# Persistent Reindex Failure from Source-Only Snapshot: unexpected docvalues type NONE for field '\_ignored' error
**URL:** https://discuss.elastic.co/t/persistent-reindex-failure-from-source-only-snapshot-unexpected-docvalues-type-none-for-field-ignored-error/383178
**Category:** Elasticsearch
**Tags:** reindex, snapshot-and-restore
**Created:** [November 3, 2025, 9:35am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/persistent-reindex-failure-from-source-only-snapshot-unexpected-docvalues-type-none-for-field-ignored-error/383178 "2025-11-03T09:35:10Z")
**Posts on this page:** 3
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Rizaldi\_Sanjaya](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/Rizaldi_Sanjaya)
#### Post date: [November 3, 2025, 9:35am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/persistent-reindex-failure-from-source-only-snapshot-unexpected-docvalues-type-none-for-field-ignored-error/383178/1 "2025-11-03T09:35:10Z")
Hello,
I am attempting to restore a data stream from a **source-only snapshot** and then reindex it into a new, functional data stream, as required by the source-only documentation.
The restore operation completes successfully, resulting in a read-only index. However, the subsequent `_reindex` operation consistently fails with the following error:
`unexpected docvalues type NONE for field '_ignored' (expected one of [SORTED, SORTED_SET]). Re-index with correct docvalues type`.
This error suggests a mismatch in the `doc_values` expectation for the internal `_ignored` metadata field between the source (which has `NONE` due to the source-only nature) and the destination (which expects `SORTED` or `SORTED_SET`).
**Environment Details**
- **Elasticsearch Version:** 8.18.2
**Steps Taken So Far**
I have attempted several workarounds based on common advice for similar reindexing errors, but the error persists:
1. **Verified Source Mapping:** I checked the mapping of the restored source index (`GET /_mapping`). The `_ignored` field is _not_ present in the explicit mapping, as it's an internal metadata field.
2. **Used Ingest Pipeline to Remove Field:** I created and used an ingest pipeline with a `remove` processor for the `_ignored` field, but the error still occurred.
3. **Created Destination Index with Explicit Mapping & Template:** I manually created the destination index with a high-priority index template that explicitly set `"doc_values": false` for the `_ignored` field before running the reindex. Even with this, the error persists.
Has anyone successfully worked around this specific `_ignored` field conflict when reindexing from a source-only snapshot?
It seems that the destination index, even with explicit template overrides or source exclusions, is still trying to force a `doc_values` type on this internal field that the source-only data simply doesn't support.
Is there an internal cluster setting or a different, supported method to handle metadata fields like `_ignored` during a reindex from a source-only restore?
Any insight or a reliable fix would be appreciated
---
### Author:  [@Ignacio\_Vera](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/Ignacio_Vera)
#### Post date: [November 14, 2025, 1:46pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/persistent-reindex-failure-from-source-only-snapshot-unexpected-docvalues-type-none-for-field-ignored-error/383178/2 "2025-11-14T13:46:09Z")
Please see [\_ignored field does not work with source-only repository and breaks reindexing · Issue #138098 · elastic/elasticsearch · GitHub](https://github.com/elastic/elasticsearch/issues/138098)
---
### Author:  [@Rizaldi\_Sanjaya](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/Rizaldi_Sanjaya)
#### Post date: [November 21, 2025, 4:14am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/persistent-reindex-failure-from-source-only-snapshot-unexpected-docvalues-type-none-for-field-ignored-error/383178/3 "2025-11-21T04:14:38Z")
I tried the workaround and its worked. Really appreciate your support!