What causes INIT_SCRIPT_FAILURE?

The init script installs a library version that is incompatible with the Databricks Runtime version on the cluster. The init script references a file path or cloud storage location that no longer exists or the cluster instance role cannot access. A network-dependent step in the init script (e.g., pip install from a private registry) fails due to a VPC or firewall configuration change

How do I fix INIT_SCRIPT_FAILURE?

Step 1: Locate the init script log in the cluster's event log (Compute > Cluster > Event Log) or in the DBFS path /databricks/init_scripts/ /.. Step 2: Identify the failing command in the script output — look for the first non-zero exit code in the log.. Step 3: Test the script in isolation on a temporary cluster with the Databricks Runtime version matching the failing cluster.. Step 4: Pin library versions in the init script and add set -e to fail fast with a clear error on the first failing command.

Critical severityconfiguration

Power BI Refresh Error:
INIT_SCRIPT_FAILURE

What does this error mean?

A Databricks cluster failed to start because one or more cluster-scoped or global init scripts exited with a non-zero return code, causing the cluster initialization sequence to abort.

Common causes

1The init script installs a library version that is incompatible with the Databricks Runtime version on the cluster
2The init script references a file path or cloud storage location that no longer exists or the cluster instance role cannot access
3A network-dependent step in the init script (e.g., pip install from a private registry) fails due to a VPC or firewall configuration change

How to fix it

1Step 1: Locate the init script log in the cluster's event log (Compute > Cluster > Event Log) or in the DBFS path /databricks/init_scripts/<cluster-name>/.
2Step 2: Identify the failing command in the script output — look for the first non-zero exit code in the log.
3Step 3: Test the script in isolation on a temporary cluster with the Databricks Runtime version matching the failing cluster.
4Step 4: Pin library versions in the init script and add set -e to fail fast with a clear error on the first failing command.

Frequently asked questions

How is INIT_SCRIPT_FAILURE different from SPARK_STARTUP_FAILURE?

INIT_SCRIPT_FAILURE occurs during the user-defined init script phase, before Spark starts. SPARK_STARTUP_FAILURE occurs after init scripts complete, when the Spark driver or executor JVM fails to initialize.

Where are init script logs stored?

Init script logs are written to /databricks/init_scripts/ on the cluster node and are visible in the Databricks cluster event log under the 'Init scripts finished' event. They are also available in the configured log delivery path if cluster log delivery is enabled.