standard_init_linux.go: exec user process caused: no such file or directory — how to fix

standard_init_linux.go:228: exec user process caused: no such file or directory
exec /usr/local/bin/docker-entrypoint.sh: no such file or directory

Quick fix: Convert the script to LF line endings (sed -i 's/\r$//' entrypoint.sh or dos2unix), make sure the shebang's interpreter exists in the image (#!/bin/sh on Alpine), and don't copy glibc-linked binaries into Alpine — build with CGO_ENABLED=0 or use a Debian-based image.

What it means

The confusing part: the file named in ENTRYPOINT/CMD usually does exist. "No such file or directory" refers to what the kernel needs to run it:

for a script, the interpreter in the #! line;
for a dynamically linked binary, its loader (e.g. /lib64/ld-linux-x86-64.so.2).

Newer Docker versions print exec /path/to/file: no such file or directory for the same problem.

Cause 1: Windows line endings (CRLF)

If the script was saved on Windows, the shebang is really #!/bin/sh\r, and /bin/sh\r doesn't exist. Check:

file entrypoint.sh          # "... with CRLF line terminators"

Fix the file, then rebuild:

sed -i 's/\r$//' entrypoint.sh     # or: dos2unix entrypoint.sh

Or fix it inside the Dockerfile so it can't come back:

COPY entrypoint.sh /usr/local/bin/
RUN sed -i 's/\r$//' /usr/local/bin/entrypoint.sh && chmod +x /usr/local/bin/entrypoint.sh

To stop Git converting it on Windows checkouts, add to .gitattributes:

*.sh text eol=lf

Cause 2: the interpreter isn't in the image

Alpine and distroless images have no bash. A script starting with #!/bin/bash fails with this error.

# Option A: use sh
#!/bin/sh
# Option B: install bash on Alpine
RUN apk add --no-cache bash

Same for #!/usr/bin/env python3 in an image without Python.

Cause 3: glibc binary on Alpine (musl)

A binary compiled on Ubuntu/Debian and copied into alpine or scratch needs glibc's loader, which isn't there. Check on the host:

file ./myapp     # "dynamically linked, interpreter /lib64/ld-linux-x86-64.so.2"

Fixes:

# Go: build a static binary
CGO_ENABLED=0 GOOS=linux go build -o myapp .

Or build in the same base image you run in (multi-stage with golang:alpine → alpine), or run on debian:bookworm-slim / gcr.io/distroless/base instead.

Cause 4: the path really is wrong

Check what's actually in the image:

docker run --rm --entrypoint sh myimage -c 'ls -l /usr/local/bin/'

Watch out for a volume mount (-v .:/app) hiding files that the image put at the same path.

Cause 5: wrong CPU architecture

An amd64 image run on an ARM machine (or vice versa) without emulation usually gives exec format error, but some setups report this message. Check with docker image inspect myimage --format '{{.Architecture}}' and rebuild with docker buildx build --platform linux/arm64,linux/amd64.

Last updated 2026-10-31.