CircleCI: Error unmarshaling return header; nested exception is:

Question

We keep getting the following exception on CircleCI while building out project. Everything runs well when running the job from the CircleCI CLI. Has anyone found a fix / resolution for this?

Compilation with Kotlin compile daemon was not successful
java.rmi.UnmarshalException: Error unmarshaling return header; nested exception is: 
    java.io.EOFException
    at sun.rmi.transport.StreamRemoteCall.executeCall(StreamRemoteCall.java:236)
    at sun.rmi.server.UnicastRef.invoke(UnicastRef.java:161)
    at java.rmi.server.RemoteObjectInvocationHandler.invokeRemoteMethod(RemoteObjectInvocationHandler.java:227)
    at java.rmi.server.RemoteObjectInvocationHandler.invoke(RemoteObjectInvocationHandler.java:179)
    at com.sun.proxy.$Proxy104.compile(Unknown Source)
    at org.jetbrains.kotlin.compilerRunner.GradleKotlinCompilerWork.incrementalCompilationWithDaemon(GradleKotlinCompilerWork.kt:284)
    at org.jetbrains.kotlin.compilerRunner.GradleKotlinCompilerWork.compileWithDaemon(GradleKotlinCompilerWork.kt:198)
    at org.jetbrains.kotlin.compilerRunner.GradleKotlinCompilerWork.compileWithDaemonOrFallbackImpl(GradleKotlinCompilerWork.kt:141)
    at org.jetbrains.kotlin.compilerRunner.GradleKotlinCompilerWork.run(GradleKotlinCompilerWork.kt:118)
    at org.jetbrains.kotlin.compilerRunner.GradleCompilerRunner.runCompilerAsync(GradleKotlinCompilerRunner.kt:158)
    at org.jetbrains.kotlin.compilerRunner.GradleCompilerRunner.runCompilerAsync(GradleKotlinCompilerRunner.kt:153)
    at org.jetbrains.kotlin.compilerRunner.GradleCompilerRunner.runJvmCompilerAsync(GradleKotlinCompilerRunner.kt:92)
    at org.jetbrains.kotlin.gradle.tasks.KotlinCompile.callCompilerAsync$kotlin_gradle_plugin(Tasks.kt:447)
    at org.jetbrains.kotlin.gradle.tasks.KotlinCompile.callCompilerAsync$kotlin_gradle_plugin(Tasks.kt:355)
    at org.jetbrains.kotlin.gradle.tasks.AbstractKotlinCompile.executeImpl(Tasks.kt:312)
    at org.jetbrains.kotlin.gradle.tasks.AbstractKotlinCompile.execute(Tasks.kt:284)
    at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke0(Native Method)
    at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(NativeMethodAccessorImpl.java:62)
    at sun.reflect.DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.java:43)
    at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Method.java:498)
    at org.gradle.internal.reflect.JavaMethod.invoke(JavaMethod.java:103)
    at org.gradle.api.internal.project.taskfactory.IncrementalTaskInputsTaskAction.doExecute(IncrementalTaskInputsTaskAction.java:46)
    at org.gradle.api.internal.project.taskfactory.StandardTaskAction.execute(StandardTaskAction.java:41)
    at org.gradle.api.internal.project.taskfactory.AbstractIncrementalTaskAction.execute(AbstractIncrementalTaskAction.java:25)
    at org.gradle.api.internal.project.taskfactory.StandardTaskAction.execute(StandardTaskAction.java:28)
    at org.gradle.api.internal.tasks.execution.ExecuteActionsTaskExecuter$5.run(ExecuteActionsTaskExecuter.java:404)
    at org.gradle.internal.operations.DefaultBuildOperationExecutor$RunnableBuildOperationWorker.execute(DefaultBuildOperationExecutor.java:402)
    at org.gradle.internal.operations.DefaultBuildOperationExecutor$RunnableBuildOperationWorker.execute(DefaultBuildOperationExecutor.java:394)
    at org.gradle.internal.operations.DefaultBuildOperationExecutor$1.execute(DefaultBuildOperationExecutor.java:165)
    at org.gradle.internal.operations.DefaultBuildOperationExecutor.execute(DefaultBuildOperationExecutor.java:250)
    at org.gradle.internal.operations.DefaultBuildOperationExecutor.execute(DefaultBuildOperationExecutor.java:158)
    at org.gradle.internal.operations.DefaultBuildOperationExecutor.run(DefaultBuildOperationExecutor.java:92)
    at org.gradle.internal.operations.DelegatingBuildOperationExecutor.run(DelegatingBuildOperationExecutor.java:31)
    at org.gradle.api.internal.tasks.execution.ExecuteActionsTaskExecuter.executeAction(ExecuteActionsTaskExecuter.java:393)
    at org.gradle.api.internal.tasks.execution.ExecuteActionsTaskExecuter.executeActions(ExecuteActionsTaskExecuter.java:376)
    at org.gradle.api.internal.tasks.execution.ExecuteActionsTaskExecuter.access$200(ExecuteActionsTaskExecuter.java:80)
    at org.gradle.api.internal.tasks.execution.ExecuteActionsTaskExecuter$TaskExecution.execute(ExecuteActionsTaskExecuter.java:213)
    at org.gradle.internal.execution.steps.ExecuteStep.lambda$execute$0(ExecuteStep.java:32)
    at java.util.Optional.map(Optional.java:215)
    at org.gradle.internal.execution.steps.ExecuteStep.execute(ExecuteStep.java:32)
    at org.gradle.internal.execution.steps.ExecuteStep.execute(ExecuteStep.java:26)
    at org.gradle.internal.execution.steps.CleanupOutputsStep.execute(CleanupOutputsStep.java:58)
    at org.gradle.internal.execution.steps.CleanupOutputsStep.execute(CleanupOutputsStep.java:35)
    at org.gradle.internal.execution.steps.ResolveInputChangesStep.execute(ResolveInputChangesStep.java:48)
    at org.gradle.internal.execution.steps.ResolveInputChangesStep.execute(ResolveInputChangesStep.java:33)
    at org.gradle.internal.execution.steps.CancelExecutionStep.execute(CancelExecutionStep.java:39)
    at org.gradle.internal.execution.steps.TimeoutStep.executeWithoutTimeout(TimeoutStep.java:73)
    at org.gradle.internal.execution.steps.TimeoutStep.execute(TimeoutStep.java:54)
    at org.gradle.internal.execution.steps.CatchExceptionStep.execute(CatchExceptionStep.java:35)
    at org.gradle.internal.execution.steps.CreateOutputsStep.execute(CreateOutputsStep.java:51)
    at org.gradle.internal.execution.steps.SnapshotOutputsStep.execute(SnapshotOutputsStep.java:45)
    at org.gradle.internal.execution.steps.SnapshotOutputsStep.execute(SnapshotOutputsStep.java:31)
    at org.gradle.internal.execution.steps.CacheStep.executeWithoutCache(CacheStep.java:201)
    at org.gradle.internal.execution.steps.CacheStep.execute(CacheStep.java:70)
    at org.gradle.internal.execution.steps.CacheStep.execute(CacheStep.java:45)
    at org.gradle.internal.execution.steps.BroadcastChangingOutputsStep.execute(BroadcastChangingOutputsStep.java:49)
    at org.gradle.internal.execution.steps.StoreSnapshotsStep.execute(StoreSnapshotsStep.java:43)
    at org.gradle.internal.execution.steps.StoreSnapshotsStep.execute(StoreSnapshotsStep.java:32)
    at org.gradle.internal.execution.steps.RecordOutputsStep.execute(RecordOutputsStep.java:38)
    at org.gradle.internal.execution.steps.RecordOutputsStep.execute(RecordOutputsStep.java:24)
    at org.gradle.internal.execution.steps.SkipUpToDateStep.executeBecause(SkipUpToDateStep.java:96)
    at org.gradle.internal.execution.steps.SkipUpToDateStep.lambda$execute$0(SkipUpToDateStep.java:89)
    at java.util.Optional.map(Optional.java:215)
    at org.gradle.internal.execution.steps.SkipUpToDateStep.execute(SkipUpToDateStep.java:54)
    at org.gradle.internal.execution.steps.SkipUpToDateStep.execute(SkipUpToDateStep.java:38)
    at org.gradle.internal.execution.steps.ResolveChangesStep.execute(ResolveChangesStep.java:77)
    at org.gradle.internal.execution.steps.ResolveChangesStep.execute(ResolveChangesStep.java:37)
    at org.gradle.internal.execution.steps.legacy.MarkSnapshottingInputsFinishedStep.execute(MarkSnapshottingInputsFinishedStep.java:36)
    at org.gradle.internal.execution.steps.legacy.MarkSnapshottingInputsFinishedStep.execute(MarkSnapshottingInputsFinishedStep.java:26)
    at org.gradle.internal.execution.steps.ResolveCachingStateStep.execute(ResolveCachingStateStep.java:90)
    at org.gradle.internal.execution.steps.ResolveCachingStateStep.execute(ResolveCachingStateStep.java:48)
    at org.gradle.internal.execution.impl.DefaultWorkExecutor.execute(DefaultWorkExecutor.java:33)
    at org.gradle.api.internal.tasks.execution.ExecuteActionsTaskExecuter.execute(ExecuteActionsTaskExecuter.java:120)
    at org.gradle.api.internal.tasks.execution.ResolveBeforeExecutionStateTaskExecuter.execute(ResolveBeforeExecutionStateTaskExecuter.java:75)
    at org.gradle.api.internal.tasks.execution.ValidatingTaskExecuter.execute(ValidatingTaskExecuter.java:62)
    at org.gradle.api.internal.tasks.execution.SkipEmptySourceFilesTaskExecuter.execute(SkipEmptySourceFilesTaskExecuter.java:108)
    at org.gradle.api.internal.tasks.execution.ResolveBeforeExecutionOutputsTaskExecuter.execute(ResolveBeforeExecutionOutputsTaskExecuter.java:67)
    at org.gradle.api.internal.tasks.execution.ResolveAfterPreviousExecutionStateTaskExecuter.execute(ResolveAfterPreviousExecutionStateTaskExecuter.java:46)
    at org.gradle.api.internal.tasks.execution.CleanupStaleOutputsExecuter.execute(CleanupStaleOutputsExecuter.java:94)
    at org.gradle.api.internal.tasks.execution.FinalizePropertiesTaskExecuter.execute(FinalizePropertiesTaskExecuter.java:46)
    at org.gradle.api.internal.tasks.execution.ResolveTaskExecutionModeExecuter.execute(ResolveTaskExecutionModeExecuter.java:95)
    at org.gradle.api.internal.tasks.execution.SkipTaskWithNoActionsExecuter.execute(SkipTaskWithNoActionsExecuter.java:57)
    at org.gradle.api.internal.tasks.execution.SkipOnlyIfTaskExecuter.execute(SkipOnlyIfTaskExecuter.java:56)
    at org.gradle.api.internal.tasks.execution.CatchExceptionTaskExecuter.execute(CatchExceptionTaskExecuter.java:36)
    at org.gradle.api.internal.tasks.execution.EventFiringTaskExecuter$1.executeTask(EventFiringTaskExecuter.java:73)
    at org.gradle.api.internal.tasks.execution.EventFiringTaskExecuter$1.call(EventFiringTaskExecuter.java:52)
    at org.gradle.api.internal.tasks.execution.EventFiringTaskExecuter$1.call(EventFiringTaskExecuter.java:49)
    at org.gradle.internal.operations.DefaultBuildOperationExecutor$CallableBuildOperationWorker.execute(DefaultBuildOperationExecutor.java:416)
    at org.gradle.internal.operations.DefaultBuildOperationExecutor$CallableBuildOperationWorker.execute(DefaultBuildOperationExecutor.java:406)
    at org.gradle.internal.operations.DefaultBuildOperationExecutor$1.execute(DefaultBuildOperationExecutor.java:165)
    at org.gradle.internal.operations.DefaultBuildOperationExecutor.execute(DefaultBuildOperationExecutor.java:250)
    at org.gradle.internal.operations.DefaultBuildOperationExecutor.execute(DefaultBuildOperationExecutor.java:158)
    at org.gradle.internal.operations.DefaultBuildOperationExecutor.call(DefaultBuildOperationExecutor.java:102)
    at org.gradle.internal.operations.DelegatingBuildOperationExecutor.call(DelegatingBuildOperationExecutor.java:36)
    at org.gradle.api.internal.tasks.execution.EventFiringTaskExecuter.execute(EventFiringTaskExecuter.java:49)
    at org.gradle.execution.plan.LocalTaskNodeExecutor.execute(LocalTaskNodeExecutor.java:43)
    at org.gradle.execution.taskgraph.DefaultTaskExecutionGraph$InvokeNodeExecutorsAction.execute(DefaultTaskExecutionGraph.java:355)
    at org.gradle.execution.taskgraph.DefaultTaskExecutionGraph$InvokeNodeExecutorsAction.execute(DefaultTaskExecutionGraph.java:343)
    at org.gradle.execution.taskgraph.DefaultTaskExecutionGraph$BuildOperationAwareExecutionAction.execute(DefaultTaskExecutionGraph.java:336)
    at org.gradle.execution.taskgraph.DefaultTaskExecutionGraph$BuildOperationAwareExecutionAction.execute(DefaultTaskExecutionGraph.java:322)
    at org.gradle.execution.plan.DefaultPlanExecutor$ExecutorWorker$1.execute(DefaultPlanExecutor.java:134)
    at org.gradle.execution.plan.DefaultPlanExecutor$ExecutorWorker$1.execute(DefaultPlanExecutor.java:129)
    at org.gradle.execution.plan.DefaultPlanExecutor$ExecutorWorker.execute(DefaultPlanExecutor.java:202)
    at org.gradle.execution.plan.DefaultPlanExecutor$ExecutorWorker.executeNextNode(DefaultPlanExecutor.java:193)
    at org.gradle.execution.plan.DefaultPlanExecutor$ExecutorWorker.run(DefaultPlanExecutor.java:129)
    at org.gradle.internal.concurrent.ExecutorPolicy$CatchAndRecordFailures.onExecute(ExecutorPolicy.java:63)
    at org.gradle.internal.concurrent.ManagedExecutorImpl$1.run(ManagedExecutorImpl.java:46)
    at java.util.concurrent.ThreadPoolExecutor.runWorker(ThreadPoolExecutor.java:1149)
    at java.util.concurrent.ThreadPoolExecutor$Worker.run(ThreadPoolExecutor.java:624)
    at org.gradle.internal.concurrent.ThreadFactoryImpl$ManagedThreadRunnable.run(ThreadFactoryImpl.java:55)
    at java.lang.Thread.run(Thread.java:748)
Caused by: java.io.EOFException
    at java.io.DataInputStream.readByte(DataInputStream.java:267)
    at sun.rmi.transport.StreamRemoteCall.executeCall(StreamRemoteCall.java:222)
    ... 110 more

Unable to clear jar cache after compilation, maybe daemon is already down: java.rmi.ConnectException: Connection refused to host: 127.0.0.1; nested exception is: 
    java.net.ConnectException: Connection refused (Connection refused)
Could not connect to kotlin daemon. Using fallback strategy.

Answer 1

This configuration got rid of the issue:

Changing from JVM_OPTS: -Xmx3200m to JVM_OPTS: -Xmx2048m was important

version: 2

executors:
  my-executor:
    docker:
      - image: circleci/android:api-28-node
    working_directory: ~/code
    environment:
      JVM_OPTS: -Xmx2048m
      GRADLE_OPTS: -Xmx1536m -XX:+HeapDumpOnOutOfMemoryError -Dorg.gradle.caching=true -Dorg.gradle.configureondemand=true -Dkotlin.compiler.execution.strategy=in-process -Dkotlin.incremental=false