Error on retrieving podmnan info: error trying to connect after using Podman Desktop

[Eonfge]

Possibly related

• https://github.com/marhkb/pods/issues/732

Reproduction steps

• Install podman on the system
• Install Flatpaks for Pods and Podman Desktop
• Establish connection with Pods (run the systemctl script)
• Close pods
• Start Podman Desktop
• Close Podman Desktop
• Start pods

Now pods reports that it can't connect to the socket. It's worth pointing out that systemctl reports the socket as active:

eonfge@LT0490:~$ systemctl --user status podman.socket
● podman.socket - Podman API Socket
     Loaded: loaded (/usr/lib/systemd/user/podman.socket; enabled; preset: enabled)
     Active: active (listening) since Tue 2025-04-08 11:51:05 CEST; 1h 16min ago
   Triggers: ● podman.service
       Docs: man:podman-system-service(1)
     Listen: /run/user/1688007974/podman/podman.sock (Stream)
     CGroup: /user.slice/user-1688007974.slice/[email protected]/app.slice/podman.socket

running systemctl --user restart podman.socket resolves the issue

Environment

• Pods version: 2.2.0
• Linux Mint 22.1

[kematzy]

I can confirm this happens on Fedora 41 as well.

@Eonfge Thanks for raising this issue and mentioning how to resolve the issue.

[SaadiSave]

I can confirm that this is happening on Fedora Workstation 42 too, thanks for posting the fix @Eonfge

[PrenexNormalForm]

I can confirm this happens on Fedora Silverblue 42 (42.20250818.0)

[nitipit]

I install pods by flatpak and fix this by change app permission 'xdg-run/podman:rw' which is originally set as read-only 'xdg-run/podman:ro' After that, it can connect to podman.sock

[sbe-arg]

2 comments.

1- to get it to work on fedora 42 had to do the change by @nitipit changing ro to rw 2- after using podman desktop each time I have to run the systemctl restart socket command by @Eonfge in initial message

[SaadiSave]

@marhkb the fix appears to be a single change in the flatpak manifest, although it is somewhat major to change a read-only permission to read-write.

[softexpert]

When closing, Podman Desktop removes podman.sock (found at /run/user/<user id>/podman/podman.sock). At least on my system this is happening; podman process is still active, but the socket file is gone. I think Podman Desktop assumes it must have 100% control on how Podman runs and ruins the context for other applications. Starting from there, it is hardly the fault of Pods for not being able to connect after Podman Desktop has been run - the socket file is gone.

Edit: Indeed it is a problem with Podman Desktop: issue 2903