Codex App cannot execute Docker container tests despite Docker being available on the host
What version of the Codex App are you using (From “About Codex” dialog)?
Powered by Codex & OWL Version 26.803.41515
What subscription do you have?
Pro
What platform is your computer?
Darwin 27.0.0 arm64 arm
What issue are you seeing?
Codex App is unable to complete Docker-based test execution even though Docker is running and available on the host Mac.
The failure occurs when Codex tries to run or validate tests that depend on Docker containers. Codex can inspect the project and reason about the required test, but the Docker execution step does not complete successfully.
The behavior is repeatable in the same environment. We are still collecting the exact command output, Codex App version, Docker version, and host platform details so we can add a precise reproduction sequence and error text.
What steps can reproduce the bug?
- Open the Codex App on macOS with a local project that uses Docker-based tests.
- Start Docker Desktop and verify that Docker is running normally on the host.
- Open the project in Codex App.
- Ask Codex to run the project’s Docker-based test/validation workflow.
- Codex inspects the project and identifies the required Docker test operation.
- When Codex attempts to execute the Docker-dependent test, the operation does not complete successfully.
- Repeat the same request in the same environment; the Docker execution failure is reproducible.
What is the expected behavior?
Codex App should be able to execute the Docker-based test workflow when Docker is running and accessible on the host Mac.
If the required Docker command is valid and the containers are available, Codex should run the test, capture the result, and report whether it passed or failed.
If Codex cannot access Docker because of sandboxing, permissions, or another environment restriction, it should clearly explain the limitation and the exact reason instead of failing to complete the Docker step.
Additional information
Docker Desktop is running normally on the same Mac, and the affected workflow is a legitimate local development/test workflow using project-owned containers.
The issue appears specific to Codex App’s ability to execute or complete the Docker-dependent step, rather than Docker being unavailable generally.
We searched the existing Codex GitHub issues using terms including docker container, docker exec, and docker compose and did not find a clear duplicate matching this behavior.
We can provide additional diagnostics, including the exact failing command/output, Codex App version, Docker version, docker compose version, and uname -mprs output, after reproducing the issue again on the affected Mac.
No customer production environment is required to reproduce the problem.
2 Comments
Docker environment:
Update after further reproduction
I’ve gathered additional evidence that changes the initial diagnosis.
Docker Desktop itself is working correctly and Codex App can successfully use Docker in this environment.
Since opening this issue, Codex has successfully:
So this does not currently appear to be a general inability for Codex App to access Docker.
The reproducible problem is closer to task/session instability during longer-running Docker/database review workflows.
Observed behavior has included:
After updating Docker Desktop and restarting with smaller scoped tasks, Codex again successfully executed Docker-based PostgreSQL validation and performance testing.
Current Docker environment:
This suggests the useful reproduction target may be long-running Codex task reliability / context-compaction recovery, rather than Docker access itself.
I’m happy to provide additional logs if there is a preferred diagnostic path.