wp plugin list shows nothing - need to use --skip-plugins

[FabioPedretti]

Bug Report

• Yes, I reviewed the contribution guidelines.
• Yes, more specifically, I reviewed the guidelines on how to write clear bug reports.

Describe the current, buggy behavior

No output is shown when running:

$ wp plugin list
$

If I add --skip-plugins then output is shown:

$ wp plugin list --skip-plugins
+----------------------------------------------------+--------+--------+---------+----------------+-------------+
| name                                               | status | update | version | update_version | auto_update |
+----------------------------------------------------+--------+--------+---------+----------------+-------------+
| woo-order-export-lite                              | active | none   | 4.0.7   |                | on          |
...

If I run it with --debug I get this:

$ wp plugin list --debug
Debug (bootstrap): Processing bootstrap step: WP_CLI\Bootstrap\DeclareAbstractBaseCommand (0.007s)
Debug (bootstrap): Processing bootstrap step: WP_CLI\Bootstrap\IncludeFrameworkAutoloader (0.007s)
Debug (bootstrap): Processing bootstrap step: WP_CLI\Bootstrap\ConfigureRunner (0.007s)
Debug (bootstrap): Processing bootstrap step: WP_CLI\Bootstrap\InitializeColorization (0.007s)
Debug (bootstrap): Processing bootstrap step: WP_CLI\Bootstrap\InitializeLogger (0.007s)
Debug (bootstrap): Processing bootstrap step: WP_CLI\Bootstrap\RegisterShutdownHandler (0.007s)
Debug (bootstrap): Processing bootstrap step: WP_CLI\Bootstrap\CheckRoot (0.007s)
Debug (bootstrap): Processing bootstrap step: WP_CLI\Bootstrap\IncludeRequestsAutoloader (0.008s)
Debug (bootstrap): Setting RequestsLibrary::$version to v2 (0.008s)
Debug (bootstrap): Setting RequestsLibrary::$source to wp-core (0.008s)
Debug (bootstrap): Setting RequestsLibrary::$class_name to \WpOrg\Requests\Requests (0.008s)
Debug (bootstrap): Processing bootstrap step: WP_CLI\Bootstrap\DefineProtectedCommands (0.008s)
Debug (bootstrap): Processing bootstrap step: WP_CLI\Bootstrap\LoadExecCommand (0.008s)
Debug (bootstrap): Processing bootstrap step: WP_CLI\Bootstrap\LoadRequiredCommand (0.008s)
Debug (bootstrap): Processing bootstrap step: WP_CLI\Bootstrap\IncludeFallbackAutoloader (0.008s)
Debug (bootstrap): Fallback autoloader paths: phar://wp-cli.phar/vendor/autoload.php (0.008s)
Debug (bootstrap): Loading detected autoloader: phar://wp-cli.phar/vendor/autoload.php (0.008s)
Debug (bootstrap): Attaching command 'config edit' to hook before_wp_load (0.013s)
Debug (bootstrap): Attaching command 'config path' to hook before_wp_load (0.013s)
Debug (bootstrap): Attaching command 'config list' to hook before_wp_load (0.013s)
Debug (bootstrap): Attaching command 'config get' to hook before_wp_load (0.013s)
Debug (bootstrap): Attaching command 'config is-true' to hook before_wp_load (0.013s)
Debug (bootstrap): Attaching command 'config set' to hook before_wp_load (0.013s)
Debug (bootstrap): Attaching command 'config add' to hook before_wp_load (0.013s)
Debug (bootstrap): Attaching command 'config update' to hook before_wp_load (0.013s)
Debug (bootstrap): Attaching command 'config delete' to hook before_wp_load (0.014s)
Debug (bootstrap): Attaching command 'config has' to hook before_wp_load (0.014s)
Debug (bootstrap): Attaching command 'config shuffle-salts' to hook before_wp_load (0.014s)
Debug (commands): Adding command: config (0.014s)
Debug (bootstrap): Attaching command 'core download' to hook before_wp_load (0.015s)
Debug (bootstrap): Attaching command 'core version' to hook before_wp_load (0.016s)
Debug (commands): Adding command: core (0.016s)
Debug (bootstrap): Attaching command 'eval' to hook before_wp_load (0.016s)
Debug (commands): Adding command: eval (0.016s)
Debug (bootstrap): Attaching command 'eval-file' to hook before_wp_load (0.016s)
Debug (commands): Adding command: eval-file (0.016s)
Debug (bootstrap): Attaching command 'ability' to hook after_wp_load (0.016s)
Debug (commands): Adding command: ability (0.016s)
Debug (bootstrap): Attaching command 'ability category' to hook after_wp_load (0.017s)
Debug (commands): Adding command: category in ability Namespace (0.017s)
Debug (bootstrap): Attaching command 'ai' to hook after_wp_load (0.017s)
Debug (commands): Adding command: ai (0.017s)
Debug (bootstrap): Attaching command 'connectors list' to hook after_wp_load (0.017s)
Debug (bootstrap): Attaching command 'connectors get' to hook after_wp_load (0.017s)
Debug (commands): Adding command: connectors (0.017s)
Debug (commands): Adding namespace: block (0.018s)
Debug (commands): Adding command: type in block Namespace (0.018s)
Debug (commands): Adding command: pattern in block Namespace (0.018s)
Debug (commands): Adding command: pattern-category in block Namespace (0.018s)
Debug (commands): Adding command: style in block Namespace (0.018s)
Debug (commands): Adding command: binding in block Namespace (0.019s)
Debug (commands): Adding command: template in block Namespace (0.019s)
Debug (commands): Adding command: synced-pattern in block Namespace (0.019s)
Debug (commands): Adding command: cache (0.02s)
Debug (commands): Adding command: transient (0.02s)
Debug (bootstrap): Attaching command 'core verify-checksums' to hook before_wp_load (0.021s)
Debug (commands): Adding command: verify-checksums in core Namespace (0.021s)
Debug (commands): Adding namespace: plugin (0.021s)
Debug (commands): Adding command: verify-checksums in plugin Namespace (0.021s)
Debug (commands): Adding command: cron (0.021s)
Debug (commands): Adding command: event in cron Namespace (0.022s)
Debug (commands): Adding command: schedule in cron Namespace (0.022s)
Debug (bootstrap): Attaching command 'db' to hook after_wp_config_load (0.024s)
Debug (bootstrap): Attaching command 'db clean' to hook after_wp_load (0.024s)
Debug (bootstrap): Attaching command 'db tables' to hook after_wp_load (0.024s)
Debug (bootstrap): Attaching command 'db size' to hook after_wp_load (0.024s)
Debug (bootstrap): Attaching command 'db prefix' to hook after_wp_load (0.024s)
Debug (bootstrap): Attaching command 'db search' to hook after_wp_load (0.024s)
Debug (bootstrap): Attaching command 'db columns' to hook after_wp_load (0.024s)
Debug (commands): Adding command: db (0.024s)
Debug (commands): Adding namespace: embed (0.024s)
Debug (commands): Adding command: fetch in embed Namespace (0.025s)
Debug (commands): Adding command: provider in embed Namespace (0.025s)
Debug (commands): Adding command: handler in embed Namespace (0.025s)
Debug (commands): Adding command: cache in embed Namespace (0.025s)
Debug (commands): Adding command: comment (0.026s)
Debug (commands): Adding command: meta in comment Namespace (0.026s)
Debug (commands): Adding command: menu (0.027s)
Debug (commands): Adding command: item in menu Namespace (0.027s)
Debug (commands): Adding command: location in menu Namespace (0.027s)
Debug (commands): Deferring command: network meta (0.027s)
Debug (commands): Adding command: option (0.028s)
Debug (commands): Adding command: post (0.029s)
Debug (commands): Adding command: block in post Namespace (0.031s)
Debug (commands): Adding command: meta in post Namespace (0.031s)
Debug (commands): Adding command: revision in post Namespace (0.031s)
Debug (commands): Adding command: term in post Namespace (0.032s)
Debug (commands): Adding command: post-type (0.032s)
Debug (commands): Adding command: site (0.033s)
Debug (commands): Adding command: meta in site Namespace (0.033s)
Debug (commands): Adding command: option in site Namespace (0.034s)
Debug (commands): Adding command: taxonomy (0.034s)
Debug (commands): Adding command: term (0.034s)
Debug (commands): Adding command: meta in term Namespace (0.035s)
Debug (commands): Adding command: user (0.036s)
Debug (commands): Adding command: application-password in user Namespace (0.036s)
Debug (commands): Adding command: meta in user Namespace (0.037s)
Debug (commands): Adding command: session in user Namespace (0.037s)
Debug (commands): Adding command: term in user Namespace (0.037s)
Debug (commands): Adding namespace: network (0.037s)
Debug (hooks): Processing hook "after_add_command:network" with 1 callbacks (0.037s)
Debug (hooks): On hook "after_add_command:network": Closure in file phar:///usr/local/bin/wp/vendor/wp-cli/wp-cli/php/class-wp-cli.php at line 733 (0.037s)
Debug (commands): Adding command: meta in network Namespace (0.037s)
Debug (commands): Adding command: signup in user Namespace (0.038s)
Debug (commands): Adding namespace: font (0.038s)
Debug (commands): Adding command: collection in font Namespace (0.038s)
Debug (commands): Adding command: family in font Namespace (0.038s)
Debug (commands): Adding command: face in font Namespace (0.038s)
Debug (commands): Adding command: export (0.039s)
Debug (commands): Adding command: plugin (0.041s)
Debug (commands): Adding command: auto-updates in plugin Namespace (0.042s)
Debug (commands): Adding command: theme (0.043s)
Debug (commands): Adding command: auto-updates in theme Namespace (0.043s)
Debug (commands): Adding command: mod in theme Namespace (0.044s)
Debug (bootstrap): Attaching command 'i18n' to hook before_wp_load (0.044s)
Debug (commands): Adding namespace: i18n (0.044s)
Debug (bootstrap): Attaching command 'i18n make-pot' to hook before_wp_load (0.044s)
Debug (commands): Adding command: make-pot in i18n Namespace (0.045s)
Debug (bootstrap): Attaching command 'i18n make-json' to hook before_wp_load (0.045s)
Debug (commands): Adding command: make-json in i18n Namespace (0.045s)
Debug (bootstrap): Attaching command 'i18n make-mo' to hook before_wp_load (0.045s)
Debug (commands): Adding command: make-mo in i18n Namespace (0.045s)
Debug (bootstrap): Attaching command 'i18n make-php' to hook before_wp_load (0.045s)
Debug (commands): Adding command: make-php in i18n Namespace (0.045s)
Debug (bootstrap): Attaching command 'i18n update-po' to hook before_wp_load (0.045s)
Debug (commands): Adding command: update-po in i18n Namespace (0.046s)
Debug (commands): Adding command: audit in i18n Namespace (0.046s)
Debug (commands): Adding command: import (0.047s)
Debug (commands): Deferring command: language core (0.047s)
Debug (commands): Deferring command: language plugin (0.047s)
Debug (commands): Deferring command: language theme (0.048s)
Debug (hooks): Immediately invoking on passed hook "after_add_command:site": Closure in file phar:///usr/local/bin/wp/vendor/wp-cli/language-command/language-command.php at line 39 (0.048s)
Debug (commands): Adding command: switch-language in site Namespace (0.048s)
Debug (commands): Adding namespace: language (0.048s)
Debug (hooks): Processing hook "after_add_command:language" with 3 callbacks (0.048s)
Debug (hooks): On hook "after_add_command:language": Closure in file phar:///usr/local/bin/wp/vendor/wp-cli/wp-cli/php/class-wp-cli.php at line 733 (0.048s)
Debug (commands): Adding command: core in language Namespace (0.048s)
Debug (hooks): On hook "after_add_command:language": Closure in file phar:///usr/local/bin/wp/vendor/wp-cli/wp-cli/php/class-wp-cli.php at line 733 (0.048s)
Debug (commands): Adding command: plugin in language Namespace (0.048s)
Debug (hooks): On hook "after_add_command:language": Closure in file phar:///usr/local/bin/wp/vendor/wp-cli/wp-cli/php/class-wp-cli.php at line 733 (0.048s)
Debug (commands): Adding command: theme in language Namespace (0.048s)
Debug (bootstrap): Attaching command 'maintenance-mode' to hook after_wp_load (0.049s)
Debug (commands): Adding command: maintenance-mode (0.049s)
Debug (commands): Adding command: media (0.05s)
Debug (bootstrap): Attaching command 'package' to hook before_wp_load (0.051s)
Debug (commands): Adding command: package (0.052s)
Debug (commands): Adding command: rewrite (0.052s)
Debug (commands): Adding command: rewrite (0.052s)
Debug (commands): Adding command: cap (0.052s)
Debug (commands): Adding command: role (0.053s)
Debug (commands): Adding command: scaffold (0.054s)
Debug (commands): Adding command: search-replace (0.055s)
Debug (bootstrap): Attaching command 'server' to hook before_wp_load (0.055s)
Debug (commands): Adding command: server (0.055s)
Debug (commands): Adding command: shell (0.056s)
Debug (commands): Adding command: site-health (0.056s)
Debug (commands): Adding command: super-admin (0.056s)
Debug (commands): Adding command: widget (0.057s)
Debug (bootstrap): Attaching command 'sidebar get' to hook after_wp_load (0.057s)
Debug (bootstrap): Attaching command 'sidebar exists' to hook after_wp_load (0.057s)
Debug (commands): Adding command: sidebar (0.057s)
Debug (bootstrap): Processing bootstrap step: WP_CLI\Bootstrap\IncludePackageAutoloader (0.057s)
Debug (bootstrap): Processing bootstrap step: WP_CLI\Bootstrap\RegisterFrameworkCommands (0.057s)
Debug (bootstrap): Adding framework command: phar://wp-cli.phar/vendor/wp-cli/wp-cli/php/commands/cli.php (0.057s)
Debug (bootstrap): Attaching command 'cli' to hook before_wp_load (0.058s)
Debug (bootstrap): Attaching command 'cli has-command' to hook after_wp_load (0.059s)
Debug (commands): Adding command: cli (0.059s)
Debug (bootstrap): Attaching command 'cli cache' to hook before_wp_load (0.059s)
Debug (commands): Adding command: cache in cli Namespace (0.059s)
Debug (bootstrap): Attaching command 'cli alias' to hook before_wp_load (0.059s)
Debug (commands): Adding command: alias in cli Namespace (0.059s)
Debug (bootstrap): Adding framework command: phar://wp-cli.phar/vendor/wp-cli/wp-cli/php/commands/help.php (0.059s)
Debug (commands): Adding command: help (0.059s)
Debug (bootstrap): Processing bootstrap step: WP_CLI\Bootstrap\RegisterDeferredCommands (0.059s)
Debug (bootstrap): Processing bootstrap step: WP_CLI\Bootstrap\InitializeContexts (0.059s)
Debug (bootstrap): Processing bootstrap step: WP_CLI\Bootstrap\LaunchRunner (0.06s)
Debug (bootstrap): No readable system config found (0.06s)
Debug (bootstrap): No readable global config found (0.06s)
Debug (bootstrap): No project config found (0.06s)
Debug (bootstrap): argv: /usr/local/bin/wp plugin list --debug (0.06s)
Debug (bootstrap): ABSPATH defined: /srv/www/ (0.06s)
Debug (hooks): Executing hook: before_wp_load (0.06s)
Debug (context): Using context 'auto' (0.06s)
Debug (context): Detected a command to be intercepted: plugin list (0.06s)
Debug (context): Using context 'admin' (0.06s)
Debug (context): Faking an admin request (0.06s)
Debug (bootstrap): Begin WordPress load (0.06s)
Debug (hooks): Processing hook "before_wp_load" with 1 callbacks (0.06s)
Debug (hooks): On hook "before_wp_load": Closure in file phar:///usr/local/bin/wp/vendor/wp-cli/extension-command/extension-command.php at line 31 (0.06s)
Debug (bootstrap): wp-config.php path: /srv/www/wp-config.php (0.06s)
Debug (bootstrap): Looking for UTF-8 BOM (0.06s)
Debug (bootstrap): Looking for UTF-16 (BE) BOM (0.06s)
Debug (bootstrap): Looking for UTF-16 (LE) BOM (0.06s)
Debug (hooks): Executing hook: after_wp_config_load (0.06s)
Debug (context): Continuing as admin user 197 (0.562s)
Debug (commands): Adding command: action-scheduler (0.583s)
Debug (commands): Adding command: action-scheduler (0.583s)
Debug (commands): Adding command: action in action-scheduler Namespace (0.583s)
Debug (commands): Adding command: action-scheduler (0.584s)
Debug (commands): Adding command: migrate in action-scheduler Namespace (0.584s)
Debug (commands): Adding command: jetpack-heartbeat (0.587s)
Debug (commands): Adding command: w3-total-cache (0.777s)
Debug (commands): Adding command: total-cache (0.777s)
Debug (commands): Adding command: w3tc (0.777s)

Describe what you would expect as the correct outcome

I would expect that wp plugin list show something, eventually an error.

Let us know what environment you are running this on

$ wp cli info
OS:	Linux 6.1.0-44-amd64 #1 SMP PREEMPT_DYNAMIC Debian 6.1.164-1 (2026-03-09) x86_64
Shell:	/bin/bash
PHP binary:	/usr/bin/php8.2
PHP version:	8.2.30
PHP memory limit:	-1
php.ini used:	/etc/php/8.2/cli/php.ini
MySQL binary:	/usr/bin/mariadb
MySQL version:	mariadb  Ver 15.1 Distrib 10.11.14-MariaDB, for debian-linux-gnu (x86_64) using  EditLine wrapper
SQL modes:	
WP-CLI root dir:	phar://wp-cli.phar/vendor/wp-cli/wp-cli
WP-CLI vendor dir:	phar://wp-cli.phar/vendor
WP_CLI phar path:	phar:///usr/local/bin/wp
WP-CLI packages dir:	
WP-CLI cache dir:	/home/laboratoridimi/.wp-cli/cache
WP-CLI global config:	
WP-CLI project config:	
WP-CLI version:	2.13.0-alpha-75afa05

[swissspidy]

Most likely one of your plugins is doing exit; or triggering some other kind of error that WP-CLI's error handler can't catch. Nothing we could do about that.

If you can isolate which specific plugin is causing this (--skip-plugins=<slug>, I'd be happy to take a closer look.

[FabioPedretti]

If you can isolate which specific plugin is causing this (--skip-plugins=<slug>, I'd be happy to take a closer look.

It is all-in-one-wp-security-and-firewall version 5.4.7.

Just to be clear, using wp plugin list --skip-plugins=all-in-one-wp-security-and-firewall it shows the expected output.

Thanks!

[swissspidy]

Thanks!

With a default configuration of that plugin I cannot reproduce this issue. Mind exporting your settings and sharing them here for debugging? You can also share privately on Slack if you prefer.

[FabioPedretti]

Sure, but can you please explain which settings do you need?
Note: I manage the servers so I have access to the console, but I do not manage the wordpress web interface, so, if possibile, something I can extract trough the console.

[swissspidy]

I don't know whether the plugin offers a way to do this via CLI but in wp-admin it has an import/export functionality:

Alternatively, what you could try is setting error_reporting and display_errors ini settings and ensuring WP_DEBUG_DISPLAY is on to see if you get any output this way.