EPUB Error: OPF Manifest References a Missing File

RSC-007: The referenced resource "/OEBPS/chapter03.xhtml" could not be found.

What causes this error?

Every item in the OPF manifest must correspond to an actual file inside the EPUB ZIP package. This error means the manifest lists a file path that doesn't exist in the archive — the file was deleted, renamed, or never generated. This is the opposite of a missing-manifest error: the declaration exists but the file doesn't. It happens most often after manual editing sessions where files are removed without updating the OPF, or when a conversion tool generates chapter references for content cut before export.

How to fix it

  1. Open your .opf file and locate the manifest item for the missing file (the error message includes its href path).
  2. Check whether the file was renamed — if so, update the manifest href to match the new filename.
  3. If the file was intentionally removed, delete the manifest item entry and also remove any spine itemref pointing to it.
  4. If the file was accidentally deleted, restore it from a backup or regenerate it from your source manuscript.
  5. Re-validate to confirm no dangling manifest references remain.

Common questions

How is this different from a missing-manifest-resource error?

A missing-manifest-resource error means a file exists in the package but isn't listed in the OPF. This error is the reverse: the manifest declares a file, but the file itself is absent from the package.

Will this error cause the book not to load?

Yes. A spine item referencing a missing chapter means the reader hits a dead page at that point. Most platforms reject the file outright during upload validation.

Check your EPUB before uploading

The free EPUB Validator catches structure, metadata, and navigation errors — no signup, no Java, runs in the browser.

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Building your EPUB correctly from the start prevents most of these errors before they happen. See the EPUB formatting guide for the full workflow: manuscript cleanup, TOC, front matter, EPUB 3.0 generation, and validation.

Tool comparisons: Jutoh alternative for EPUB formatting

Platform rejection guides: Why Draft2Digital rejects ebooks