Unable to attach init scripts to an interactive cluster

Ensure the cluster creator exists in the workspace and has the necessary group memberships.

Written by jose.rojas

Last published at: March 19th, 2025

Problem

When attempting to attach an init script to an interactive cluster, you encounter the following error. 

Init script failure: PERMISSION_DENIED: User or group ID: <group-id> does not exist in the workspace

 

Cause

The cluster creator’s <user-email> and <group-id> are no longer part of any Databricks group, or have been removed from the workspace.

 

Solution

Verify whether the cluster creator’s <user-email> and <group-id> exist in the workspace and group. Review the List users API documentation for details on retrieving user and group details. 

If the user is missing: 

  1. Re-add them to the appropriate groups and workspace.
  2. Ensure the user has the necessary permissions to manage and attach init scripts to the cluster.

 

If the user is no longer available, reassign cluster ownership to an active user with the required permissions. For more information, review the Change cluster owner API documentation.