EPUB error guide

OPF file not found in the EPUB

Why OPF_002 happens when container.xml points to a missing package file, and how to scan for a safe fix.

Error text

OPF_002: The OPF file was not found.

When you usually see it

container.xml exists, but the rootfile path points to an OPF file that is not inside the EPUB package.

Plain English

What it means inside the EPUB.

The EPUB has a map to the package file, but the map points to the wrong place.

The OPF may have been moved, renamed, zipped from the wrong folder, or referenced with the wrong case or relative path.

User checklist

What to inspect before another upload.

These checks keep the repair decision tied to the EPUB package instead of guessing from a generic error code.

Open META-INF/container.xml and copy the rootfile full-path value.
Check whether that OPF path exists exactly inside the EPUB ZIP archive.
Treat multiple OPF files, missing OPF files, or multiple rendition packages as manual review.

Standards context

Why this error matters to validators.

EPUB OCF container

The EPUB container must expose the package document through the expected container structure, including META-INF/container.xml and the packaged resources it points to.

EPUB 3.3 package document

The package document defines the metadata, manifest, spine, and navigation wiring that validators inspect before a reading system can process the book reliably.

Repairability

Can EPUB Fixer repair it?

Safe repair condition

The rootfile pointer can be repaired when the correct OPF target is clear and the package has a single safe match.

When it stops at diagnosis

It is unsafe when multiple OPF files exist, when the OPF is missing, or when multiple renditions require an editorial choice.

Before / after example

Before: container.xml points to OEBPS/content.opf, but the EPUB contains OPS/package.opf. After: the rootfile path is aligned only if that is the single valid package file.

Next step

Scan the actual file before editing by hand.

The same error code can come from different files and different causes. Uploading the EPUB lets the report show the affected path and whether the fix is deterministic.

Upload EPUB to scan