Unable to move a domain to the existing subscription: the target path already exists

Symptoms

• Unable to move the domain example.com to the existing subscription example2.com by using example.com > Move domain because the target subscription is not listed

• Unable to merge the example.com domain via CLI with the next message:

  # plesk bin subscription --merge example.com -webspace-name example2.com
  The target path /var/www/vhosts/example2.com/example.com already exists.
  exit status 1

• Unable to move the example.com domain via CLI with the next message:

  # plesk bin site --move example.com -webspace-name example2.com
  Step failed 'applyValidate'. The target path for www_root /var/www/vhosts/example2.com/example.com already exists.

Cause

The /var/www/vhosts/example2.com/example.com directory already exists at the target subscription

Resolution

1. Connect to the server via SSH

2. Rename the directory:

   # mv /var/www/vhosts/example2.com/example.com{,_bak}

   Note: The directory can be removed if it is no needed at all.

3. Move the example.com to the existing subscription example2.com by following the instructions from this article.