GitLab Runner with Podman

How to Use GitLab Self-managed
1

Problem to solve

I have a GitLab RUnner running in a rootless, debian13 podman environment. Today I’ve got the following error:

Runtime platform                                    arch=amd64 os=linux pid=2 revision=139a0ac0 version=18.4.0
Starting multi-runner from /.gitlab-runner/config.toml...  builds=0 max_builds=0
WARNING: Running in user-mode.                     
WARNING: Use sudo for system-mode:                 
WARNING: $ sudo gitlab-runner...                   
                                                   
FATAL: Service run failed                           error=chdir /home/gitlab-runner: permission denied

The GitLab Runner is not picking up new jobs.

Steps to reproduce

Which troubleshooting steps have you already taken? Can you link to any docs or other resources so we know where you have been?

Configuration

Podman Socket

● podman.socket - Podman API Socket
     Loaded: loaded (/usr/lib/systemd/user/podman.socket; enabled; preset: enabled)
     Active: active (running) since Tue 2025-09-30 11:39:00 UTC; 8h ago
   Triggers: ● podman.service
       Docs: man:podman-system-service(1)
     Listen: /run/user/1001/podman/podman.sock (Stream)
     CGroup: /user.slice/user-1001.slice/user@1001.service/app.slice/podman.socket

Sep 30 11:39:00 f4df2a8e-9045-472a-a375-9bd8eb003b8a systemd[632]: Listening on podman.socket - Podman API Socket.

SUBGID / SUBUID

containers@host:~/infra/gitlab-runner$ grep containers /etc/subuid /etc/subgid
/etc/subuid:containers:100000:65536
/etc/subgid:containers:100000:65536

Podman Compose

services:
  nh-runner-01:
    image: docker.io/gitlab/gitlab-runner:v18.4.0
    container_name: runner-01
    volumes:
      - ./config:/etc/gitlab-runner
      - /run/user/1001/podman/podman.sock:/var/run/podman.sock
    environment:
      - DOCKER_TLS_CERTDIR=
      - DOCKER_HOST=unix:///var/run/podman.sock
      - CI_SERVER_TRACE=false
    networks:
      - gitlab-network
      - monitoring
    restart: unless-stopped
    logging:
      driver: json-file
      options:
        max-size: "10m"
        max-file: "3"

networks:
  gitlab-network:
    name: gitlab-network
    external: true
  monitoring:
    external: true

Please I’ll need help. Our company CI / CD is not working anymore. I’m in a really bad position

This here is also related: error: could not lock config file //.gitconfig: Permission denied if containers are executed as a different user than root (#37408) · Issues · GitLab.org / gitlab-runner · GitLab

Versions

Please add an x whether options apply, and add the version information.

  • Self-managed
  • GitLab.com SaaS
  • Dedicated

Versions

  • GitLab (Web: /help or self-managed system information sudo gitlab-rake gitlab:env:info):

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Thanks for taking the time to be thorough in your request, it really helps! :blush:

2

@iwalker please have an eye on it. I’m in trouble :frowning:

3

Was it running well before? Did you update the image to trigger this?

Gitlab runner is pretty stateless so I’d just revert the image if needed.