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· # Roon Support Ticket — NullReferenceException in RemoteBrokerV2.Authenticate
**Date:** 2026-04-10
**User:** elbowspeak
**Roon version:** 2.64 (build 1646) production
**Platform:** macOS 15.2 (Sequoia) on Mac Mini M1
**Machine name (Roon internal):** `macmini`
**Machine hostname (macOS):** `Elbowmini`
**Core device ID:** `14101b61-9122-43e3-bcaf-4f5755cc0b9e`
**User ID (from messaging_service_data):** `cb94da55-7420-4f1a-b6ba-ac586f8c6c40`
---
# Summary
·
After a period of normal operation, the Roon desktop app on Mac Mini began entering an infinite reconnect loop where it can never stably display the home screen. Root cause appears to be a `System.NullReferenceException` inside `Sooloos.Broker.Distributed.RemoteBrokerV2.Authenticate()`. The same bug pattern has been reported elsewhere (e.g., the Tidal module's `_TransitionStatus` null-check issue in 2.60).
The Roon Server process runs fine, listens on all expected ports, and accepts connections — but the local GUI client crashes every ~5 seconds in the auth handshake and the UI flashes / never settles.
# Primary error (from Roon_log.txt)
·
```
04/10 10:24:00 Critical: scx: System.NullReferenceException: Arg_NullReferenceException
at Sooloos.Broker.Distributed.RemoteBrokerV2.Authenticate(TcpClient tcpclient)
at Sooloos.Broker.Distributed.RemoteBrokerV2.NotifyInited(InitConnection conn, Guid sessionId)
at System.Threading.Tasks.Task.<>c.b__128_0(Object state)
at Sooloos.SynchronizationContextThread._Dispatch(SendOrPostWrapper& ret)
```
Repeats every 5 seconds indefinitely.
# Secondary symptom (intermittently observed)
·
Even when auth temporarily succeeds (e.g., after deleting `messaging_service_data`), the client enters a different loop:
```
Connected → disconnect(hard=False) → Connecting → ConnectionFailed → Authenticating → connected → Connected
```
…every 5 seconds. Both client and server identify as `macmini` with broker IDs `14101b61-...` (client) and `22dfd047-...` (server). During this state, music will play but the UI home screen flashes/reloads constantly.
# What triggered it
·
No obvious trigger. Worked fine until a few days ago, then the GUI started refusing to load the home screen. Update from 2.58 → 2.64 was performed today and did not resolve.
# Relevant state files
·
1. `~/Library/Roon/Database/Registry/Client/messaging_service_data` had stale content:
```json
{"fcm_token":"","user_id":"cb94da55-7420-4f1a-b6ba-ac586f8c6c40","broker_id":"22dfd047-7e8e-4ffb-98d7-160455ce8d80","platform":"macosx","version":"2.58 (build 1608) production","product":"Roon","language":"american"}
```
- `fcm_token` is empty string (suspected null-deref trigger)
- `version` still shows 2.58 even though Roon.app is 2.64
2. `~/Library/RoonServer/Database/Core/` contains **two** Core database directories:
- `3e84036e18664414bbe5acd01cf0567a` — 1.4 GB, last modified Dec 13 2023, uses `broker_2.db`
- `cb94da5574204f1ab6baac586f8c6c40` — 5.8 GB, last modified today, uses `broker_4.db` (active library)
- The `3e84036e...` directory is likely orphaned from a previous install.
3. `~/Library/Roon/Database/Registry/Client/` contains two GMS files:
- `GMS22dfd047-7e8e-4ffb-98d7-160455ce8d80` (current active broker, modified today)
- `GMS4ef590bc-99c3-4572-89d0-3cfed52694dc` (Oct 2022, orphaned)
# Environment / network
·
- Port forward TCP 55002 → 192.168.1.139 → configured on UDR7
- WAN IP: 24.17.24.61 (Comcast Cable)
- RoonAppliance confirmed listening on *:55002 (IPv6), *:9330/9331/9332 (broker ports)
- macOS Application Firewall: disabled
- No third-party network filters installed (no Little Snitch, LuLu, etc.)
# Workarounds attempted (and results)
·
1. Restart Roon → no change
2. Reinstall Roon.app (replaced with 2.64 build 1646) → no change
3. Delete `~/Library/Roon/Database/Registry/Client/brokerchoice_lastchoice` → client rediscovered server but auth still crashed
4. Delete `~/Library/Roon/Database/Registry/Client/messaging_service_data` → auth temporarily succeeded and music played, but screen flashed every 5 seconds due to connect/disconnect loop; issue returned after subsequent restart
5. Toggled Local Network permission for Roon in macOS Privacy & Security → no change
6. Verified network local/ARC port forwarding unrelated — RoonServer process bind and external reachability both correct
# What I need from Roon support
·
1. A safe way to clean up server-side broker state without losing my music library / edits / playlists
2. Confirmation on whether the `3e84036e...` orphan Core directory should be deleted
3. Fix for the `RemoteBrokerV2.Authenticate` null-reference (appears to be the same class of bug as the Tidal module `_TransitionStatus` null-check issue in 2.60)
# Backups in place
·
- `~/Library/RoonServer/Settings.backup-2026-04-10` — full Settings backup
- `~/Library/Roon/Database/Registry.backup-2026-04-10` — full client Registry backup
# Log files
·
- `~/Library/Roon/Logs/Roon_log.txt` — current GUI log (shows repeating crash)
- `~/Library/RoonServer/Logs/RoonServer_log.txt` — current server log (server side OK)
Tell us about your home network
· Unifi DreamRouter 7, no VPN on this system