CircleCI "Build was canceled" - Superseded by a Newer Commit
When auto-cancel of redundant workflows is on, pushing a newer commit to the same branch cancels the in-progress workflow for the older commit. The cancellation is expected behavior, not a failure of your code.
What this error means
A running workflow shows canceled with a note that it was superseded by a newer commit on the same branch.
circleci
Build was canceled. A newer commit on branch feature-x superseded
this workflow (auto-cancel redundant workflows is enabled).Common causes
Newer push on the same branch
Auto-cancel stops the older in-progress workflow when a newer commit arrives.
Rapid successive pushes
Frequent pushes cancel earlier runs by design.
How to fix it
Re-run the latest commit if needed
The latest commit workflow runs; re-run it if you canceled intentionally.
- Confirm the newest commit workflow is the one running.
- Re-run the workflow for the latest commit if it was also canceled.
- Disable auto-cancel for protected branches if every commit must build.
Adjust auto-cancel scope
- Open project settings then Advanced.
- Disable auto-cancel for branches where every commit must build.
- Leave it enabled for fast-moving feature branches.
How to prevent it
- Expect older workflows to cancel when you push again quickly.
- Disable auto-cancel on branches that must build every commit.
- Watch only the head-commit workflow for status.
Frequently asked questions
What causes CircleCI "Build was canceled"?
There are 2 common causes: newer push on the same branch and rapid successive pushes. Auto-cancel stops the older in-progress workflow when a newer commit arrives.
How do I fix CircleCI "Build was canceled"?
There are 2 fixes depending on which cause you have: re-run the latest commit if needed and adjust auto-cancel scope. Work through them in order, since the first is the most common.
What does CircleCI "Build was canceled" actually mean?
A running workflow shows canceled with a note that it was superseded by a newer commit on the same branch.
How do I stop CircleCI "Build was canceled" happening again?
Expect older workflows to cancel when you push again quickly. The prevention section lists 3 changes that keep it from recurring.