It looks like a test is throwing a `java.sql.BatchUpdateException`, and the test JVM fails to inform the Gradle JVM of that event (tests run in a separate JVM). This looks like a Gradle bug. Until this gets fixed, your best chance is to prevent tests from throwing that particular exception, for example by wrapping affected tests in a try-catch and throwing a RuntimeException instead. You can copy over message and stack trace, but do not chain the original exception.

I'm having the same issue13:02:29.643 [ERROR] [org.gradle.messaging.remote.internal.MessageHub$EndOfStreamConnection] Could not receive message from connection. Discarding connection.
org.gradle.messaging.remote.internal.MessageIOException: Could not read message from '/0:0:0:0:0:0:0:1%0:53225'.
at org.gradle.messaging.remote.internal.inet.SocketConnection.receive(SocketConnection.java:83)
at org.gradle.messaging.remote.internal.DelegatingConnection.receive(DelegatingConnection.java:31)
at org.gradle.messaging.remote.internal.MessageHub$EndOfStreamConnection.receive(MessageHub.java:210)
at org.gradle.messaging.remote.internal.MessageHub$EndOfStreamConnection.receive(MessageHub.java:195)
at org.gradle.messaging.remote.internal.AsyncConnectionAdapter$ConnectionReceive.receive(AsyncConnectionAdapter.java:77)
at org.gradle.messaging.dispatch.AsyncReceive.receiveMessages(AsyncReceive.java:142)
at org.gradle.messaging.dispatch.AsyncReceive.access$000(AsyncReceive.java:36)
at org.gradle.messaging.dispatch.AsyncReceive$1.run(AsyncReceive.java:88)
at org.gradle.messaging.concurrent.DefaultExecutorFactory$StoppableExecutorImpl$1.run(DefaultExecutorFactory.java:66)
at java.util.concurrent.ThreadPoolExecutor$Worker.runTask(ThreadPoolExecutor.java:886)
at java.util.concurrent.ThreadPoolExecutor$Worker.run(ThreadPoolExecutor.java:908)
at java.lang.Thread.run(Thread.java:680)
Caused by: java.lang.ClassCastException: cannot assign instance of org.gradle.messaging.remote.internal.PlaceholderException to field java.sql.SQLException.next of type java.sql.SQLException in instance of java.sql.BatchUpdateException

Let me know if you need help replicating.

I think the relevant bit is:

cannot assign instance of org.gradle.messaging.remote.internal.PlaceholderException to field java.sql.SQLException.next of type java.sql.SQLException in instance of java.sql.BatchUpdateException

The PlaceHolderException is used when an exception cannot be serialized or deserialized. In this case an instance of BatchUpdateException is attempting to be deserialized, which is a subclass of SqlException. SqlException has a volatile field called 'next' which is also of type SqlException. It appears the messaging framework in Gradle did not want to serialize the volatile field, so instead used a PlaceHolderException, but it left the type of the 'next' field as SqlException when it is in fact now 'PlaceHolderException'. I'll keep digging..

I've seen this same exception cause using Gradle 1.6:

10:11:06.839 [ERROR] [org.gradle.messaging.remote.internal.hub.MessageHubBackedServer] Unexpected exception thrown.
org.gradle.messaging.remote.internal.MessageIOException: Could not read message from '/0:0:0:0:0:0:0:1:58281'.
at org.gradle.messaging.remote.internal.inet.SocketConnection.receive(SocketConnection.java:88)
at org.gradle.messaging.remote.internal.hub.MessageHub$ConnectionReceive.run(MessageHub.java:230)
at org.gradle.internal.concurrent.DefaultExecutorFactory$StoppableExecutorImpl$1.run(DefaultExecutorFactory.java:66)
at java.util.concurrent.ThreadPoolExecutor.runWorker(ThreadPoolExecutor.java:1145)
at java.util.concurrent.ThreadPoolExecutor$Worker.run(ThreadPoolExecutor.java:615)
at java.lang.Thread.run(Thread.java:722)
Caused by: java.lang.ClassCastException: cannot assign instance of org.gradle.messaging.remote.internal.PlaceholderException to field java.sql.SQLException.next of type java.sql.SQLException in instance of java.sql.SQLException
at java.io.ObjectStreamClass$FieldReflector.setObjFieldValues(ObjectStreamClass.java:2063)
at java.io.ObjectStreamClass.setObjFieldValues(ObjectStreamClass.java:1241)
at java.io.ObjectInputStream.defaultReadFields(ObjectInputStream.java:1995)
at java.io.ObjectInputStream.readSerialData(ObjectInputStream.java:1913)
at java.io.ObjectInputStream.readOrdinaryObject(ObjectInputStream.java:1796)
at java.io.ObjectInputStream.readObject0(ObjectInputStream.java:1348)
at java.io.ObjectInputStream.readObject(ObjectInputStream.java:370)
at org.gradle.messaging.remote.internal.Message$ExceptionPlaceholder.read(Message.java:101)
at org.gradle.messaging.remote.internal.Message$ExceptionPlaceholder.getCause(Message.java:129)
at org.gradle.messaging.remote.internal.Message$ExceptionPlaceholder.read(Message.java:88)
at org.gradle.messaging.remote.internal.Message$ExceptionReplacingObjectInputStream.resolveObject(Message.java:166)
at java.io.ObjectInputStream.checkResolve(ObjectInputStream.java:1396)
at java.io.ObjectInputStream.readObject0(ObjectInputStream.java:1348)
at java.io.ObjectInputStream.readArray(ObjectInputStream.java:1704)
at java.io.ObjectInputStream.readObject0(ObjectInputStream.java:1342)
at java.io.ObjectInputStream.readObject(ObjectInputStream.java:370)
at org.gradle.messaging.remote.internal.Message.receive(Message.java:38)
at org.gradle.messaging.serialize.kryo.JavaSerializer$JavaReader.read(JavaSerializer.java:50)
at org.gradle.messaging.remote.internal.hub.MethodInvocationSerializer$MethodInvocationReader.readArguments(MethodInvocationSerializer.java:112)
at org.gradle.messaging.remote.internal.hub.MethodInvocationSerializer$MethodInvocationReader.read(MethodInvocationSerializer.java:107)
at org.gradle.messaging.remote.internal.hub.MethodInvocationSerializer$MethodInvocationReader.read(MethodInvocationSerializer.java:87)
at org.gradle.messaging.serialize.kryo.TypeSafeSerializer$1.read(TypeSafeSerializer.java:37)
at org.gradle.messaging.remote.internal.hub.InterHubMessageSerializer$MessageReader.read(InterHubMessageSerializer.java:67)
at org.gradle.messaging.remote.internal.hub.InterHubMessageSerializer$MessageReader.read(InterHubMessageSerializer.java:53)
at org.gradle.messaging.remote.internal.inet.SocketConnection.receive(SocketConnection.java:83)
... 5 more
10:11:06.846 [QUIET] [system.out] 10:11:06.845 [INFO] [org.gradle.api.internal.tasks.testing.worker.TestWorker] Gradle Worker 1 finished executing tests.
10:11:06.864 [QUIET] [system.out] 10:11:06.848 [DEBUG] [org.gradle.process.internal.child.ActionExecutionWorker] Completed Gradle Worker 1.

Does anyone have a work-around for this issue?

I never found a workaround unfortunately. At one point I attempted to produce a failing test in the gradle source code to identify the bug but didn't get too far. If you can't workaround it that's probably your best bet at identifying the root issue and potentially producing a solution.

+1 for a fix for this. This is still coming up.

My (unconfirmed) guess is that this happens when the exception thrown in the test case is not serializable. Just a guess...

It's been awhile, but as I recall the issue had something to do with one of the 'next' chained exceptions not being serialized correctly.. Like it's transformed from its original class to something else (by Gradle) before being transported, but the other side doesn't know this, so when it tries to unserialize the 'next' field it is looking at an object of the wrong type. Wish I could be less vague!

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Thanks again for reporting this issue. We haven't heard back from you after our inquiry from November 15th. We are closing this issue now. Please create an issue on GitHub if you still feel passionate about getting it resolved.