---
name: "sendbug"
section: "1"
platform: "openbsd"
package: "man"
version: "8.0-current-20261101"
release: "OpenBSD 8.0-current (2026-11-01)"
platforms: ["linux", "openbsd"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/sendbug"
---

# sendbug(1)

report a bug in OpenBSD

## NAME

**sendbug** – report a bug in OpenBSD

## SYNOPSIS

**sendbug** \[**-DEP**\]

## DESCRIPTION

**sendbug** is used to submit problem reports (PRs) to the OpenBSD bugs database. A template PR is opened in a text editor with some system information already filled in, such as machine architecture, [dmesg(8)](/dmesg/8.md), [usbdevs(8)](/usbdevs/8.md), [pcidump(8)](/pcidump/8.md), and [acpidump(8)](/acpidump/8.md). The [pcidump(8)](/pcidump/8.md) and [acpidump(8)](/acpidump/8.md) output are important for ACPI development and can only be included if **sendbug** is run as root.

Fields enclosed in ‘\<\>’ should be completed by the user. Once the PR is filled out, the user exits the editor and is presented with a choice: a)bort, e)dit, or s)end. If abort is selected, the report is not deleted and the pathname of the report is printed. If edit is selected, the user is given a chance to re-edit the report.

If send is selected, the report is mailed to the bugs database, with a Cc to the author. Any follow up mail to the PR should keep the same mail subject.

The status of bug reports can be followed by checking the *bugs@openbsd.org* mailing list archive available at **https://marc.info/?l=openbsd-bugs**.

The options are as follows:

- **-D**

  Do not attach [dmesg(8)](/dmesg/8.md), [usbdevs(8)](/usbdevs/8.md), [pcidump(8)](/pcidump/8.md), and [acpidump(8)](/acpidump/8.md) output to the report. This information is very helpful in reports, but may contain sensitive information about the sender. This flag helps protect users' privacy in those cases.

- **-E**

  The [acpidump(8)](/acpidump/8.md) output includes base64 encoded files. This flag causes **sendbug** to read a PR from the standard input, decode the files, and write them into the current directory.

- **-P**

  Generate and print the template with system information filled out.

## ENVIRONMENT

- EDITOR, VISUAL

  Specifies an editor to use. If both EDITOR and VISUAL are set, VISUAL takes precedence. If neither EDITOR nor VISUAL are set, the default is [vi(1)](/vi/1.md).

- PR\_FORM

  Filename of PR form to use instead of using the built-in form. Such a PR form can be partially pre-completed to make the process faster.

## FILES

- */tmp/p.XXXXXXXXXX*

  temporary PR report

## SEE ALSO

[crash(8)](/crash/8.md), [dmesg(8)](/dmesg/8.md)

## AUTHORS

**sendbug** was written from scratch for the public domain by Ray Lai ⟨*ray@cyth.net*⟩.

## CAVEATS

The content of the PR is not confidential; it is sent out to a public mailing list. Sensitive, security related issues should be sent via email to ⟨*security@OpenBSD.org*⟩.