Public bug reported:
On every login, gnome-software.service ends in failed state ("Start request
repeated too quickly"), while a second gnome-software instance runs fine
outside systemd. Root cause: the package ships and triggers TWO starters for
the same single-instance bus name, which race each other.
The two starters:
1. Legacy XDG autostart: /etc/xdg/autostart/org.gnome.Software.desktop
(Exec=/usr/bin/gnome-software --gapplication-service) -> launched by
gnome-session-service as app-gnome-org.gnome.Software-<pid>.scope.
2. systemd user unit: /usr/lib/systemd/user/gnome-software.service (Type=dbus,
BusName=org.gnome.Software), pulled in via
/usr/lib/systemd/user/gnome-session-services.target
("Wants=gnome-software.service", comment "Checking for automatic updates,
etc"), plus D-Bus activation via
/usr/share/dbus-1/services/org.gnome.Software.service
(SystemdService=gnome-software.service).
dpkg -L gnome-software lists all three files, so this ships in 50.0-1. Upstream
switched to systemd-only startup in GNOME 49 (commit 08805775), so the .desktop
autostart looks like a stale leftover.
Steps to reproduce
------------------
1. Boot and log in to an ubuntu:GNOME Wayland session.
2. Run: systemctl --user status gnome-software.service
3. Observe failed state; check: journalctl --user -b 0 -u gnome-software.service
Expected
--------
Single gnome-software instance, started once via systemd, unit active, owning
org.gnome.Software.
Actual
------
- PID 8100 (from gnome-session autostart) wins the bus name: "Started
app-gnome-org.gnome.Software-8100.scope", owns :1.57 = org.gnome.Software +
org.freedesktop.PackageKit, works normally for days (flatpak pulls/updates
succeed through Sep 16).
- systemd-spawned copies (e.g. PIDs 8346/8486/8571, one second later) all die:
"gnome-software8346: Unable to acquire bus name 'org.gnome.Software'", "Main
process exited, code=exited, status=1/FAILURE", then "Scheduled restart job,
restart counter is at 1..3", "Start request repeated too quickly", "Failed with
result 'exit-code'".
- Unit has StartLimitIntervalSec=3m / StartLimitBurst=3, Restart=on-failure, so
the burst limiter trips within the same second on every boot.
Journal excerpt (boot 2026-09-10 23:23, still current state)
------------------------------------------------------------
Sep 10 23:23:27 dbus-daemon7269: Activating via systemd: service
name='org.freedesktop.portal.Desktop' ... requested by ':1.57' (pid=8100
comm="/usr/bin/gnome-software --gapplication-service")
Sep 10 23:23:28 systemd7224: Started app-gnome-org.gnome.Software-8100.scope -
Application launched by gnome-session-service.
Sep 10 23:23:28 systemd7224: Starting gnome-software.service - GNOME Software...
Sep 10 23:23:28 gnome-software8346: Unable to acquire bus name
'org.gnome.Software'
Sep 10 23:23:28 systemd7224: gnome-software.service: Main process exited,
code=exited, status=1/FAILURE
... (repeats for 8486, 8571, then "Start request repeated too quickly")
Suggested fix
-------------
Drop the legacy /etc/xdg/autostart/org.gnome.Software.desktop from the package
(as upstream did for GNOME >= 49) and rely on gnome-session-services.target +
D-Bus activation, or otherwise ensure only one starter is active per session.
Local workaround (applied, user-local, reversible)
---------------------------------------------------
~/.config/autostart/org.gnome.Software.desktop copy with "Hidden=true", plus
systemctl --user reset-failed gnome-software.service. Next login should start
exactly one instance via systemd.
Apport data
-----------
Collected with: apport-cli -f -p gnome-software --save (see attached .apport
file). No packages were installed/upgraded while diagnosing.
ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 26.04
Package: gnome-software 50.0-1
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 7.0.0-31.31-generic 7.0.14
Uname: Linux 7.0.0-31-generic x86_64
ApportVersion: 2.34.1-0ubuntu0.1
Architecture: amd64
CasperMD5CheckResult: pass
CurrentDesktop: ubuntu:GNOME
Date: Thu Sep 17 01:42:59 2026
InstallationDate: Installed on 2025-02-13 (580 days ago)
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 24.04.1 LTS "Noble Numbat" - Release amd64
(20240827.1)
InstalledPlugins:
gnome-software-plugin-flatpak 50.0-1
gnome-software-plugin-snap 50.0-1
ProcEnviron:
LANG=en_US.UTF-8
PATH=(custom, user)
SHELL=/bin/bash
TERM=xterm-256color
XDG_RUNTIME_DIR=<set>
SourcePackage: gnome-software
UpgradeStatus: Upgraded to resolute on 2026-06-19 (89 days ago)
** Affects: gnome-software (Ubuntu)
Importance: Undecided
Status: New
** Tags: amd64 apport-bug resolute wayland-session
--
You received this bug notification because you are a member of Ubuntu
Desktop Bugs, which is subscribed to gnome-software in Ubuntu.
https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/2167534
Title:
Flatpak updates via GNOME Software daily; its failed unit is a
harmless Ubuntu dual-autostart race I worked around locally and staged
as a Launchpad report for you to submit.
To manage notifications about this bug go to:
https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/gnome-software/+bug/2167534/+subscriptions
--
desktop-bugs mailing list
[email protected]
https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/desktop-bugs
