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Bug: (SAM CLI) Unexpected error running 'sam validate' #8092
Description
Description:
Since I upgraded sam cli to version 1.140, I get the error below every time I try to run sam validate on my templates.
Steps to reproduce:
run sam validate --lint on a sam template
Observed result:
Error: Tried to append rules but got an error: cannot import name 'RESOURCE_SPECS' from 'cfnlint.helpers' (/usr/local/aws-sam-cli/1.140.0/dist/_internal/cfnlint/helpers.pyc)
Traceback:
File "click/core.py", line 1082, in main
File "click/core.py", line 1697, in invoke
File "click/core.py", line 1443, in invoke
File "click/core.py", line 788, in invoke
File "samcli/cli/cli_config_file.py", line 347, in wrapper
File "click/decorators.py", line 92, in new_func
File "click/core.py", line 788, in invoke
File "samcli/lib/telemetry/metric.py", line 185, in wrapped
File "samcli/lib/telemetry/metric.py", line 150, in wrapped
File "samcli/lib/utils/version_checker.py", line 43, in wrapped
File "samcli/cli/main.py", line 95, in wrapper
File "samcli/commands/_utils/cdk_support_decorators.py", line 40, in wrapped
File "samcli/commands/_utils/command_exception_handler.py", line 89, in wrapper_command_exception_handler
File "samcli/commands/_utils/command_exception_handler.py", line 69, in wrapper_command_exception_handler
File "samcli/commands/validate/validate.py", line 70, in cli
File "samcli/commands/validate/validate.py", line 87, in do_cli
File "samcli/commands/validate/validate.py", line 176, in _lint
File "cfnlint/api.py", line 62, in lint
runner = Runner(config_mixin)
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
File "cfnlint/runner.py", line 233, in init
self._get_rules()
File "cfnlint/runner.py", line 262, in _get_rules
raise UnexpectedRuleException(An unexpected error was encountered while executing "sam validate".
Additional environment details (Ex: Windows, Mac, Amazon Linux etc)
{
"version": "1.140.0",
"system": {
"python": "3.11.10",
"os": "Linux-6.6.87.1-microsoft-standard-WSL2-x86_64-with-glibc2.35"
},
"additional_dependencies": {
"docker_engine": "Not available",
"aws_cdk": "Not available",
"terraform": "1.12.2"
},
"available_beta_feature_env_vars": [
"SAM_CLI_BETA_FEATURES",
"SAM_CLI_BETA_BUILD_PERFORMANCE",
"SAM_CLI_BETA_TERRAFORM_SUPPORT",
"SAM_CLI_BETA_PACKAGE_PERFORMANCE",
"SAM_CLI_BETA_RUST_CARGO_LAMBDA"
]
}
Activity
smathez commentedon Jun 13, 2025
After downgrade to 1.138 it works
vicheey commentedon Jun 16, 2025
Thank you for reporting. I'll try to create the issue.
valerena commentedon Jul 3, 2025
Hi. Do you still have this problem? Can you upgrade your version of SAM CLI to 1.142.1 and check if the problem persist?
If it still does, can you please tell us more about your environment? Also, how did you install SAM CLI?
We don't see this problem on our side, so we need a little more information to try see where the problem might be
LaymanTool commentedon Aug 6, 2025
I am on 1.142.1 and problem still persist. I thought that my template was invalid but looks like the command is failing
cannot import name 'RESOURCE_SPECS' from 'cfnlint.helpers' (/usr/local/aws-sam-cli/1.142.1/dist/_internal/cfnlint/helpers.py)
Same lines as reported.
18:18:39 Error: Tried to append rules but got an error: cannot import name 'RESOURCE_SPECS' from 'cfnlint.helpers' (/usr/local/aws-sam-cli/1.142.1/dist/_internal/cfnlint/helpers.py)
18:18:39 Traceback:
18:18:39 File "click/core.py", line 1082, in main
18:18:39 File "click/core.py", line 1697, in invoke
18:18:39 File "click/core.py", line 1443, in invoke
18:18:39 File "click/core.py", line 788, in invoke
18:18:39 File "samcli/cli/cli_config_file.py", line 347, in wrapper
18:18:39 File "click/decorators.py", line 92, in new_func
18:18:39 File "click/core.py", line 788, in invoke
18:18:39 File "samcli/lib/telemetry/metric.py", line 185, in wrapped
18:18:39 File "samcli/lib/telemetry/metric.py", line 150, in wrapped
18:18:39 File "samcli/lib/utils/version_checker.py", line 43, in wrapped
18:18:39 File "samcli/cli/main.py", line 95, in wrapper
18:18:39 File "samcli/commands/_utils/cdk_support_decorators.py", line 40, in wrapped
18:18:39 File "samcli/commands/_utils/command_exception_handler.py", line 89, in wrapper_command_exception_handler
18:18:39 File "samcli/commands/_utils/command_exception_handler.py", line 69, in wrapper_command_exception_handler
18:18:39 File "samcli/commands/validate/validate.py", line 70, in cli
18:18:39 File "samcli/commands/validate/validate.py", line 87, in do_cli
18:18:39 File "samcli/commands/validate/validate.py", line 176, in _lint
18:18:39 File "cfnlint/api.py", line 63, in lint
18:18:39 runner = Runner(config_mixin)
18:18:39 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
18:18:39 File "cfnlint/runner.py", line 233, in init
18:18:39 self._get_rules()
18:18:39 File "cfnlint/runner.py", line 262, in _get_rules
18:18:39 raise UnexpectedRuleException(
18:18:39
18:18:39 An unexpected error was encountered while executing "sam validate".
18:18:39 Search for an existing issue:
18:18:39 https://github.com/aws/aws-sam-cli/issues?q=is%3Aissue+is%3Aopen+Bug%3A%20sam%20validate%20-%20UnexpectedRuleException
18:18:39 Or create a bug report:
18:18:39 https://github.com/aws/aws-sam-cli/issues/new?template=Bug_report.md&title=Bug%3A%20sam%20validate%20-%20UnexpectedRuleException
It runs successfully on my earlier version which was 1.98.0
I might try to download the code and give it a try.
larsborasmussen commentedon Aug 13, 2025
I think this might be due the a contaminated installation environment.
i had the same error with 1.142.1 and then i downgraded to 1.138.0 and it was the same error.
I then removed the two versions from /usr/local/aws-sam-cli/v* and removed the sam-installation directory before installing and that fixed it. now both 1.138.0 and 1.142.1 works for me.
TLDR: Make sure you don't keep unzipping new versions into the same sam-installation directory when doing upgrades.
github-actions commentedon Mar 23, 2026
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