Introduction
This article documents a solution to the error malformed namespace in response: missing distinct_entities displayed when executing vault operator usage with a Vault client binary version prior to 1.18.x against a Vault server version 1.18.x.
Problem
Executing vault operator usage results in the following error:
malformed namespace in response: missing distinct_entities
Prerequisites (if applicable)
- Vault CE or Enterprise 1.18.x and later
- Vault CE or Enterprise client binary version prior to 1.18.x (e.g., 1.17.5)
Cause
This error occurs due to a mismatch between the Vault server version (1.18.x) and the Vault client binary version (prior to 1.18.x). The vault operator usage command in Vault 1.18.x expects a specific response format from the server, which is not provided by older client versions.
This is related to the following change introduced in Vault 1.18.x:
Vault 1.18.x Changelog:
- activity (enterprise): remove deprecated fields distinct_entities and non_entity_tokens
Older Vault clients still expect these deprecated fields, leading to the error.
Overview of possible solutions
Solutions:
- Upgrade the Vault client binary to version 1.18.x or later to ensure compatibility with the Vault server.
Outcome
After upgrading the Vault client binary, the vault operator usage command should execute successfully without displaying the malformed namespace in response: missing distinct_entities error.
Additional Information
- Vault Documentation: Operator Usage
- Vault Release Notes: Vault 1.18.x Release Notes