Media Servers guide
Sonarr Docker Compose Setup: Stop Broken Imports Before They Start
Run Sonarr for an authorized television library with honest image support boundaries, consistent paths, backups, and reversible updates.
Published and reviewed by OpenAlt · September 28, 2026
Sonarr is easiest to maintain when every application in the media stack sees identical internal paths. This guide creates a recoverable deployment for an authorized television library using /data as the shared root, /config for Sonarr state, and /data/media/tv as the library destination.
With this layout, Sonarr can inspect completed files, import them, create hardlinks when supported, rename episodes, and move them into the library without confusing host paths with container paths.
Table of Contents
- Support boundary
- Directory and path model
- Compose example
- First boot and root folder
- Connecting an authorized download client
- Naming, imports, and permissions
- Backup, restore, and updates
- Troubleshooting
- FAQ
Support boundary
Sonarr is a television library manager. Use it only with media and sources you are authorized to access. This guide does not cover trackers, Usenet providers, DRM bypass, VPN evasion, or unauthorized acquisition.
Sonarr’s team does not provide an official Docker image. The example therefore uses the third-party LinuxServer image documented on Docker Hub. Treat its packaging, tags, documentation, and support separately from the Sonarr project. Use the Sonarr website and Sonarr repository for project information.
As of September 28, 2026, the repository lists 16,616 stars, GPL-3.0 licensing, and release v4.0.20.3014 dated September 16, 2026. These details describe Sonarr, not the LinuxServer image or its release schedule.
Directory and path model
Create a stable host layout:
/srv/media/
├── downloads/
│ └── tv/
└── media/
└── tv/
/srv/appdata/
└── sonarr/
Use these mounts:
| Host path | Container path | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
/srv/appdata/sonarr | /config | Database, settings, logs, and metadata |
/srv/media | /data | Shared downloads and media |
/srv/media/media/tv | /data/media/tv | Final television library |
The /data mapping is the key design decision. If an authorized download client also maps /srv/media to /data, both services refer to a completed file as /data/downloads/tv/Show Name/.... Sonarr can then import or hardlink it into /data/media/tv without a remote-path translation rule.
Avoid mapping the same host tree to different container paths, such as /downloads in one service and /data/downloads in another. Such mismatches commonly cause remote-path errors, failed imports, and copying instead of hardlinking. See the Servarr Docker guidance.
Compose example
Save this as a Compose file in your chosen project directory:
services:
sonarr:
image: lscr.io/linuxserver/sonarr:latest
container_name: sonarr
environment:
- PUID=1000
- PGID=1000
- TZ=America/Detroit
volumes:
- /srv/appdata/sonarr:/config
- /srv/media:/data
ports:
- "8989:8989"
restart: unless-stopped
This is a third-party image example. Replace PUID and PGID with the numeric user and group that should own the files. Set TZ to the host’s timezone. Keep /config and /data stable after first launch; changing them later can make Sonarr appear to have lost its database or paths.
Validate and start the service:
docker compose config
docker compose up -d
docker compose ps
docker compose logs --tail=100 sonarr
For image-specific variables, supported tags, and behavior, consult the LinuxServer container documentation.
First boot and root folder
Open:
http://your-server:8989
Complete the initial setup, then confirm Sonarr’s timezone and authentication settings.
Add this root folder:
/data/media/tv
Do not enter /srv/media/media/tv in Sonarr. That is a host path and exists outside the container. Sonarr can use only paths mounted into its own filesystem.
When adding a series, choose /data/media/tv as its path. A typical result is:
/data/media/tv/Example Show/Season 01/Example Show - S01E01 - Pilot.mkv
Sonarr monitors series, identifies episodes, applies naming rules, and places files under the selected root folder. It is not a media player or library server. For a broader containerized stack, see Plex Docker Compose.
Connecting an authorized download client
Add an already-authorized download client under Settings. Provide its service hostname, port, credentials, and the category or label used for television files.
When both services share a Compose project, use the Compose service name rather than localhost. If the service is named download-client, Sonarr normally reaches it at download-client.
The services must agree on internal paths. If the client reports:
/data/downloads/tv/Example Show/file.mkv
Sonarr must be able to open that exact path. If the client reports /downloads/tv/... while Sonarr sees /data/downloads/tv/..., standardize the mounts if possible. Use a remote-path mapping only when the layouts cannot be changed. Consistent /data paths are simpler and preserve hardlink support.
Naming, imports, and permissions
Use recognizable names containing the show, season, and episode, such as S02E03 or 2x03. Avoid manually placing unrelated files in a monitored root folder during an import.
Permissions must work at three levels:
- The host user can read and write the mounted directories.
PUIDandPGIDmatch the intended ownership model.- Sonarr and the download client can access completed files and the library destination.
Check both host and container views:
docker exec sonarr id
docker exec sonarr ls -ld /config /data /data/downloads/tv /data/media/tv
ls -ld /srv/appdata/sonarr /srv/media /srv/media/media/tv
If Sonarr can read files but cannot rename or hardlink them, correct host ownership and group permissions. Hardlinks also require source and destination directories to be on the same filesystem. Otherwise, Sonarr may need to copy files.
Backup, restore, and updates
/config and the television library are separate recovery targets. /config contains Sonarr’s database, settings, history, index data, and customizations. /data/media/tv contains the episodes. Backing up only one does not preserve the other.
Stop Sonarr before making a consistent configuration backup:
docker compose stop sonarr
tar -czf sonarr-config-backup.tgz -C /srv/appdata sonarr
docker compose start sonarr
To restore, stop the service, restore the contents of /srv/appdata/sonarr, confirm ownership, and start it again. Do not delete the media library during a configuration restore.
Before updating, back up /config, record the current image tag, and review image documentation. A typical workflow is:
docker compose pull sonarr
docker compose up -d sonarr
docker compose logs --tail=100 sonarr
For production systems, consider a tested version tag instead of automatically following latest. Keep the Compose file under version control, but never commit passwords or private credentials.
Troubleshooting
“Root folder is not writable.”
Check host ownership, PUID, PGID, and Sonarr’s view of /data/media/tv. The Sonarr path must be /data/media/tv, not the host path.
“Import failed” or “path does not exist.”
Compare the path reported by the client with the path visible inside Sonarr. Both should use the same /data structure. Confirm the file with docker exec sonarr ls.
“Remote path mapping required.” The applications probably report different container paths. Standardize their mounts first. Add a mapping only when standardization is impossible.
“Hardlink failed.” Verify that downloads and the library share a filesystem and that Sonarr can write to the destination. Otherwise, copying may be required.
“Episodes have the wrong date or time.”
Check TZ in Compose and Sonarr’s timezone setting. Restart the container after changing the environment variable.
See OpenReplace’s Sonarr page and the Media Streaming category for related guidance.
FAQ
Is the LinuxServer Sonarr image official?
No. It is third-party. Review its documentation separately from Sonarr’s project documentation.
Why use /data instead of separate /downloads and /tv mounts?
A shared /data path keeps container paths identical, reducing remote-path errors and enabling hardlinks when directories share a filesystem.
Do I need to back up media and Sonarr configuration together?
They are separate backups. Back up /config for Sonarr’s database and settings, and back up the media library according to its value and recovery needs.
Can Sonarr acquire television content by itself?
Sonarr manages an authorized library and coordinates with an already-authorized download client. It does not grant content rights, bypass DRM, or make unauthorized acquisition lawful.