Isolate config tests from the shell; any out-of-range PORT is ErrInvalidPort (closes #94)

Config tests, and the first-boot debug log test that builds a Config,
start from an empty environment: config.ClearEnvForTest unsets every
variable the process has and, when the test ends, leaves the
environment exactly as it found it, so nothing exported in the
developer's shell changes a result and nothing a test sets outlives it.
TestEnvPositiveInt and TestEnvPort share one table runner, and
TestEnvPort checks that the bad value appears in each error.

Every out-of-range PORT now wraps ErrInvalidPort: zero, negatives,
above 65535, and numbers too large or too small for an int.

The README configuration table and the Settings page say that a
RETENTION_SWEEP_INTERVAL that does not parse, or is zero or negative,
fails startup.

Model: opus-5-5

internal/config/config.go

@@ -80,8 +80,7 @@ const (
 	// process over a Docker network or a private LAN connects from.
 	defaultTrustedProxies = "10.0.0.0/8,172.16.0.0/12,192.168.0.0/16"
 
-	// maxPort is the highest valid TCP port number. The lower
-	// bound (at least 1) is enforced by envPositiveInt.
+	// maxPort is the highest valid TCP port number.
 	maxPort = 65535
 
 	// mappedV4Offset is the number of leading bits an IPv4-mapped
@@ -105,7 +104,7 @@ var ErrInvalidEnvironment = errors.New("invalid environment")
 var ErrNonPositiveValue = errors.New("value must be positive")
 
 // ErrInvalidPort is returned when an environment variable holding a
-// TCP port number is set above the valid port range.
+// TCP port number is set to a number outside 1 to 65535.
 var ErrInvalidPort = errors.New("invalid port")
 
 // ErrInvalidCIDR is returned when an environment variable holding a
@@ -363,17 +362,27 @@ func envPositiveInt(
 // envPort returns the value of the named environment variable parsed
 // as a TCP port number. Returns defaultValue if not set. A set value
 // that is unparseable, below 1, or above maxPort is a hard error
-// naming the key and the bad value.
+// naming the key and the bad value; every out-of-range value wraps
+// ErrInvalidPort, including one too large or too small for an int.
 func envPort(key string, defaultValue int) (int, error) {
-	port, err := envPositiveInt(key, defaultValue)
-	if err != nil {
-		return 0, err
+	v := os.Getenv(key)
+	if v == "" {
+		return defaultValue, nil
 	}
 
-	if port > maxPort {
+	// strconv.ErrRange means a number too large or too small for an
+	// int, which is outside the port range as well.
+	port, err := strconv.Atoi(v)
+	if err != nil && !errors.Is(err, strconv.ErrRange) {
 		return 0, fmt.Errorf(
-			"%w: %s must be at most %d, got %d",
-			ErrInvalidPort, key, maxPort, port,
+			"invalid integer for %s: %q: %w", key, v, err,
+		)
+	}
+
+	if err != nil || port < 1 || port > maxPort {
+		return 0, fmt.Errorf(
+			"%w: %s must be from 1 to %d, got %q",
+			ErrInvalidPort, key, maxPort, v,
 		)
 	}
 

internal/config/config_test.go

@@ -3,7 +3,6 @@ package config_test
 import (
 	"bytes"
 	"log/slog"
-	"os"
 	"testing"
 	"time"
 
@@ -71,14 +70,12 @@ func TestEnvironmentConfig(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Run(tt.name, func(t *testing.T) {
 			// Cannot use t.Parallel() here because t.Setenv
 			// is incompatible with parallel subtests.
+			config.ClearEnvForTest(t)
+
 			if tt.envValue != "" {
 				t.Setenv(
 					"WEBHOOKER_ENVIRONMENT", tt.envValue,
 				)
-			} else {
-				require.NoError(t, os.Unsetenv(
-					"WEBHOOKER_ENVIRONMENT",
-				))
 			}
 
 			for k, v := range tt.envVars {
@@ -199,14 +196,11 @@ func TestRetentionSweepInterval(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Run(tt.name, func(t *testing.T) {
 			// Cannot use t.Parallel() here because t.Setenv
 			// is incompatible with parallel subtests.
+			config.ClearEnvForTest(t)
 			t.Setenv("WEBHOOKER_ENVIRONMENT", "dev")
 
 			if tt.set {
 				t.Setenv("RETENTION_SWEEP_INTERVAL", tt.value)
-			} else {
-				require.NoError(t, os.Unsetenv(
-					"RETENTION_SWEEP_INTERVAL",
-				))
 			}
 
 			if tt.expectError {
@@ -341,14 +335,11 @@ func TestSessionIdleTimeout(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Run(tt.name, func(t *testing.T) {
 			// Cannot use t.Parallel() here because t.Setenv
 			// is incompatible with parallel subtests.
+			config.ClearEnvForTest(t)
 			t.Setenv("WEBHOOKER_ENVIRONMENT", "dev")
 
 			if tt.set {
 				t.Setenv("SESSION_IDLE_TIMEOUT", tt.value)
-			} else {
-				require.NoError(t, os.Unsetenv(
-					"SESSION_IDLE_TIMEOUT",
-				))
 			}
 
 			if tt.expectError {
@@ -397,16 +388,12 @@ func TestDefaultDataDir(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Run("env="+name, func(t *testing.T) {
 			// Cannot use t.Parallel() here because t.Setenv
 			// is incompatible with parallel subtests.
+			config.ClearEnvForTest(t)
+
 			if env != "" {
 				t.Setenv("WEBHOOKER_ENVIRONMENT", env)
-			} else {
-				require.NoError(t, os.Unsetenv(
-					"WEBHOOKER_ENVIRONMENT",
-				))
 			}
 
-			require.NoError(t, os.Unsetenv("DATA_DIR"))
-
 			var cfg *config.Config
 
 			app := fxtest.New(
@@ -446,9 +433,9 @@ func TestDataDirHelper(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Run(name, func(t *testing.T) {
 			// Cannot use t.Parallel() here because t.Setenv
 			// is incompatible with parallel subtests.
-			if set == "" {
-				require.NoError(t, os.Unsetenv("DATA_DIR"))
-			} else {
+			config.ClearEnvForTest(t)
+
+			if set != "" {
 				t.Setenv("DATA_DIR", set)
 			}
 
@@ -511,14 +498,11 @@ func TestReceiverRateLimit(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Run(tt.name, func(t *testing.T) {
 			// Cannot use t.Parallel() here because t.Setenv
 			// is incompatible with parallel subtests.
+			config.ClearEnvForTest(t)
 			t.Setenv("WEBHOOKER_ENVIRONMENT", "dev")
 
 			if tt.set {
 				t.Setenv("RECEIVER_RATE_LIMIT", tt.value)
-			} else {
-				require.NoError(t, os.Unsetenv(
-					"RECEIVER_RATE_LIMIT",
-				))
 			}
 
 			if tt.expectError {
@@ -630,12 +614,11 @@ func TestTrustedProxies(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Run(tt.name, func(t *testing.T) {
 			// Cannot use t.Parallel() here because t.Setenv
 			// is incompatible with parallel subtests.
+			config.ClearEnvForTest(t)
 			t.Setenv("WEBHOOKER_ENVIRONMENT", "dev")
 
 			if tt.set {
 				t.Setenv("TRUSTED_PROXIES", tt.value)
-			} else {
-				require.NoError(t, os.Unsetenv("TRUSTED_PROXIES"))
 			}
 
 			if tt.expectError {
@@ -742,14 +725,11 @@ func TestAllowedEgressCIDRs(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Run(tt.name, func(t *testing.T) {
 			// Cannot use t.Parallel() here because t.Setenv
 			// is incompatible with parallel subtests.
+			config.ClearEnvForTest(t)
 			t.Setenv("WEBHOOKER_ENVIRONMENT", "dev")
 
 			if tt.set {
 				t.Setenv("ALLOWED_EGRESS_CIDRS", tt.value)
-			} else {
-				require.NoError(
-					t, os.Unsetenv("ALLOWED_EGRESS_CIDRS"),
-				)
 			}
 
 			if tt.expectError {
@@ -817,13 +797,10 @@ func TestEgressAllowlistWarning(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Run(tt.name, func(t *testing.T) {
 			// Cannot use t.Parallel() here because t.Setenv
 			// is incompatible with parallel subtests.
+			config.ClearEnvForTest(t)
 			t.Setenv("WEBHOOKER_ENVIRONMENT", config.EnvironmentDev)
 
-			if tt.allowed == "" {
-				require.NoError(
-					t, os.Unsetenv("ALLOWED_EGRESS_CIDRS"),
-				)
-			} else {
+			if tt.allowed != "" {
 				t.Setenv("ALLOWED_EGRESS_CIDRS", tt.allowed)
 			}
 
@@ -956,20 +933,14 @@ func TestMetricsAuthConfig(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Run(tt.name, func(t *testing.T) {
 			// Cannot use t.Parallel() here because t.Setenv
 			// is incompatible with parallel subtests.
+			config.ClearEnvForTest(t)
+
 			if tt.username.set {
 				t.Setenv("METRICS_USERNAME", tt.username.value)
-			} else {
-				require.NoError(
-					t, os.Unsetenv("METRICS_USERNAME"),
-				)
 			}
 
 			if tt.password.set {
 				t.Setenv("METRICS_PASSWORD", tt.password.value)
-			} else {
-				require.NoError(
-					t, os.Unsetenv("METRICS_PASSWORD"),
-				)
 			}
 
 			if tt.expectError {

internal/config/dotenv_test.go

@@ -22,17 +22,6 @@ const malformedDotEnv = "PORT 19615\n" +
 	"this is not = valid ! syntax\n" +
 	"\"unclosed\n"
 
-// unsetDotEnvKey makes dotEnvKey genuinely absent for the duration of
-// the test and restores it afterwards. t.Setenv registers the restore;
-// the Unsetenv that follows is what the test actually needs, because a
-// variable set to the empty string is still present in os.Environ and
-// godotenv would refuse to overwrite it.
-func unsetDotEnvKey(t *testing.T) {
-	t.Helper()
-	t.Setenv(dotEnvKey, "placeholder")
-	require.NoError(t, os.Unsetenv(dotEnvKey))
-}
-
 // writeDotEnv writes contents to a .env file in a fresh temporary
 // directory and returns its path.
 func writeDotEnv(t *testing.T, contents string) string {
@@ -50,9 +39,9 @@ func writeDotEnv(t *testing.T, contents string) string {
 // normally rather than be refused for a file it was never meant to
 // have.
 //
-//nolint:paralleltest // unsetDotEnvKey uses t.Setenv.
+//nolint:paralleltest // ClearEnvForTest uses t.Setenv.
 func TestLoadDotEnv_MissingFileIsFine(t *testing.T) {
-	unsetDotEnvKey(t)
+	config.ClearEnvForTest(t)
 
 	absent := filepath.Join(t.TempDir(), config.DotEnvPath)
 	require.NoError(t, config.LoadDotEnvFileForTest(absent))
@@ -65,9 +54,9 @@ func TestLoadDotEnv_MissingFileIsFine(t *testing.T) {
 // reaches the environment, which is the whole reason the file is read
 // at all.
 //
-//nolint:paralleltest // unsetDotEnvKey uses t.Setenv.
+//nolint:paralleltest // ClearEnvForTest uses t.Setenv.
 func TestLoadDotEnv_AppliesValues(t *testing.T) {
-	unsetDotEnvKey(t)
+	config.ClearEnvForTest(t)
 
 	path := writeDotEnv(t, "# a comment\n"+dotEnvKey+"=from-dot-env\n")
 
@@ -93,9 +82,9 @@ func TestLoadDotEnv_RealEnvironmentWins(t *testing.T) {
 // reverts to its default; the process used to start that way with no
 // log line naming the file at all.
 //
-//nolint:paralleltest // unsetDotEnvKey uses t.Setenv.
+//nolint:paralleltest // ClearEnvForTest uses t.Setenv.
 func TestLoadDotEnv_MalformedFileAborts(t *testing.T) {
-	unsetDotEnvKey(t)
+	config.ClearEnvForTest(t)
 
 	path := writeDotEnv(
 		t, malformedDotEnv+dotEnvKey+"=from-dot-env\n",
@@ -143,7 +132,7 @@ func TestLoadDotEnv_UnreadableFileAborts(t *testing.T) {
 //
 //nolint:paralleltest // t.Chdir moves the whole process.
 func TestLoadDotEnv_ReadsTheWorkingDirectory(t *testing.T) {
-	unsetDotEnvKey(t)
+	config.ClearEnvForTest(t)
 
 	dir := t.TempDir()
 	require.NoError(t, os.WriteFile(

internal/config/env_test.go

@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 package config_test
 
 import (
-	"os"
 	"testing"
 
 	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
@@ -121,10 +120,10 @@ func TestEnvBool(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Run(tt.name, func(t *testing.T) {
 			// Cannot use t.Parallel() here because t.Setenv
 			// is incompatible with parallel subtests.
+			config.ClearEnvForTest(t)
+
 			if tt.set {
 				t.Setenv(testEnvKey, tt.value)
-			} else {
-				require.NoError(t, os.Unsetenv(testEnvKey))
 			}
 
 			got, err := config.EnvBoolForTest(
@@ -145,17 +144,62 @@ func TestEnvBool(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+// envIntCase is one row of the envPositiveInt and envPort tables.
+type envIntCase struct {
+	name        string
+	set         bool
+	value       string
+	expectError bool
+	errIs       error
+	expected    int
+}
+
+// runEnvIntCases runs each row through parse, which is
+// envPositiveInt or envPort, with testEnvKey set to the row's value
+// or left unset.
+func runEnvIntCases(
+	t *testing.T,
+	parse func(key string, defaultValue int) (int, error),
+	defaultValue int,
+	tests []envIntCase,
+) {
+	t.Helper()
+
+	for _, tt := range tests {
+		t.Run(tt.name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			// Cannot use t.Parallel() here because t.Setenv
+			// is incompatible with parallel subtests.
+			config.ClearEnvForTest(t)
+
+			if tt.set {
+				t.Setenv(testEnvKey, tt.value)
+			}
+
+			got, err := parse(testEnvKey, defaultValue)
+
+			if tt.expectError {
+				require.Error(t, err)
+				assert.Contains(t, err.Error(), testEnvKey)
+				assert.Contains(t, err.Error(), tt.value)
+
+				if tt.errIs != nil {
+					require.ErrorIs(t, err, tt.errIs)
+				}
+
+				return
+			}
+
+			require.NoError(t, err)
+			assert.Equal(t, tt.expected, got)
+		})
+	}
+}
+
+//nolint:paralleltest // runEnvIntCases uses t.Setenv.
 func TestEnvPositiveInt(t *testing.T) {
 	const defaultValue = 7
 
-	tests := []struct {
-		name        string
-		set         bool
-		value       string
-		expectError bool
-		errIs       error
-		expected    int
-	}{
+	runEnvIntCases(t, config.EnvPositiveIntForTest, defaultValue, []envIntCase{
 		{
 			name:     "unset returns the default integer",
 			expected: defaultValue,
@@ -192,51 +236,14 @@ func TestEnvPositiveInt(t *testing.T) {
 			expectError: true,
 			errIs:       config.ErrNonPositiveValue,
 		},
-	}
-
-	for _, tt := range tests {
-		t.Run(tt.name, func(t *testing.T) {
-			// Cannot use t.Parallel() here because t.Setenv
-			// is incompatible with parallel subtests.
-			if tt.set {
-				t.Setenv(testEnvKey, tt.value)
-			} else {
-				require.NoError(t, os.Unsetenv(testEnvKey))
-			}
-
-			got, err := config.EnvPositiveIntForTest(
-				testEnvKey, defaultValue,
-			)
-
-			if tt.expectError {
-				require.Error(t, err)
-				assert.Contains(t, err.Error(), testEnvKey)
-				assert.Contains(t, err.Error(), tt.value)
-
-				if tt.errIs != nil {
-					require.ErrorIs(t, err, tt.errIs)
-				}
-
-				return
-			}
-
-			require.NoError(t, err)
-			assert.Equal(t, tt.expected, got)
-		})
-	}
+	})
 }
 
+//nolint:paralleltest // runEnvIntCases uses t.Setenv.
 func TestEnvPort(t *testing.T) {
 	const defaultValue = 8080
 
-	tests := []struct {
-		name        string
-		set         bool
-		value       string
-		expectError bool
-		errIs       error
-		expected    int
-	}{
+	runEnvIntCases(t, config.EnvPortForTest, defaultValue, []envIntCase{
 		{
 			name:     "unset returns the default port",
 			expected: defaultValue,
@@ -264,7 +271,14 @@ func TestEnvPort(t *testing.T) {
 			set:         true,
 			value:       "0",
 			expectError: true,
-			errIs:       config.ErrNonPositiveValue,
+			errIs:       config.ErrInvalidPort,
+		},
+		{
+			name:        "negative is rejected",
+			set:         true,
+			value:       "-1",
+			expectError: true,
+			errIs:       config.ErrInvalidPort,
 		},
 		{
 			name:        "above the port range is rejected",
@@ -273,37 +287,14 @@ func TestEnvPort(t *testing.T) {
 			expectError: true,
 			errIs:       config.ErrInvalidPort,
 		},
-	}
-
-	for _, tt := range tests {
-		t.Run(tt.name, func(t *testing.T) {
-			// Cannot use t.Parallel() here because t.Setenv
-			// is incompatible with parallel subtests.
-			if tt.set {
-				t.Setenv(testEnvKey, tt.value)
-			} else {
-				require.NoError(t, os.Unsetenv(testEnvKey))
-			}
-
-			got, err := config.EnvPortForTest(
-				testEnvKey, defaultValue,
-			)
-
-			if tt.expectError {
-				require.Error(t, err)
-				assert.Contains(t, err.Error(), testEnvKey)
-
-				if tt.errIs != nil {
-					require.ErrorIs(t, err, tt.errIs)
-				}
-
-				return
-			}
-
-			require.NoError(t, err)
-			assert.Equal(t, tt.expected, got)
-		})
-	}
+		{
+			name:        "too large for an int is rejected",
+			set:         true,
+			value:       "99999999999999999999",
+			expectError: true,
+			errIs:       config.ErrInvalidPort,
+		},
+	})
 }
 
 // TestEnvBindAddress covers BIND_ADDRESS parsing.
@@ -319,10 +310,10 @@ func TestEnvBindAddress(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Run(tt.name, func(t *testing.T) {
 			// Cannot use t.Parallel() here because t.Setenv
 			// is incompatible with parallel subtests.
+			config.ClearEnvForTest(t)
+
 			if tt.set {
 				t.Setenv(testEnvKey, tt.value)
-			} else {
-				require.NoError(t, os.Unsetenv(testEnvKey))
 			}
 
 			got, err := config.EnvBindAddressForTest(
@@ -485,6 +476,7 @@ func TestNewRejectsBadEnvValues(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Run(tt.name, func(t *testing.T) {
 			// Cannot use t.Parallel() here because t.Setenv
 			// is incompatible with parallel subtests.
+			config.ClearEnvForTest(t)
 			t.Setenv("WEBHOOKER_ENVIRONMENT", "dev")
 			t.Setenv(tt.key, tt.value)
 
@@ -646,14 +638,9 @@ func sentryEnvValueCases() []badEnvValueCase {
 // break the legitimate unset case: absent variables still get their
 // documented defaults.
 func TestNewUsesDefaultsWhenUnset(t *testing.T) {
+	config.ClearEnvForTest(t)
 	t.Setenv("WEBHOOKER_ENVIRONMENT", "dev")
 
-	for _, key := range []string{
-		envKeyPort, envKeyDebug, envKeyBindAddress, envKeySentryDSN,
-	} {
-		require.NoError(t, os.Unsetenv(key))
-	}
-
 	cfg, err := buildConfig(t)
 	require.NoError(t, err)
 	require.NotNil(t, cfg)

internal/config/sentry_test.go

@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 package config_test
 
 import (
-	"os"
 	"testing"
 
 	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
@@ -101,10 +100,10 @@ func TestEnvSentryDSN(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Run(tt.name, func(t *testing.T) {
 			// Cannot use t.Parallel() here because t.Setenv
 			// is incompatible with parallel subtests.
+			config.ClearEnvForTest(t)
+
 			if tt.set {
 				t.Setenv(envKeySentryDSN, tt.value)
-			} else {
-				require.NoError(t, os.Unsetenv(envKeySentryDSN))
 			}
 
 			got, err := config.EnvSentryDSNForTest(envKeySentryDSN)

internal/config/testing.go

@@ -0,0 +1,50 @@
+package config
+
+import (
+	"os"
+	"strings"
+	"testing"
+)
+
+// ClearEnvForTest unsets every variable in the process environment
+// for the rest of the test, so a test sees only the variables it sets
+// itself, not whatever the developer's shell exports. When the test
+// ends it leaves the environment exactly as it found it: each variable
+// it unset is put back, and any variable added since is removed.
+func ClearEnvForTest(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Helper()
+
+	present := make(map[string]bool)
+
+	for _, entry := range os.Environ() {
+		key, _, _ := strings.Cut(entry, "=")
+		present[key] = true
+
+		// t.Setenv registers the restore; the Unsetenv after it is
+		// what makes the key absent, since a key set to the empty
+		// string is still present, and godotenv will not overwrite a
+		// present key.
+		t.Setenv(key, "")
+
+		err := os.Unsetenv(key)
+		if err != nil {
+			t.Fatalf("unsetting %s: %v", key, err)
+		}
+	}
+
+	// A variable the test adds other than through t.Setenv, as loading
+	// a .env file does, has no restore of its own.
+	t.Cleanup(func() {
+		for _, entry := range os.Environ() {
+			key, _, _ := strings.Cut(entry, "=")
+			if present[key] {
+				continue
+			}
+
+			err := os.Unsetenv(key)
+			if err != nil {
+				t.Errorf("unsetting %s: %v", key, err)
+			}
+		}
+	})
+}

internal/config/testing_test.go

@@ -0,0 +1,36 @@
+package config_test
+
+import (
+	"os"
+	"testing"
+
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
+	"sneak.berlin/go/webhooker/internal/config"
+)
+
+// TestClearEnvForTest_RemovesAddedVariables pins that a variable set
+// after the clear other than through t.Setenv, as a test's .env file
+// sets one, is gone once the test ends, so it cannot reach the tests
+// that run after it.
+//
+//nolint:paralleltest // ClearEnvForTest uses t.Setenv.
+func TestClearEnvForTest_RemovesAddedVariables(t *testing.T) {
+	// The outer clear keeps a value of the key exported in the shell
+	// from making it a variable the inner clear has to put back.
+	config.ClearEnvForTest(t)
+
+	t.Run("loads a .env file after the clear", func(t *testing.T) {
+		config.ClearEnvForTest(t)
+
+		path := writeDotEnv(t, dotEnvKey+"=from-dot-env\n")
+		require.NoError(t, config.LoadDotEnvFileForTest(path))
+		require.Equal(t, "from-dot-env", os.Getenv(dotEnvKey))
+	})
+
+	_, present := os.LookupEnv(dotEnvKey)
+	assert.False(
+		t, present,
+		"a variable set after the clear must not outlive the test",
+	)
+}

internal/gormlog/firstboot_test.go

@@ -117,8 +117,8 @@ func readFirstBootSecrets(
 }
 
 // bootAtDebug starts and stops the real application graph against
-// dataDir with DEBUG=true, and returns everything it wrote to standard
-// output.
+// dataDir with DEBUG=true and nothing else set, and returns everything
+// it wrote to standard output.
 //
 // config.New reads DEBUG from the environment exactly as the binary
 // does, internal/logger builds the handler it builds in production,
@@ -128,6 +128,7 @@ func readFirstBootSecrets(
 func bootAtDebug(t *testing.T, dataDir string) string {
 	t.Helper()
 
+	config.ClearEnvForTest(t)
 	t.Setenv("DEBUG", "true")
 	t.Setenv("DATA_DIR", dataDir)
 

internal/handlers/settings.go

@@ -77,7 +77,8 @@ func settingRows(cfg *config.Config) []settingRow {
 		{
 			"RETENTION_SWEEP_INTERVAL",
 			"How often the retention reaper and archive sweeper run " +
-				"(Go duration, must be positive)",
+				"(Go duration, must be positive). A value that does " +
+				"not parse, or is zero or negative, fails startup",
 			cfg.RetentionSweepInterval.String(),
 		},
 		{