DocumentationExperience Cloud KCS

Unable to stop journey with manage journey permissions in Adobe Journey Optimizer

Last update: August 18, 2026

In AJO, the manage journey role encounters errors when trying to stop a live journey. This happens because additional campaign-related permissions are required. To fix this issue, update the role to include the necessary campaign and asset permissions.

Description description

Environment

  • Product: Adobe Journey Optimizer (part of Adobe Experience Platform)
  • Constraints: Applies when journeys include inline campaigns or messaging nodes

Issue/Symptoms

  • The user with manage journey permissions receives a popup indicating the campaign is being stopped, but the campaign does not actually stop.
  • An error message appears referencing a system error and RBAC Permission Denied, specifically stating that inline campaigns cannot be stopped due to missing permissions.
  • The error code returned includes 401 Unauthorized and references missing Publish Campaigns permission.
  • Other errors may be recorded referencing different dependent objects within the journey, for example a user with no access to Assets won’t be able to stop a journey that contains assets in its emails.

Resolution resolution

To fix this issue, follow these steps:

  1. Identify the user who needs to stop journeys and review their current roles and permissions.
  2. Navigate to the Permissions tab in Adobe Experience Platform.
  3. Search for the user and identify their assigned roles.
  4. Edit the relevant role (for example, business manager or similar).
  5. Add the Publish Campaigns permission under Campaigns for that role.
  6. If assets are used within email templates or other nodes in the journey, grant Assets permissions for relevant folders.
  7. Save changes and confirm that updated permissions are applied.
  8. Attempt to stop the journey again using the same user account.
  9. Verify that no error message appears and that the journey stops successfully.

Note:

  • Inline campaigns are created automatically in backend processes for most journeys; therefore, campaign-related permissions are required even if not explicitly configured by users.
  • The system does not currently support more granular separation between journey management and campaign publishing rights; both sets of permissions may be needed depending on journey configuration.
  • If assets are referenced within messaging nodes, asset access must also be provided for successful operations involving those nodes.
  • This behavior is inherent to platform architecture and cannot be bypassed by adjusting only journey-level roles.
  • See the research with https://aemcs-workspace.adobe.com/bot/conversation/5bb3f7b0-af10-4f33-b57d-b23aefacdbd5FluffyJaws. This research is based on detailed error investigation. The UI or high-level errors alone don’t show the cause. Use Splunk to find the root error that prevents stopping the journey.
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