# Building my package works on my computer works on my computer but fails on GitLab - stumped by why OPAM is giving errors

**URL:** https://discuss.ocaml.org/t/building-my-package-works-on-my-computer-works-on-my-computer-but-fails-on-gitlab-stumped-by-why-opam-is-giving-errors/3873
**Category:** Learning
**Created:** [May 31, 2019, 1:30am UTC](https://discuss.ocaml.org/t/building-my-package-works-on-my-computer-works-on-my-computer-but-fails-on-gitlab-stumped-by-why-opam-is-giving-errors/3873 "2019-05-31T01:30:29Z")
**Posts on this page:** 1
**Page:** 1

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### Author: ![TheAspiringHacker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a9a28c/32.png) [@TheAspiringHacker](https://discuss.ocaml.org/u/TheAspiringHacker)
#### Post date: [May 31, 2019, 1:30am UTC](https://discuss.ocaml.org/t/building-my-package-works-on-my-computer-works-on-my-computer-but-fails-on-gitlab-stumped-by-why-opam-is-giving-errors/3873/1 "2019-05-31T01:30:29Z")

</div>

See the build log: [https://gitlab.com/emmeline/bexp/-/jobs/222647788](https://gitlab.com/emmeline/bexp/-/jobs/222647788)

The error is:

```auto
[ERROR] /builds/emmeline/bexp/.opam exists, but does not appear to be a valid opam root. Please remove it and use `opam init', or specify a different `--root' argument

```

Reading the source code, it looks like this error occurs when `.opam/config` does not exist:

- [https://github.com/ocaml/opam/blob/7a8c05ad74d7abf69a3f66857fa59bec530b5df5/src/state/opamGlobalState.ml#L29](https://github.com/ocaml/opam/blob/7a8c05ad74d7abf69a3f66857fa59bec530b5df5/src/state/opamGlobalState.ml#L29)
- [https://github.com/ocaml/opam/blob/7a8c05ad74d7abf69a3f66857fa59bec530b5df5/src/state/opamStateConfig.ml#L141](https://github.com/ocaml/opam/blob/7a8c05ad74d7abf69a3f66857fa59bec530b5df5/src/state/opamStateConfig.ml#L141)
- [https://github.com/ocaml/opam/blob/7a8c05ad74d7abf69a3f66857fa59bec530b5df5/src/format/opamPath.ml#L20](https://github.com/ocaml/opam/blob/7a8c05ad74d7abf69a3f66857fa59bec530b5df5/src/format/opamPath.ml#L20)

Indeed, when I rename `.opam/config` to something else on my own computer, I am able to cause the error message.

However, judging from the CI build output, `.opam/config` clearly exists. What gives?