{
  "id": 2499541,
  "title": "Systemd-tmpfiles vs Plex: When /tmp Aging Breaks EAC3 Transcoding",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/22/systemd-tmpfiles-vs-plex-when-tmp-aging-breaks-eac3-transcoding",
  "topic": "tech",
  "section": "Tech",
  "published": "2026-08-22T04:15:47.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Dev.to",
    "slug": "dev-to",
    "url": "https://dev.to/futhgar/systemd-tmpfiles-vs-plex-when-tmp-aging-breaks-eac3-transcoding-507"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "A Plex server can still fail EAC3 transcoding despite being stable and functioning properly for 90 days. This issue arises because systemd-tmpfiles deletes the transcoder's scratch directory, which Plex relies on for audio transcoding. The problem is caused by an automatic /tmp cleaning feature present in Debian 13, which removes files in /tmp that are older than 10 days. This affects Plex's watch folder for EAC3 transcoding, causing failures when the directory is deleted. To resolve the issue, create a tmpfiles.d exclusion file for Plex's temp directory to prevent systemd-tmpfiles from cleaning it. Alternatively, relocate the EAE watch folders to a path outside of /tmp to avoid the cleanup process. Restarting Plex Media Server temporarily fixes the issue but does not address the root cause.",
  "summary": "A Plex server with 90 days of uptime, a green service status, and perfectly working H.264 playback can still fail every single EAC3 transcode with a generic \"Conversion failed\" error. Nothing about Plex changed. No update, no config edit, no disk full. A systemd timer quietly deleted the transcoder's scratch directory out from under it, and Plex has no idea. This one is worth understanding if you…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}