Troubleshooting "Could not authenticate you from HashiCorp Cloud Platform because 'HCP-linked account doesn't match account linked to SSO Identity"

Introduction

This article helps address the specific error users may encounter when accessing HCP Terraform or Terraform Cloud with Single Sign-On (SSO):

Could not authenticate you from HashiCorp Cloud Platform because "HCP-linked account doesn't match account linked to SSO Identity".

After accepting a new organization invitation or attempting SSO login, users may see this error due to misalignment or outdated SSO identity linking with their HCP Terraform account.

Cause

This message is typically caused by:

• The SSO identity is linked to a different HCP user account than the one being used during login.
• Legacy/demo accounts previously linked to the same email address.
• Cached or conflicting SSO/GitHub identity associations in your browser.

Solutions  

• Solution 1: Remove/Change SSO Identity Link
  • Sign in to HCP Terraform with your linked account (the one currently associated with this SSO identity).
  • Go to Profile → Account Settings → SSO.
  • Find the relevant SSO identity, select the ellipses (...), and click “Unlink SSO identity”.
  • Sign out, then log in again with the account to which you want to link the SSO identity.
  • Accept the organizational invitation anew. For detailed instructions, see the official Linking a User Account for SSO.
• Solution 2: Clear Browser and Session Information
  • Use an incognito/private browsing window.
  • Re-authenticate directly from https://app.terraform.io (not through bookmarks or auto-login redirections).
• Solution 3: Administrator or Support Assistance
  • If you cannot unlink SSO identities, contact your organization’s Terraform Cloud administrator to resend the invitation.
  • For unresolved issues, raise a support ticket and attach error screenshots and steps attempted.
  • Ask your administrator to resend the organization invitation if necessary.
     

Outcome

After clearing conflicting SSO associations and carefully re-accepting your organization invitation, you should gain access to the intended organization. Success is confirmed when the organization appears in your HCP Terraform dashboard and the error no longer appears.

Additional Information 

• Official SSO linking and troubleshooting documentation
• HCP SSO troubleshooting guide
• Configure and manage SSO in HCP Terraform