It definitely looks like a bug. Ihor, I think you touched this last. I don't see any unit tests for org-persist, but I'm not sure if maybe I'm missing something. I'm happy to add a new unit test file if needed.
Cheers, Derek On Sun, Sep 20, 2026 at 8:35 AM Derek Chen-Becker <[email protected]> wrote: > Thanks for the report! Let me take a look at this and see what we can do. > > Owned. (for BARK) > > Cheers, > > Derek > > On Sat, Sep 19, 2026 at 8:04 PM Toomas Rosin <[email protected]> wrote: > >> >> Remember to cover the basics, that is, what you expected to happen and >> what in fact did happen. You don't know how to make a good report? See >> >> https://orgmode.org/manual/Feedback.html#Feedback >> >> Your bug report will be posted to the Org mailing list. >> ------------------------------------------------------------------------ >> >> I think there is a sign error in `org-persist--refresh-gc-lock` that >> prevents old sessions from ever expiring from `gc-lock.eld`. >> >> In Org 9.7.11, the relevant code is: >> >> ``` >> (dolist (record alist) >> (when (< (- (float-time (cdr record)) >> (float-time (current-time))) >> org-persist-gc-lock-expiry) >> (push record new-alist))) >> ``` >> >> `org-persist-gc-lock-expiry` defaults to one day. However, for any >> record whose timestamp is in the past, >> >> ``` >> (- (float-time (cdr record)) >> (float-time (current-time))) >> ``` >> >> is negative, and is therefore always less than the positive expiry value. >> >> For example, a record that is 100 days old gives approximately >> >> ``` >> -8640000 < 86400 >> ``` >> >> so the record is retained instead of being discarded. >> >> I noticed this because my `~/.emacs.d/org-persist/gc-lock.eld` currently >> contains 147 session records, although only 3 Emacs processes are running. >> There are also 41 files under `org-persist`, while only 16 `:container` >> entries in `index.eld` refer to persist files. Thus a substantial number >> of orphan persist files have accumulated. >> >> This also appears to prevent orphan-file garbage collection. >> `org-persist-gc` only collects orphan files when `org-persist--gc-orphan-p` >> determines that there are no other active sessions. Since stale session >> records never expire from `gc-lock.eld`, that condition may never be >> reached. >> >> It looks as though the test should instead be: >> >> ``` >> (dolist (record alist) >> (when (< (- (float-time (current-time)) >> (float-time (cdr record))) >> org-persist-gc-lock-expiry) >> (push record new-alist))) >> ``` >> >> That is, the operands of the subtraction should be reversed. >> >> I also checked the current Org source and, unless I am overlooking >> something, the same expression is still present there. >> >> Could you confirm whether this is a bug? >> >> ------------------------------------------------------------------------ >> >> Emacs : GNU Emacs 30.2 (build 1, x86_64-pc-linux-gnu, X toolkit, cairo >> version 1.18.4) >> of 2026-08-09 >> Package: Org mode version 9.7.11 (release_9.7.11 @ >> /usr/share/emacs/30.2/lisp/org/) >> >> current state: >> ============== >> (setq >> org-yank-image-file-name-function 'org-yank-image-autogen-filename >> org-persist-before-write-hook '(org-element--cache-persist-before-write) >> org-html-format-headline-function >> 'org-html-format-headline-default-function >> org-html-format-drawer-function #[514 "\207" [] 3 "\n\n(fn NAME >> CONTENTS)"] >> org-pretty-entities t >> org-agenda-todo-ignore-scheduled 'future >> org-latex-format-inlinetask-function >> 'org-latex-format-inlinetask-default-function >> org-preview-latex-process-alist '((dvisvgm :programs ("latex" "dvisvgm") >> :description >> "dvi > svg" :message >> "Install latex and dvisvgm to enable >> LaTeX previews." >> :image-input-type "dvi" >> :image-output-type "svg" >> :image-size-adjust (1.0 . 1.0) >> :latex-compiler >> ("latex -interaction=nonstopmode >> -output-directory=%o %f") >> :image-converter ("dvisvgm %f -n -b >> min -o %O")) >> ) >> org-structure-template-alist '(("e" . "example") ("s" . "source")) >> org-speed-command-hook '(org-speed-command-activate >> org-babel-speed-command-activate) >> org-persist-after-read-hook '(org-element--cache-persist-after-read) >> org-agenda-todo-ignore-time-comparison-use-seconds t >> org-repeat-daytimes-mode t >> org-confirm-elisp-link-function 'yes-or-no-p >> org-agenda-finalize-hook '(org-agenda-go-to-next) >> org-latex-format-headline-function >> 'org-latex-format-headline-default-function >> org-latex-format-drawer-function #[514 "\207" [] 3 "\n\n(fn _ CONTENTS)"] >> org-mode-hook '(#[0 "\301\211\207" [imenu-create-index-function >> org-imenu-get-tree] 2] >> C-c-SPC-is-nbsp org-tempo-setup infinite-fill-column >> turn-on-visual-line-mode >> turn-on-auto-fill >> #[0 "\300\301\302\303\304$\207" >> [add-hook change-major-mode-hook org-fold-show-all >> append local] 5] >> #[0 "\300\301\302\303\304$\207" >> [add-hook change-major-mode-hook >> org-babel-show-result-all append local] 5] >> org-babel-result-hide-spec org-babel-hide-all-hashes) >> org-hide-emphasis-markers t >> org-agenda-cmp-user-defined 'my-org-agenda-cmp >> org-confirm-shell-link-function 'yes-or-no-p >> org-odt-format-headline-function >> 'org-odt-format-headline-default-function >> org-archive-hook '(org-attach-archive-delete-maybe) >> org-metaup-hook '(org-babel-load-in-session-maybe) >> org-agenda-start-with-follow-mode t >> org-occur-hook '(org-first-headline-recenter) >> org-agenda-skip-function-global 'org-repeat-agenda-skip-function >> org-html-format-inlinetask-function >> 'org-html-format-inlinetask-default-function >> org-ascii-format-drawer-function #[771 "\207" [] 4 "\n\n(fn NAME >> CONTENTS WIDTH)"] >> org-bibtex-headline-format-function 'org-bibtex-headline-format-default >> org-link-parameters '(("eww" :follow org-eww-open :store >> org-eww-store-link) >> ("rmail" :follow org-rmail-open :store >> org-rmail-store-link) >> ("mhe" :follow org-mhe-open :store >> org-mhe-store-link) >> ("irc" :follow org-irc-visit :store >> org-irc-store-link :export >> org-irc-export) >> ("info" :follow org-info-open :export >> org-info-export :store >> org-info-store-link :insert-description >> org-info-description-as-command) >> ("gnus" :follow org-gnus-open :store >> org-gnus-store-link) >> ("docview" :follow org-docview-open :export >> org-docview-export :store >> org-docview-store-link) >> ("bibtex" :follow org-bibtex-open :store >> org-bibtex-store-link) >> ("bbdb" :follow org-bbdb-open :export >> org-bbdb-export :complete >> org-bbdb-complete-link :store org-bbdb-store-link) >> ("w3m" :store org-w3m-store-link) >> ("doi" :follow org-link-doi-open :export >> org-link-doi-export) >> ("attachment" :follow org-attach-follow :complete >> org-attach-complete-link) >> ("id" :follow org-id-open :store >> org-id-store-link-maybe) ("file+sys") >> ("file+emacs") ("shell" :follow >> org-link--open-shell) >> ("news" :follow >> #[514 "\301\300\302Q\"\207" ["news" browse-url >> ":"] 6 >> "\n\n(fn URL ARG)"] >> ) >> ("mailto" :follow >> #[514 "\301\300\302Q\"\207" ["mailto" browse-url >> ":"] 6 >> "\n\n(fn URL ARG)"] >> ) >> ("https" :follow >> #[514 "\301\300\302Q\"\207" ["https" browse-url >> ":"] 6 >> "\n\n(fn URL ARG)"] >> ) >> ("http" :follow >> #[514 "\301\300\302Q\"\207" ["http" browse-url >> ":"] 6 >> "\n\n(fn URL ARG)"] >> ) >> ("ftp" :follow >> #[514 "\301\300\302Q\"\207" ["ftp" browse-url >> ":"] 6 >> "\n\n(fn URL ARG)"] >> ) >> ("help" :follow org-link--open-help :store >> org-link--store-help) >> ("file" :complete org-link-complete-file) >> ("elisp" :follow org-link--open-elisp)) >> org-cycle-tab-first-hook '(org-babel-hide-result-toggle-maybe >> org-babel-header-arg-expand) >> org-agenda-before-write-hook '(org-agenda-add-entry-text) >> org-metadown-hook '(org-babel-pop-to-session-maybe) >> org-repeat-weekdays-mode t >> org-agenda-restore-windows-after-quit t >> org-tab-before-tab-emulation-hook '(org-tempo-complete-tag) >> org-tab-first-hook '(org-babel-hide-result-toggle-maybe >> org-babel-header-arg-expand) >> org-sort-function 'string-collate-lessp >> org-export-backends '(pandoc org odt html ascii) >> org--warnings nil >> org-babel-pre-tangle-hook '(save-buffer) >> org-agenda-prefix-format '((agenda . " %?i %-12:c%?-12t% s") >> (todo . >> " %i %1c %(my-org-format-scheduled-time) >> %(my-org-agenda-format-repeater-hours-frob) %5(my-org-agenda-repeat-hours) >> ") >> (tags . " %i %-12:c") (search . " %i %-12:c")) >> org-export-before-parsing-hook '(org-attach-expand-links) >> org-pandoc-menu-entry '((101 "to epub3" org-pandoc-export-to-epub3) >> (111 "to odt" org-pandoc-export-to-odt)) >> org-link-shell-confirm-function 'yes-or-no-p >> org-fold-core-isearch-open-function 'org-fold-core--isearch-reveal >> org-pandoc-options-for-epub3 '((reference-location . "block") (toc-depth >> . "5") >> (epub-chapter-level . "5") >> (data-dir . >> "/home/toomas/Asjad/org-epub")) >> outline-isearch-open-invisible-function 'outline-isearch-open-invisible >> org-src-mode-hook '(org-src-babel-configure-edit-buffer >> org-src-mode-configure-edit-buffer) >> org-agenda-loop-over-headlines-in-active-region nil >> org-priority-lowest 90 >> org-preview-latex-default-process 'dvisvgm >> org-agenda-files '("~/Asjad/org/-.org" "~/Asjad/org/i.org" "~/Asjad/org/ >> j.org" >> "~/Asjad/org/olme.org" "~/Asjad/org/lipupäevad.org >> <http://xn--lipupevad-z2a.org>" >> "~/Asjad/org/projektid.org") >> org-yank-folded-subtrees nil >> org-link-elisp-confirm-function 'yes-or-no-p >> org-odt-format-inlinetask-function >> 'org-odt-format-inlinetask-default-function >> org-cycle-hook '(org-cycle-hide-archived-subtrees >> org-cycle-show-empty-lines >> org-cycle-optimize-window-after-visibility-change >> org-cycle-display-inline-images) >> org-persist-before-read-hook '(org-element--cache-persist-before-read) >> org-ascii-format-inlinetask-function 'org-ascii-format-inlinetask-default >> org-odt-format-drawer-function #[514 "\207" [] 3 "\n\n(fn NAME >> CONTENTS)"] >> org-agenda-sorting-strategy '((todo priority-down user-defined-up)) >> ) >> >> > > -- > +---------------------------------------------------------------+ > | Derek Chen-Becker | > | GPG Key available at https://keybase.io/dchenbecker and | > | https://pgp.mit.edu/pks/lookup?search=derek%40chen-becker.org | > | Fngrprnt: EB8A 6480 F0A3 C8EB C1E7 7F42 AFC5 AFEE 96E4 6ACC | > +---------------------------------------------------------------+ > > -- +---------------------------------------------------------------+ | Derek Chen-Becker | | GPG Key available at https://keybase.io/dchenbecker and | | https://pgp.mit.edu/pks/lookup?search=derek%40chen-becker.org | | Fngrprnt: EB8A 6480 F0A3 C8EB C1E7 7F42 AFC5 AFEE 96E4 6ACC | +---------------------------------------------------------------+
