Failed to create pid file

[teraspora]

My system:

• Operating System: Ubuntu 24.04.3 LTS
• Kernel: Linux 6.14.0-37-generic
• Architecture: x86-64

I got mpd working nicely yesterday, but today after a reboot it throws an error:

15:31: MPD ⦺ mpd --verbose
config_file: loading file "/etc/mpd.conf"
2025-12-24T15:32:00 exception: Failed to create pid file "/run/mpd/mpd.pid": No such file or directory

Is this a known issue with a fix, or, how do I debug it?

[john-]

This is from the example mpd.conf file:

# This setting sets the location of the file which stores the process ID
# for use of mpd --kill and some init scripts. This setting is disabled by
# default and the pid file will not be stored.
#
# If you use systemd, do not configure a pid_file.
#
#pid_file			"$XDG_RUNTIME_DIR/mpd/mpd.pid"
#pid_file			"~/.mpd/pid"

I expect the systemd comment applies your environment.

[MaxKellermann]

That, and if you tell MPD to create a PID file in a certain directory, it's your responsibility to ensure that said directory exists.
Of course, PID files are a lousy solution to a problem of the past. Just don't use them.

[teraspora]

Great, thanks guys, that sorted it, removing the pid_file line from mpd.conf.