fix: stop leaking per-job docker networks (#1124)

Leaked per-job networks each hold a subnet of the daemon's address pool and nothing reclaimed them, so a host eventually fails every job with `all predefined address pools have been fully subnetted`. This is what CI hit in https://gitea.com/gitea/runner/actions/runs/742177.

- teardown no longer loses a container, and its network with it: a failed `ContainerRemove` was reported as success, a container whose id was never learned was skipped, and the daemon's own `AutoRemove` teardown was raced
- the idle cleanup reclaims what teardown cannot: networks carry `com.gitea.runner.uuid`, so a runner only touches its own, and a cutoff keeps a job starting during the pass out of scope
- pull failures reported mid-stream were discarded, surfacing later as a confusing `No such image`; they now propagate, and fall back to a local copy instead of failing the job
- `NetworkCreate` retries pool exhaustion briefly, then says which knobs to turn
- digest-pinned images are not re-pulled, and removal kills first so it never waits out Podman's stop timeout (measured 10.1s → 0.09s per container)

---------

Co-authored-by: bircni <bircni@icloud.com>
Reviewed-on: https://gitea.com/gitea/runner/pulls/1124
Reviewed-by: bircni <bircni@icloud.com>

README.md

@@ -283,11 +283,12 @@ Besides `GITEA_INSTANCE_URL` and `GITEA_RUNNER_REGISTRATION_TOKEN`, the image en
 
 For a fuller container-oriented walkthrough, see [examples/docker](examples/docker/README.md).
 
-When `container.bind_workdir` is enabled, stale task workspace directories can be cleaned while the runner is idle:
+While the runner is idle it cleans up after earlier jobs:
-- directories older than `runner.workdir_cleanup_age` are removed (default: `24h`; set `0` to disable)
+- when `container.bind_workdir` is enabled, stale task workspace directories older than `runner.workdir_cleanup_age` are removed (default: `24h`; set `0` to disable)
-- cleanup runs every `runner.idle_cleanup_interval` (default: `10m`; set `0` to disable)
 - only purely numeric subdirectories under `container.workdir_parent` are treated as task workspaces and may be removed
 - cleanup assumes `container.workdir_parent` is not shared across multiple runners
+- on runners that use docker, per-job networks left behind by jobs the runner did not live to tear down are removed, identified by the `com.gitea.runner.uuid` label carrying this runner's uuid
+- cleanup runs every `runner.idle_cleanup_interval` (default: `10m`; set `0` to disable), and setting either knob to `0` disables all of the above
 
 #### Post-task script (`runner.post_task_script`)
 

act/container/container_types.go

@@ -89,6 +89,7 @@ type NewDockerBuildExecutorInput struct {
 type NewDockerNetworkCreateExecutorInput struct {
 	EnableIPv4 *bool
 	EnableIPv6 *bool
+	RunnerUUID string
 }
 
 // NewDockerPullExecutorInput the input for the NewDockerPullExecutor function

act/container/docker_logger.go

@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ func logDockerResponse(logger logrus.FieldLogger, dockerResponse io.ReadCloser,
 
 		if msg.ErrorDetail.Message != "" {
 			writeLog(logger, isError, "%s", msg.ErrorDetail.Message)
-			return errors.New(msg.Error)
+			return errors.New(msg.ErrorDetail.Message)
 		}
 
 		if msg.Status != "" {

act/container/docker_network.go

@@ -8,12 +8,69 @@ package container
 
 import (
 	"context"
+	"errors"
+	"fmt"
+	"strings"
+	"time"
 
 	"gitea.com/gitea/runner/act/common"
 
 	"github.com/moby/moby/client"
 )
 
+const (
+	networkCreateAttempts   = 3
+	networkCreateRetryDelay = time.Second
+
+	// marks the networks a runner creates for its jobs, so it can tell its own leftovers from
+	// those of another runner sharing the daemon
+	runnerUUIDLabel = "com.gitea.runner.uuid"
+)
+
+// RemoveOrphanNetworks removes the networks this runner created for jobs whose teardown did
+// not get to them: the runner died with the job, the teardown timed out, or the network still
+// had an endpoint on it at the time. Each one holds a subnet of the daemon's address pool
+// until it is removed. Networks created after createdBefore are left alone, so a job starting
+// while this runs cannot lose the network it has created but not yet attached a container to.
+func RemoveOrphanNetworks(ctx context.Context, runnerUUID string, createdBefore time.Time) error {
+	cli, err := GetDockerClient(ctx)
+	if err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("failed to connect to the docker daemon: %w", err)
+	}
+	defer cli.Close()
+
+	return removeOrphanNetworks(ctx, cli, runnerUUID, createdBefore)
+}
+
+func removeOrphanNetworks(ctx context.Context, cli client.APIClient, runnerUUID string, createdBefore time.Time) error {
+	networks, err := cli.NetworkList(ctx, client.NetworkListOptions{
+		Filters: make(client.Filters).Add("label", runnerUUIDLabel+"="+runnerUUID),
+	})
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	var errs []error
+	for _, n := range networks.Items {
+		result, err := cli.NetworkInspect(ctx, n.ID, client.NetworkInspectOptions{})
+		if err != nil {
+			errs = append(errs, fmt.Errorf("failed to inspect network %s: %w", n.Name, err))
+			continue
+		}
+		// the emptiness check, not the label, is what keeps a live job of another process
+		// sharing this registration safe
+		if len(result.Network.Containers) != 0 || result.Network.Created.After(createdBefore) {
+			continue
+		}
+		if _, err := cli.NetworkRemove(ctx, n.ID, client.NetworkRemoveOptions{}); err != nil {
+			errs = append(errs, fmt.Errorf("failed to remove network %s: %w", n.Name, err))
+			continue
+		}
+		common.Logger(ctx).Infof("removed docker network %s left behind by an earlier job", n.Name)
+	}
+	return errors.Join(errs...)
+}
+
 func NewDockerNetworkCreateExecutor(name string, opts NewDockerNetworkCreateExecutorInput) common.Executor {
 	return func(ctx context.Context) error {
 		cli, err := GetDockerClient(ctx)
@@ -36,18 +93,45 @@ func NewDockerNetworkCreateExecutor(name string, opts NewDockerNetworkCreateExec
 			}
 		}
 
-		_, err = cli.NetworkCreate(ctx, name, client.NetworkCreateOptions{
+		for i := range networkCreateAttempts {
-			Driver:     "bridge",
+			if i > 0 {
-			Scope:      "local",
+				common.Logger(ctx).Infof("Waiting for a free docker address pool to create network %s", name)
-			EnableIPv4: opts.EnableIPv4,
+				select {
-			EnableIPv6: opts.EnableIPv6,
+				case <-ctx.Done():
-		})
+					return ctx.Err()
-		if err != nil {
+				case <-time.After(time.Duration(i) * networkCreateRetryDelay):
-			return err
+				}
+			}
+			if _, err = cli.NetworkCreate(ctx, name, client.NetworkCreateOptions{
+				Driver:     "bridge",
+				Scope:      "local",
+				EnableIPv4: opts.EnableIPv4,
+				EnableIPv6: opts.EnableIPv6,
+				Labels:     runnerLabels(opts.RunnerUUID),
+			}); err == nil {
+				return nil
+			}
+			if !isAddressPoolExhausted(err) {
+				return err
+			}
 		}
+		return fmt.Errorf("docker has no address pool left for this job's network, lower runner.capacity or widen default-address-pools in the docker daemon config: %w", err)
+	}
+}
 
+func runnerLabels(runnerUUID string) map[string]string {
+	if runnerUUID == "" {
 		return nil
 	}
+	return map[string]string{runnerUUIDLabel: runnerUUID}
+}
+
+// The daemon reports this as a plain invalid-parameter error, the same kind it uses for every
+// malformed request, so the message is the only discriminator.
+func isAddressPoolExhausted(err error) bool {
+	msg := err.Error()
+	return strings.Contains(msg, "all predefined address pools have been fully subnetted") ||
+		strings.Contains(msg, "could not find an available, non-overlapping IPv4 address pool among the defaults") // docker 24 and older
 }
 
 func NewDockerNetworkRemoveExecutor(name string) common.Executor {
@@ -66,6 +150,7 @@ func NewDockerNetworkRemoveExecutor(name string) common.Executor {
 		}
 		// For Gitea, reduce log noise
 		// common.Logger(ctx).Debugf("%v", networks)
+		var errs []error
 		for _, n := range networks.Items {
 			if n.Name == name {
 				result, err := cli.NetworkInspect(ctx, n.ID, client.NetworkInspectOptions{})
@@ -73,16 +158,17 @@ func NewDockerNetworkRemoveExecutor(name string) common.Executor {
 					return err
 				}
 
-				if len(result.Network.Containers) == 0 {
+				// it holds a subnet out of the daemon's pool until something reclaims it
-					if _, err = cli.NetworkRemove(ctx, n.ID, client.NetworkRemoveOptions{}); err != nil {
+				if len(result.Network.Containers) != 0 {
-						common.Logger(ctx).Debugf("%v", err)
+					common.Logger(ctx).Warnf("Refusing to remove network %s because it still has active endpoints, the idle cleanup reclaims it once they are gone", name)
-					}
+					continue
-				} else {
+				}
-					common.Logger(ctx).Debugf("Refusing to remove network %v because it still has active endpoints", name)
+				if _, err = cli.NetworkRemove(ctx, n.ID, client.NetworkRemoveOptions{}); err != nil {
+					errs = append(errs, fmt.Errorf("failed to remove network %s: %w", name, err))
 				}
 			}
 		}
 
-		return err
+		return errors.Join(errs...)
 	}
 }

act/container/docker_network_test.go

@@ -0,0 +1,50 @@
+// Copyright 2026 The Gitea Authors. All rights reserved.
+// SPDX-License-Identifier: MIT
+
+package container
+
+import (
+	"context"
+	"errors"
+	"testing"
+	"time"
+
+	cerrdefs "github.com/containerd/errdefs"
+	"github.com/moby/moby/api/types/network"
+	mobyclient "github.com/moby/moby/client"
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
+)
+
+func TestIsAddressPoolExhausted(t *testing.T) {
+	assert.True(t, isAddressPoolExhausted(cerrdefs.ErrInvalidArgument.WithMessage("Error response from daemon: all predefined address pools have been fully subnetted")))
+	assert.True(t, isAddressPoolExhausted(errors.New("could not find an available, non-overlapping IPv4 address pool among the defaults to assign to the network")))
+	assert.False(t, isAddressPoolExhausted(cerrdefs.ErrInvalidArgument.WithMessage("invalid subnet 10.0.0.0/8: it overlaps with an existing network")))
+}
+
+// Of this runner's networks, only the ones nothing is attached to and old enough to predate
+// any job now starting are the runner's to reclaim. An unexpected NetworkRemove fails the
+// test on its own, since testify has no expectation to match it against.
+func TestRemoveOrphanNetworks(t *testing.T) {
+	ctx := context.Background()
+	cutoff := time.Date(2026, time.April, 29, 20, 0, 0, 0, time.UTC)
+	client := &mockDockerClient{}
+	client.On("NetworkList", ctx, mobyclient.NetworkListOptions{
+		Filters: make(mobyclient.Filters).Add("label", runnerUUIDLabel+"=runner-1"),
+	}).Return(mobyclient.NetworkListResult{Items: []network.Summary{
+		{Network: network.Network{ID: "orphan"}},
+		{Network: network.Network{ID: "busy"}},
+		{Network: network.Network{ID: "starting"}},
+	}}, nil)
+	client.On("NetworkInspect", ctx, "orphan", mobyclient.NetworkInspectOptions{}).
+		Return(mobyclient.NetworkInspectResult{}, nil)
+	client.On("NetworkInspect", ctx, "busy", mobyclient.NetworkInspectOptions{}).
+		Return(mobyclient.NetworkInspectResult{Network: network.Inspect{Containers: map[string]network.EndpointResource{"c": {}}}}, nil)
+	client.On("NetworkInspect", ctx, "starting", mobyclient.NetworkInspectOptions{}).
+		Return(mobyclient.NetworkInspectResult{Network: network.Inspect{Network: network.Network{Created: cutoff.Add(time.Second)}}}, nil)
+	client.On("NetworkRemove", ctx, "orphan", mobyclient.NetworkRemoveOptions{}).
+		Return(mobyclient.NetworkRemoveResult{}, nil)
+
+	require.NoError(t, removeOrphanNetworks(ctx, client, "runner-1", cutoff))
+	client.AssertExpectations(t)
+}

act/container/docker_pull.go

@@ -30,23 +30,19 @@ func NewDockerPullExecutor(input NewDockerPullExecutorInput) common.Executor {
 			return nil
 		}
 
-		pull := input.ForcePull
+		// skip the pull when the image is already here: either none was forced, or a digest
-		if !pull {
+		// pins the content so a forced pull could only fetch the same bytes again
+		if !input.ForcePull || isPinnedImage(input.Image) {
 			imageExists, err := ImageExistsLocally(ctx, input.Image, input.Platform)
 			logger.Debugf("Image exists? %v", imageExists)
 			if err != nil {
 				return fmt.Errorf("unable to determine if image already exists for image '%s' (%s): %w", input.Image, input.Platform, err)
 			}
-
+			if imageExists {
-			if !imageExists {
+				return nil
-				pull = true
 			}
 		}
 
-		if !pull {
-			return nil
-		}
-
 		imageRef := cleanImage(ctx, input.Image)
 		logger.Debugf("pulling image '%v' (%s)", imageRef, input.Platform)
 
@@ -61,22 +57,32 @@ func NewDockerPullExecutor(input NewDockerPullExecutorInput) common.Executor {
 			return err
 		}
 
-		reader, err := cli.ImagePull(ctx, imageRef, imagePullOptions)
+		// the daemon reports a failure that happens after the first progress line in the
-
+		// stream rather than on the call itself, so both have to be checked
-		_ = logDockerResponse(logger, reader, err != nil)
+		pullOnce := func(opts client.ImagePullOptions) error {
-		if err != nil {
+			reader, err := cli.ImagePull(ctx, imageRef, opts)
-			if imagePullOptions.RegistryAuth != "" && strings.Contains(err.Error(), "unauthorized") {
+			streamErr := logDockerResponse(logger, reader, err != nil)
-				logger.Errorf("pulling image '%v' (%s) failed with credentials %s retrying without them, please check for stale docker config files", imageRef, input.Platform, err.Error())
-				imagePullOptions.RegistryAuth = ""
-				reader, err = cli.ImagePull(ctx, imageRef, imagePullOptions)
-
-				_ = logDockerResponse(logger, reader, err != nil)
-			}
 			if err != nil {
-				return fmt.Errorf("failed to pull image '%s' (%s): %w", imageRef, input.Platform, err)
+				return err
 			}
+			return streamErr
 		}
-		return nil
+
+		err = pullOnce(imagePullOptions)
+		if err != nil && imagePullOptions.RegistryAuth != "" && strings.Contains(err.Error(), "unauthorized") {
+			logger.Errorf("pulling image '%v' (%s) failed with credentials %s retrying without them, please check for stale docker config files", imageRef, input.Platform, err.Error())
+			imagePullOptions.RegistryAuth = ""
+			err = pullOnce(imagePullOptions)
+		}
+		if err == nil {
+			return nil
+		}
+		// a registry that is down should not fail a job whose image is already here
+		if exists, existsErr := ImageExistsLocally(ctx, input.Image, input.Platform); existsErr == nil && exists {
+			logger.Warnf("could not update image '%s' (%s), continuing with the local copy: %v", imageRef, input.Platform, err)
+			return nil
+		}
+		return fmt.Errorf("failed to pull image '%s' (%s): %w", imageRef, input.Platform, err)
 	}
 }
 
@@ -122,6 +128,15 @@ func getImagePullOptions(ctx context.Context, input NewDockerPullExecutorInput)
 	return imagePullOptions, nil
 }
 
+func isPinnedImage(image string) bool {
+	ref, err := reference.ParseAnyReference(image)
+	if err != nil {
+		return false
+	}
+	_, pinned := ref.(reference.Canonical)
+	return pinned
+}
+
 func cleanImage(ctx context.Context, imageName string) string {
 	ref, err := reference.ParseAnyReference(imageName)
 	if err != nil {

act/container/docker_pull_test.go

@@ -6,11 +6,15 @@ package container
 
 import (
 	"context"
+	"io"
+	"strings"
 	"testing"
 
 	"github.com/docker/cli/cli/config"
 	log "github.com/sirupsen/logrus"
+	"github.com/sirupsen/logrus/hooks/test"
 	assert "github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
 )
 
 func init() {
@@ -65,3 +69,21 @@ func TestGetImagePullOptions(t *testing.T) {
 	assert.NoError(t, err, "Failed to create ImagePullOptions") //nolint:testifylint // pre-existing issue from nektos/act
 	assert.Equal(t, "eyJ1c2VybmFtZSI6InVzZXJuYW1lIiwicGFzc3dvcmQiOiJwYXNzd29yZFxuIiwic2VydmVyYWRkcmVzcyI6Imh0dHBzOi8vaW5kZXguZG9ja2VyLmlvL3YxLyJ9", options.RegistryAuth, "RegistryAuth should be taken from local docker config")
 }
+
+// A digest-pinned image is immutable, so its local copy is always current.
+func TestIsPinnedImage(t *testing.T) {
+	assert.True(t, isPinnedImage("alpine@sha256:28bd5fe8b56d1bd048e5babf5b10710ebe0bae67db86916198a6eec434943f8b"))
+	assert.False(t, isPinnedImage("alpine:latest"))
+}
+
+// The pull path reports a failure the daemon sent mid-stream, so it must carry the reason
+// whichever of the two shapes the daemon used.
+func TestLogDockerResponseError(t *testing.T) {
+	logger, _ := test.NewNullLogger()
+	streamErr := func(line string) error {
+		return logDockerResponse(logger, io.NopCloser(strings.NewReader(line)), false)
+	}
+	require.EqualError(t, streamErr(`{"error":"toomanyrequests: rate limit exceeded"}`), "toomanyrequests: rate limit exceeded")
+	require.EqualError(t, streamErr(`{"errorDetail":{"message":"unexpected EOF"}}`), "unexpected EOF")
+	require.NoError(t, streamErr(`{"status":"Downloading"}`))
+}

act/container/docker_run.go

@@ -386,32 +386,71 @@ func (cr *containerReference) find() common.Executor {
 	}
 }
 
-// isContainerGone reports whether a failed remove still left the container gone (NotFound or Conflict).
-func isContainerGone(err error) bool {
-	return cerrdefs.IsNotFound(err) || cerrdefs.IsConflict(err)
-}
-
 func (cr *containerReference) remove() common.Executor {
 	return func(ctx context.Context) error {
-		if cr.id == "" {
+		idOrName := cr.id
+		if idOrName == "" && cr.input != nil {
+			idOrName = cr.input.Name
+		}
+		if idOrName == "" {
 			return nil
 		}
 
 		logger := common.Logger(ctx)
-		_, err := cr.cli.ContainerRemove(ctx, cr.id, client.ContainerRemoveOptions{
+		// Kill first so removal never waits out a daemon's stop timeout: Docker kills outright
+		// on a forced remove, Podman sends SIGTERM and waits. Only worth it for a container
+		// this started, and removal can still deal with one it could not kill.
+		if cr.id != "" {
+			_, err := cr.cli.ContainerKill(ctx, cr.id, client.ContainerKillOptions{Signal: "SIGKILL"})
+			if err != nil && !cerrdefs.IsConflict(err) && !cerrdefs.IsNotFound(err) {
+				logger.Debugf("Container %s could not be killed: %v", cr.id, err)
+			}
+		}
+		_, err := cr.cli.ContainerRemove(ctx, idOrName, client.ContainerRemoveOptions{
 			RemoveVolumes: true,
 			Force:         true,
 		})
-		if err != nil && !isContainerGone(err) {
+		switch {
-			logger.Error(fmt.Errorf("failed to remove container: %w", err))
+		case cerrdefs.IsConflict(err):
+			// the daemon's own AutoRemove teardown is running, and it releases the volume
+			// references and the network endpoint only once it finishes
+			cr.waitForRemoval(ctx, idOrName)
+		case err != nil && !cerrdefs.IsNotFound(err):
+			logger.Error(fmt.Errorf("failed to remove container %s: %w", idOrName, err))
+			return nil // keep the id, the container is still there for a later Remove()
 		}
 
-		logger.Debugf("Removed container: %v", cr.id)
+		logger.Debugf("Removed container: %v", idOrName)
 		cr.id = ""
 		return nil
 	}
 }
 
+func (cr *containerReference) waitForRemoval(ctx context.Context, idOrName string) {
+	// per container, against the one minute the post-job executor allows for the whole
+	// cleanup, so a job with several services can spend most of that budget here
+	ctx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(ctx, 15*time.Second)
+	defer cancel()
+
+	waitResult := cr.cli.ContainerWait(ctx, idOrName, client.ContainerWaitOptions{
+		Condition: container.WaitConditionRemoved,
+	})
+	select {
+	case <-waitResult.Result:
+	case <-waitResult.Error:
+	case <-ctx.Done():
+		// the client delivers the result over an unbuffered channel, so leave a receiver
+		// behind or its goroutine parks on the send for the lifetime of the process
+		go func() {
+			select {
+			case <-waitResult.Result:
+			case <-waitResult.Error:
+			}
+		}()
+		common.Logger(ctx).Warnf("Timed out waiting for the daemon to remove container %s, its volumes and network may be left behind", idOrName)
+	}
+}
+
 func (cr *containerReference) mergeContainerConfigs(ctx context.Context, config *container.Config, hostConfig *container.HostConfig) (*container.Config, *container.HostConfig, error) {
 	logger := common.Logger(ctx)
 	input := cr.input

act/container/docker_run_test.go

@@ -122,6 +122,26 @@ func (m *mockDockerClient) ContainerRemove(ctx context.Context, id string, opts
 	return args.Get(0).(mobyclient.ContainerRemoveResult), args.Error(1)
 }
 
+func (m *mockDockerClient) ContainerKill(ctx context.Context, id string, opts mobyclient.ContainerKillOptions) (mobyclient.ContainerKillResult, error) {
+	args := m.Called(ctx, id, opts)
+	return args.Get(0).(mobyclient.ContainerKillResult), args.Error(1)
+}
+
+func (m *mockDockerClient) NetworkList(ctx context.Context, opts mobyclient.NetworkListOptions) (mobyclient.NetworkListResult, error) {
+	args := m.Called(ctx, opts)
+	return args.Get(0).(mobyclient.NetworkListResult), args.Error(1)
+}
+
+func (m *mockDockerClient) NetworkInspect(ctx context.Context, id string, opts mobyclient.NetworkInspectOptions) (mobyclient.NetworkInspectResult, error) {
+	args := m.Called(ctx, id, opts)
+	return args.Get(0).(mobyclient.NetworkInspectResult), args.Error(1)
+}
+
+func (m *mockDockerClient) NetworkRemove(ctx context.Context, id string, opts mobyclient.NetworkRemoveOptions) (mobyclient.NetworkRemoveResult, error) {
+	args := m.Called(ctx, id, opts)
+	return args.Get(0).(mobyclient.NetworkRemoveResult), args.Error(1)
+}
+
 type endlessReader struct {
 	io.Reader
 }
@@ -391,29 +411,39 @@ func TestDockerCopyTarStreamErrorInMkdir(t *testing.T) {
 // be logged as one.
 func TestRemoveIgnoresAutoRemoveRace(t *testing.T) {
 	removeOpts := mobyclient.ContainerRemoveOptions{RemoveVolumes: true, Force: true}
+	killOpts := mobyclient.ContainerKillOptions{Signal: "SIGKILL"}
 	for _, tc := range []struct {
-		name     string
+		name        string
-		err      error
+		err         error
-		wantLogs bool
+		wantWait    bool
+		wantFailure bool
 	}{
-		{name: "removal in progress", err: cerrdefs.ErrConflict.WithMessage("removal of container abc is already in progress")},
+		{name: "removal in progress", err: cerrdefs.ErrConflict.WithMessage("removal of container abc is already in progress"), wantWait: true},
 		{name: "already removed", err: cerrdefs.ErrNotFound.WithMessage("No such container: abc")},
 		{name: "removed cleanly", err: nil},
-		{name: "real failure", err: errors.New("driver failed to remove root filesystem"), wantLogs: true},
+		{name: "real failure", err: errors.New("driver failed to remove root filesystem"), wantFailure: true},
 	} {
 		t.Run(tc.name, func(t *testing.T) {
 			logger, hook := test.NewNullLogger()
 			ctx := common.WithLogger(context.Background(), logger)
 			client := &mockDockerClient{}
+			client.On("ContainerKill", ctx, "abc", killOpts).Return(mobyclient.ContainerKillResult{}, nil)
 			client.On("ContainerRemove", ctx, "abc", removeOpts).Return(mobyclient.ContainerRemoveResult{}, tc.err)
+			if tc.wantWait {
+				removed := make(chan container.WaitResponse, 1)
+				removed <- container.WaitResponse{}
+				client.On("ContainerWait", mock.Anything, "abc", mobyclient.ContainerWaitOptions{Condition: container.WaitConditionRemoved}).
+					Return(mobyclient.ContainerWaitResult{Result: removed})
+			}
 			cr := &containerReference{id: "abc", cli: client}
 
 			require.NoError(t, cr.remove()(ctx))
-			assert.Empty(t, cr.id)
+			// a failure keeps the id, so a later Remove() can retry it
-
+			if tc.wantFailure {
-			if tc.wantLogs {
+				assert.Equal(t, "abc", cr.id)
 				assert.Len(t, hook.AllEntries(), 1)
 			} else {
+				assert.Empty(t, cr.id)
 				assert.Empty(t, hook.AllEntries())
 			}
 			client.AssertExpectations(t)
@@ -421,6 +451,20 @@ func TestRemoveIgnoresAutoRemoveRace(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+// A container whose id was never learned, because find() could not reach the daemon or
+// create() lost its reply, must still be removed rather than leaking with its network. It
+// was never started here, so it is not worth a kill of its own.
+func TestRemoveWithoutIDUsesName(t *testing.T) {
+	ctx := context.Background()
+	client := &mockDockerClient{}
+	client.On("ContainerRemove", ctx, "job-1", mobyclient.ContainerRemoveOptions{RemoveVolumes: true, Force: true}).
+		Return(mobyclient.ContainerRemoveResult{}, nil)
+	cr := &containerReference{cli: client, input: &NewContainerInput{Name: "job-1"}}
+
+	require.NoError(t, cr.remove()(ctx))
+	client.AssertExpectations(t)
+}
+
 // find() must drop a stale cached id so later Copy/Exec don't hit the
 // daemon with a torn-down container.
 func TestFindRevalidatesStaleID(t *testing.T) {

act/container/docker_stub.go

@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ package container
 import (
 	"context"
 	"runtime"
+	"time"
 
 	"gitea.com/gitea/runner/act/common"
 
@@ -72,3 +73,7 @@ func NewDockerNetworkRemoveExecutor(name string) common.Executor {
 		return nil
 	}
 }
+
+func RemoveOrphanNetworks(ctx context.Context, runnerUUID string, createdBefore time.Time) error {
+	return nil
+}

internal/app/run/runner.go

@@ -54,6 +54,7 @@ func RunnerCapabilities() []string {
 // Runner runs the pipeline.
 type Runner struct {
 	name string
+	uuid string
 
 	cfg *config.Config
 
@@ -119,6 +120,7 @@ func NewRunner(cfg *config.Config, reg *config.Registration, cli client.Client)
 
 	runner := &Runner{
 		name:           reg.Name,
+		uuid:           reg.UUID,
 		cfg:            cfg,
 		client:         cli,
 		labels:         ls,
@@ -130,6 +132,9 @@ func NewRunner(cfg *config.Config, reg *config.Registration, cli client.Client)
 	return runner
 }
 
+// removeOrphanNetworks is a variable so tests can substitute one that needs no Docker daemon.
+var removeOrphanNetworks = container.RemoveOrphanNetworks
+
 // OnIdle performs lightweight maintenance during polling idle windows.
 // It runs synchronously on the poller goroutine; shouldRunIdleCleanup
 // throttles invocations to runner.idle_cleanup_interval so the impact on
@@ -151,6 +156,21 @@ func (r *Runner) OnIdle(ctx context.Context) {
 	if hostRoot := filepath.FromSlash(r.cfg.Host.WorkdirParent); hostRoot != "" {
 		r.cleanupStaleDirs(ctx, hostRoot, isHostScratchDir)
 	}
+	r.cleanupOrphanNetworks(ctx)
+}
+
+// cleanupOrphanNetworks reclaims the per-job networks of jobs this runner did not live to
+// tear down. A labelled network with no containers on it is finished with, and as for the
+// directories above, a task beginning during the pass is safe because the cutoff keeps a
+// network it has created but not yet attached a container to out of scope.
+func (r *Runner) cleanupOrphanNetworks(ctx context.Context) {
+	if r.uuid == "" || !r.labels.RequireDocker() && !r.cfg.Container.RequireDocker {
+		return
+	}
+	cutoff := r.now().Add(-r.cfg.Runner.WorkdirCleanupAge)
+	if err := removeOrphanNetworks(ctx, r.uuid, cutoff); err != nil {
+		log.Warnf("failed to clean up networks left behind by earlier jobs: %v", err)
+	}
 }
 
 func (r *Runner) shouldRunIdleCleanup() bool {
@@ -472,6 +492,9 @@ func (r *Runner) run(ctx context.Context, task *runnerv1.Task, reporter *report.
 		ContainerNetworkCreateOptions: container.NewDockerNetworkCreateExecutorInput{
 			EnableIPv4: r.cfg.Container.NetworkCreateOptions.EnableIPv4,
 			EnableIPv6: r.cfg.Container.NetworkCreateOptions.EnableIPv6,
+			// so a network this job leaks, if the runner dies before its teardown, can be
+			// told apart from one belonging to another runner on the same daemon
+			RunnerUUID: r.uuid,
 		},
 		ContainerOptions:                  r.cfg.Container.Options,
 		ContainerDaemonSocket:             r.cfg.Container.DockerHost,

internal/app/run/runner_idle_cleanup_test.go

@@ -297,3 +297,37 @@ func TestRunnerOnIdleSkipsWhenAlreadyCancelled(t *testing.T) {
 
 	assert.DirExists(t, stale)
 }
+
+// The idle sweep reclaims the docker networks of jobs this runner did not live to tear down,
+// and stays out of the way of runners that share the daemon but not the registration.
+func TestRunnerOnIdleRemovesOrphanNetworks(t *testing.T) {
+	now := time.Date(2026, time.April, 29, 20, 0, 0, 0, time.UTC)
+	cfg := &config.Config{
+		Container: config.Container{RequireDocker: true},
+		Runner: config.Runner{
+			WorkdirCleanupAge:   24 * time.Hour,
+			IdleCleanupInterval: time.Minute,
+		},
+	}
+
+	var swept []string
+	var sweptCutoff time.Time
+	origRemoveOrphanNetworks := removeOrphanNetworks
+	removeOrphanNetworks = func(_ context.Context, runnerUUID string, createdBefore time.Time) error {
+		swept = append(swept, runnerUUID)
+		sweptCutoff = createdBefore
+		return nil
+	}
+	t.Cleanup(func() { removeOrphanNetworks = origRemoveOrphanNetworks })
+
+	r := &Runner{uuid: "runner-1", cfg: cfg, now: func() time.Time { return now }}
+	r.OnIdle(context.Background())
+	assert.Equal(t, []string{"runner-1"}, swept)
+	// a network of a job starting during the pass is younger than this and so out of scope
+	assert.Equal(t, now.Add(-24*time.Hour), sweptCutoff)
+
+	// a host-only runner has no daemon to sweep
+	hostOnly := &Runner{uuid: "runner-2", cfg: &config.Config{Runner: cfg.Runner}, now: func() time.Time { return now }}
+	hostOnly.OnIdle(context.Background())
+	assert.Equal(t, []string{"runner-1"}, swept)
+}

internal/pkg/config/config.example.yaml

@@ -15,6 +15,9 @@ runner:
   # Where to store the registration result.
   file: .runner
   # Execute how many tasks concurrently at the same time.
+  # With `container.network` empty, each concurrent docker job takes a subnet from the
+  # daemon's address pool, so a high capacity can exhaust it. See `default-address-pools`
+  # in the docker daemon config.
   capacity: 1
   # Extra environment variables to run jobs.
   envs:
@@ -43,9 +46,12 @@ runner:
   # While idle, remove stale bind-workdir task directories and orphaned host-mode
   # scratch directories (left behind when a host cleanup delete stalls) older than
   # this duration. Setting either workdir_cleanup_age or idle_cleanup_interval to 0
-  # (or any non-positive value) disables stale-directory cleanup entirely.
+  # (or any non-positive value) disables stale-directory cleanup entirely, along with
+  # the docker network cleanup below.
   workdir_cleanup_age: 24h
-  # Cadence for the idle stale-directory cleanup pass.
+  # Cadence for the idle cleanup pass. Besides the directories above, on runners that use
+  # docker it removes the per-job networks of jobs this runner did not live to tear down,
+  # which would otherwise hold a subnet of the daemon address pool until the host is rebuilt.
   idle_cleanup_interval: 10m
   # The base interval for periodic log flush to the Gitea instance.
   # Logs may be sent earlier if the buffer reaches log_report_batch_size
@@ -161,7 +167,9 @@ container:
   # network_create_options only apply when `network` is left empty and the runner
   # auto-creates a per-job network that does not already exist. They have no effect
   # when a custom `network` name is set, because that network is used as-is and never
-  # created by the runner. Omit the entire block to use Docker's defaults.
+  # created by the runner. Omit the entire block to use Docker's defaults. An auto-created
+  # network is labelled com.gitea.runner.uuid=<this runner's uuid>, which is how the idle
+  # cleanup tells its own leftovers apart from those of other runners on the same daemon.
   network_create_options:
     enable_ipv4: true  # Omit to use Docker's default (IPv4 enabled). Set false to disable IPv4.
     enable_ipv6: false # Omit to use Docker's default (IPv6 disabled). Enabling it requires dockerd started with --ipv6.
@@ -197,6 +205,9 @@ container:
   docker_host: ""
   # Pull docker image(s) even if already present.
   # Defaults to false when the key is omitted.
+  # Two exceptions: an image pinned by digest (image@sha256:...) cannot change, so it is never
+  # re-pulled, and a pull that fails while a copy is already on the host does not fail the job,
+  # which runs on that copy with a warning in its log.
   force_pull: false
   # Rebuild docker image(s) even if already present
   force_rebuild: false

internal/pkg/config/config.go

@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ type Runner struct {
 	FetchInterval         time.Duration     `yaml:"fetch_interval"`           // FetchInterval specifies the interval duration for fetching resources.
 	FetchIntervalMax      time.Duration     `yaml:"fetch_interval_max"`       // FetchIntervalMax specifies the maximum backoff interval when idle.
 	WorkdirCleanupAge     time.Duration     `yaml:"workdir_cleanup_age"`      // WorkdirCleanupAge removes stale bind-workdir task directories and orphaned host-mode scratch dirs older than this duration during idle cleanup.
-	IdleCleanupInterval   time.Duration     `yaml:"idle_cleanup_interval"`    // IdleCleanupInterval runs stale-directory cleanup periodically while the runner is idle. Set to 0 to disable cleanup cadence.
+	IdleCleanupInterval   time.Duration     `yaml:"idle_cleanup_interval"`    // IdleCleanupInterval runs the idle cleanup (stale directories and orphaned docker networks) periodically while the runner is idle. Set to 0 to disable cleanup cadence.
 	LogReportInterval     time.Duration     `yaml:"log_report_interval"`      // LogReportInterval specifies the base interval for periodic log flush.
 	LogReportMaxLatency   time.Duration     `yaml:"log_report_max_latency"`   // LogReportMaxLatency specifies the max time a log row can wait before being sent.
 	LogReportBatchSize    int               `yaml:"log_report_batch_size"`    // LogReportBatchSize triggers immediate log flush when buffer reaches this size.
@@ -86,7 +86,7 @@ type Container struct {
 	WorkdirParent        string                        `yaml:"workdir_parent"`         // WorkdirParent specifies the parent directory for the container's working directory.
 	ValidVolumes         []string                      `yaml:"valid_volumes"`          // ValidVolumes specifies the volumes (including bind mounts) can be mounted to containers.
 	DockerHost           string                        `yaml:"docker_host"`            // DockerHost specifies the Docker host. It overrides the value specified in environment variable DOCKER_HOST.
-	ForcePull            bool                          `yaml:"force_pull"`             // Pull docker image(s) even if already present
+	ForcePull            bool                          `yaml:"force_pull"`             // Pull docker image(s) even if already present, except digest-pinned ones. A pull that fails while a local copy exists is a warning, not a job failure.
 	ForceRebuild         bool                          `yaml:"force_rebuild"`          // Rebuild docker image(s) even if already present
 	RequireDocker        bool                          `yaml:"require_docker"`         // Always require a reachable docker daemon, even if not required by runner
 	DockerTimeout        time.Duration                 `yaml:"docker_timeout"`         // Timeout to wait for the docker daemon to be reachable, if docker is required by require_docker or runner