[Jobs::PollMailbox] Job exception: undefined method `update_columns' for nil:NilClass

Contribute Bug

AI-generated summary

A user TyIsI reports recurring job exceptions in Discourse’s email polling system, specifically: undefined method 'update_columns' for nil:NilClass. The error occurs during email processing via POP3 in Jobs::PollMailbox, traced to lib/email/receiver.rb:44. The environment includes hostname coyote-app, Discourse version ed446ca4876639f6bfc7b064c2e3deb85da9f4c1, and current hostname talk.hackspace.ca. When asked by zogstrip if they’re on the latest version, TyIsI confirms they’re running v1.6.0.beta1 +281. The issue appears to stem from a nil object attempting to call update_columns, likely due to a failed email record lookup or malformed message handling during POP3 polling. This is categorized as a bug affecting automated email ingestion.

1

Getting regular alerts for this error:

Job exception: undefined method `update_columns’ for nil:NilClass

Backtrace:

/var/www/discourse/lib/email/receiver.rb:44:in `rescue in process!'
/var/www/discourse/lib/email/receiver.rb:40:in `process!'
/var/www/discourse/app/jobs/scheduled/poll_mailbox.rb:27:in `process_popmail'
/var/www/discourse/app/jobs/scheduled/poll_mailbox.rb:117:in `block (2 levels) in poll_pop3'
/usr/local/lib/ruby/2.0.0/net/pop.rb:688:in `block in delete_all'
/usr/local/lib/ruby/2.0.0/net/pop.rb:687:in `each'
/usr/local/lib/ruby/2.0.0/net/pop.rb:687:in `delete_all'
/var/www/discourse/app/jobs/scheduled/poll_mailbox.rb:116:in `block in poll_pop3'
/usr/local/lib/ruby/2.0.0/net/pop.rb:531:in `start'
/var/www/discourse/app/jobs/scheduled/poll_mailbox.rb:115:in `poll_pop3'
/var/www/discourse/app/jobs/scheduled/poll_mailbox.rb:15:in `execute'
/var/www/discourse/app/jobs/base.rb:154:in `block (2 levels) in perform'

Relevant environment:

hostname	coyote-app
process_id	5258
application_version	ed446ca4876639f6bfc7b064c2e3deb85da9f4c1
current_db	default
current_hostname	talk.hackspace.ca
job	Jobs::PollMailbox
message	Unrecognized error type when processing incoming email
1 Like
2

Are you running latest version?

3

Yes. We are on v1.6.0.beta1 +281.