).
• Linux: affected on CPU-mode installs without --rag/--all; OK on full NVIDIA/AMD with ComfyUI enabled.
• Windows/WSL2: depends on user's GPU backend + enabled extensions; same pattern as Linux.

Reproduction

Install DreamServer on macOS with default flags. Open Open WebUI at http://localhost:3000. Use the image-generation button in the chat composer. Observe: connection error to comfyui:8188.

Impact

• First-run UX confusion: a visible feature button that always errors.
• No telemetry impact, no data loss.

Suggested Approach

Change the default in docker-compose.base.yml to false:

ENABLE_IMAGE_GENERATION: "${ENABLE_IMAGE_GENERATION:-false}"

The NVIDIA/AMD GPU overlay (docker-compose.nvidia.yml / docker-compose.amd.yml) or the ComfyUI extension's own compose.yaml can override this to true when ComfyUI is actually running. Could also use the dream enable comfyui flow to flip the variable.

Discovery

Found during 23APR audit. Pre-existing on upstream/main d5154c37 — not a regression from the 12-PR merge batch.

Labels: bug, ux, docker, compose, pre-existing

[yasinBursali]

Fixed by upstream PR Light-Heart-Labs#1009 (open).

Link: Light-Heart-Labs#1009

Closing as resolved by the merged work.