Discord to IRC bridge stuck at reconnection

[Erwin-Iosef]

Describe the bug
I connect discord with libera chat on port 6697 with TLS enabled, it connects well the first time and relays messages but when a connection loss happens and it subsequently reconnects, it gets stuck at the last line shown below. Sometimes it seems to connect successfully and relay messages but doesn't show that in the logs, being stuck at "joining #channel" message.

To Reproduce

1. Create a bridge between Discord and irc.libera.chat at port 6697 with UseTLS=true

2. After the bridge is functional, disconnect internet and reconnect it again, prompting the bridge to reconnect in 30 seconds.

3. Stuck in "joining #channel"

Screenshots/debug logs

[0000]  INFO main:         Running version 1.26.1-dev
[0000]  INFO main:         WARNING: THIS IS A DEVELOPMENT VERSION. Things may break.
[0000]  INFO router:       Parsing gateway hwbridge-channel-gateway
[0000]  INFO router:       Starting bridge: irc.libera
[0000]  INFO irc:          Connecting irc.libera.chat:6697
[0015]  INFO irc:          Connection succeeded
[0015]  INFO irc:          irc.libera: joining #hedgewars (ID: #hedgewarsirc.libera)
[0015]  INFO router:       Starting bridge: discord.HW_BRIDGE-IRC
[0015]  INFO discord:      Connecting
[0015]  INFO discord:      Connection succeeded
[0020]  INFO discord:      discord.HW_BRIDGE-IRC: joining irc-bridge (ID: irc-briidgediscord.HW_BRIDGE-IRC)
[0020]  INFO main:         Gateway(s) started successfully. Now relaying messages
[0703] ERROR irc:          disconnect: error: read tcp [######::#####]:41832->[2001:6b0:e:2a18::120]:6697: read: software caused connection abort
[0703]  INFO irc:          reconnecting in 30 seconds...
[0722]  INFO irc:          irc.libera: joining #hedgewars (ID: #hedgewarsirc.libera)

Environment (please complete the following information):

• OS: Arch Linux
• Matterbridge version: straight from git master(1.26.1-dev)

Additional context
Config:

[irc]
        [irc.libera]
        Charset="utf-8"
        ColorNicks=true
        Nick=""
        RealName="Matterbridge instance on IRC"
        RemoteNickFormat="<{NICK}> "
        #PingDelay="10s"
        Server="irc.libera.chat:6697"
        StripMarkdown=true
        UseTLS=true
        #UseRelayMsg=true
        #Password="yourpassword"
        # Enable SASL on modern servers like irc.libera.chat
        UseSASL=true
        NickServNick=""
        NickServPassword=""

[discord]
        [discord.HW_BRIDGE-IRC]
        EditSuffix=" (edited)"
        RemoteNickFormat="{NICK} [IRC]"
        Token=""
        Server=""
        ShowEmbeds=true
        UseUserName=true
        UseLocalAvatar=["irc"]
        #AutoWebhooks=true
        # Map threads from other bridges on discord replies
        PreserveThreading=true

[[gateway]]
name="hwbridge-channel-gateway"
enable=true

[[gateway.inout]]
account="irc.libera"
channel="#hedgewars"

[[gateway.inout]]
account="discord.HW_BRIDGE-IRC"
channel="irc-bridge"

    # Specify options for this gateway link
    [gateway.inout.options]
    WebhookURL=""

[Erwin-Iosef]

Now if you disconnect and reconnect again, when it's stuck at "joining #channel" part, it might actually connect to both sides and relay messages but it won't show that in the log for some reason.

[poVoq]

Try putting a join delay in the IRC side config. Libera.chat has some pretty strict channel connection rules that can afaik lead to issues like that.

[Erwin-Iosef]

Tried that, it connects and relays alright but log still stops at "joining #channel" with `JoinDelay=10000"
Also I have only one channel to connect to, what value did you have in mind though?

[poVoq]

I thought you were trying to connect to multiple channels. With only one it shouldn't make a difference.

Can you try if it behaves the same with other IRC networks?

[Erwin-Iosef]

I tried with the eastern mirror irc.ea.libera.chat, no such luck.

With freenode, same error, other networks I couldn't test.

[0000]  INFO main:         Running version 1.26.1-dev
[0000]  INFO main:         WARNING: THIS IS A DEVELOPMENT VERSION. Things may break.
[0000]  INFO router:       Parsing gateway hwbridge-channel-gateway
[0000]  INFO router:       Starting bridge: irc.libera
[0000]  INFO irc:          Connecting irc.freenode.net:+6697
[0010]  INFO irc:          Connection succeeded
[0010]  INFO irc:          irc.libera: joining #qnet.xmas (ID: #qnet.xmasirc.libera)
[0010]  INFO router:       Starting bridge: discord.HW_BRIDGE-IRC
[0010]  INFO discord:      Connecting
[0010]  INFO discord:      Connection succeeded
[0018]  INFO discord:      discord.HW_BRIDGE-IRC: joining irc-bridge (ID: irc-bridgediscord.HW_BRIDGE-IRC)
[0018]  INFO main:         Gateway(s) started successfully. Now relaying messages
[0037] ERROR irc:          disconnect: error: read tcp [####::#####]:39654->[2001:19f0:6401:1697:5400:3ff:fe75:91f2]:6697: read: software caused connection abort
[0037]  INFO irc:          reconnecting in 30 seconds...
[0052]  INFO irc:          irc.libera: joining #qnet.xmas (ID: #qnet.xmasirc.libera)

EDIT: I know #qnet.xmas is in Quakenet, but I think it's valid.
Does using TLS become a factor?(Just tested, nope), I tried other TLS ports on Libera, same thing.

[selfhoster1312]

@Erwin-Iosef sorry i may have misunderstood: you're saying matterbridge works but there's no more logs after this step? If so, can you try running with -debug to see if you have more logs?

[Erwin-Iosef]

[0007]  INFO discord:      [Connect:bridge/discord/discord.go:83] Connection succeeded
[0007] DEBUG irc:          [handleTopicWhoTime:bridge/irc/handlers.go:299] 333: Topic set by xxxx[xxxx@user/xxxx] [2021-05-25 19:06:39 +0000 UTC]
[0007] DEBUG irc:          [handleJoinPart:bridge/irc/handlers.go:137] handle girc.Event{Source:(*girc.Source)(0x400081d740), Tags:girc.Tags{"account":"John_Doe", "time":"2026-04-27T17:10:22.230Z"}, Timestamp:time.Date(2026, time.April, 27, 17, 10, 22, 230000000, time.Local), Command:"JOIN", Params:[]string{"#hedgewars", "John_Doe", "Matterbridge instance on IRC"}, Sensitive:false, Echo:false}
[0010] DEBUG discord:      [AddWebhook:bridge/discord/transmitter/transmitter.go:113] Manually added webhook "#############" to channel "##############"
[0012]  INFO discord:      [joinChannels:bridge/bridge.go:88] discord.HW_BRIDGE-IRC: joining irc-bridge (ID: irc-bridgediscord.HW_BRIDGE-IRC)
[0012]  INFO main:         [main:matterbridge.go:69] Gateway(s) started successfully. Now relaying messages
[0026] ERROR irc:          [doConnect:bridge/irc/irc.go:194] disconnect: error: read tcp [###############]:56358->[2001:41d0:801:1000::a44]:6697: read: software caused connection abort
[0026]  INFO irc:          [doConnect:bridge/irc/irc.go:202] reconnecting in 30 seconds...
[0038] DEBUG irc:          [handlePrivMsg:bridge/irc/handlers.go:225] == Receiving PRIVMSG: calcium.libera.chat *** Checking Ident girc.Event{Source:(*girc.Source)(0x40004f08a0), Tags:girc.Tags(nil), Timestamp:time.Date(2026, time.April, 27, 17, 10, 53, 138072959, time.Local), Command:"NOTICE", Params:[]string{"*", "*** Checking Ident"}, Sensitive:false, Echo:false}
[0038] DEBUG irc:          [handlePrivMsg:bridge/irc/handlers.go:275] <= Sending message from * on irc.libera to gateway
[0038] DEBUG irc:          [handlePrivMsg:bridge/irc/handlers.go:225] == Receiving PRIVMSG: calcium.libera.chat *** No Ident response girc.Event{Source:(*girc.Source)(0x40004f0ae0), Tags:girc.Tags(nil), Timestamp:time.Date(2026, time.April, 27, 17, 10, 53, 138159366, time.Local), Command:"NOTICE", Params:[]string{"*", "*** No Ident response"}, Sensitive:false, Echo:false}
[0038] DEBUG irc:          [handlePrivMsg:bridge/irc/handlers.go:225] == Receiving PRIVMSG: calcium.libera.chat *** Couldn't look up your hostname girc.Event{Source:(*girc.Source)(0x40004f0c00), Tags:girc.Tags(nil), Timestamp:time.Date(2026, time.April, 27, 17, 10, 53, 138172959, time.Local), Command:"NOTICE", Params:[]string{"*", "*** Couldn't look up your hostname"}, Sensitive:false, Echo:false}
[0038] DEBUG irc:          [handlePrivMsg:bridge/irc/handlers.go:275] <= Sending message from * on irc.libera to gateway
[0038] DEBUG irc:          [handlePrivMsg:bridge/irc/handlers.go:275] <= Sending message from * on irc.libera to gateway
[0038] DEBUG irc:          [handlePrivMsg:bridge/irc/handlers.go:225] == Receiving PRIVMSG: calcium.libera.chat *** Looking up your hostname... girc.Event{Source:(*girc.Source)(0x40004f09c0), Tags:girc.Tags(nil), Timestamp:time.Date(2026, time.April, 27, 17, 10, 53, 138141293, time.Local), Command:"NOTICE", Params:[]string{"*", "*** Looking up your hostname..."}, Sensitive:false, Echo:false}
[0038] DEBUG irc:          [handlePrivMsg:bridge/irc/handlers.go:275] <= Sending message from * on irc.libera to gateway
[0040]  INFO irc:          [joinChannels:bridge/bridge.go:88] irc.libera: joining #hedgewars (ID: #hedgewarsirc.libera)
[0040] DEBUG gateway:      [handleMessage:gateway/handlers.go:175] empty channel
[0040] DEBUG gateway:      [handleMessage:gateway/handlers.go:175] empty channel
[0046] DEBUG irc:          [handleJoinPart:bridge/irc/handlers.go:137] handle girc.Event{Source:(*girc.Source)(0x400049c690), Tags:girc.Tags{"account":"John_Doe":"2026-04-27T17:11:01.188Z"}, Timestamp:time.Date(2026, time.April, 27, 17, 11, 1, 188000000, time.Local), Command:"JOIN", Params:[]string{"#hedgewars", "John_Doe", "Matterbridge instance on IRC"}, Sensitive:false, Echo:false}
[0046] DEBUG irc:          [handleTopicWhoTime:bridge/irc/handlers.go:299] 333: Topic set by xxxx [xxxx@user/xxxx] [2021-05-25 19:06:39 +0000 UTC]

[Erwin-Iosef]

sorry i may have misunderstood: you're saying matterbridge works but there's no more logs after this step?

Pretty much, there's no further messages apart from 'reconnecting' for some reason.

[Erwin-Iosef]

[4572]  INFO irc:          irc.libera: joining #hedgewars (ID: #hedgewarsirc.libera)
2026/04/27 20:44:51 [DG0] wsapi.go:304:heartbeat() haven't gotten a heartbeat ACK in 4m7.141492719s, triggering a reconnection

I also get this at times, but no 'success' message appears.