Renovate "renovate.json is invalid" config error in CI

By Kaveh Alemi·Latchkey

Renovate parses and validates its config before it does anything. A JSON syntax error (trailing comma, unquoted key) or an unknown/misconfigured option raises a validation error and aborts the run. renovate-config-validator reproduces this locally.

What this error means

Renovate logs "Invalid JSON (parsing failed)" or a "Config validation" warning naming an option, and it opens a "Config error" issue or skips the repository.

ERROR: Invalid JSON (parsing failed)
  config: renovate.json
  error: Unexpected token } in JSON at position 214

Common causes

A JSON syntax error in renovate.json

A trailing comma, an unquoted key, or a missing bracket makes the file invalid JSON, so Renovate cannot load it.

An unknown or misused config option

A misspelled option or a value of the wrong type fails schema validation even when the JSON parses.

How to fix it

Validate the config locally

1. Run the bundled validator against your config file.
2. Fix each reported syntax or schema error.
3. Commit the corrected config and re-run Renovate.

npx --package renovate -c 'renovate-config-validator'

Add validation to CI

Run the validator on pull requests so a broken renovate.json never merges to the default branch.

- name: Validate Renovate config
  run: npx --yes --package renovate renovate-config-validator

How to prevent it

• Run renovate-config-validator before committing config changes.
• Prefer JSON5 (renovate.json5) if you need comments, and validate it.
• Gate config changes behind a validation check in CI.

Frequently asked questions

Related guides

References

• GitHub Actions documentation