fix(collaboration): allow inactive users to be added as collaborators and team members

routers/api/v1/repo/collaborators.go

@@ -174,11 +174,6 @@ func AddOrUpdateCollaborator(ctx *context.APIContext) {
 		return
 	}
 
-	if !collaborator.IsActive {
-		ctx.APIErrorInternal(errors.New("collaborator's account is inactive"))
-		return
-	}
-
 	p := perm.AccessModeWrite
 	if form.Permission != nil {
 		p = perm.ParseAccessMode(string(*form.Permission), perm.AccessModeRead, perm.AccessModeWrite, perm.AccessModeAdmin)

routers/web/repo/setting/collaboration.go

@@ -66,12 +66,6 @@ func CollaborationPost(ctx *context.Context) {
 		return
 	}
 
-	if !u.IsActive {
-		ctx.Flash.Error(ctx.Tr("repo.settings.add_collaborator_inactive_user"))
-		ctx.Redirect(setting.AppSubURL + ctx.Req.URL.EscapedPath())
-		return
-	}
-
 	// Organization is not allowed to be added as a collaborator.
 	if u.IsOrganization() {
 		ctx.Flash.Error(ctx.Tr("repo.settings.org_not_allowed_to_be_collaborator"))

routers/web/user/search.go

@@ -8,7 +8,6 @@ import (
 
 	"gitea.dev/models/db"
 	user_model "gitea.dev/models/user"
-	"gitea.dev/modules/optional"
 	"gitea.dev/modules/setting"
 	"gitea.dev/services/context"
 	"gitea.dev/services/convert"
@@ -24,7 +23,6 @@ func SearchCandidates(ctx *context.Context) {
 		Actor:       ctx.Doer,
 		Keyword:     ctx.FormTrim("q"),
 		Types:       searchUserTypes,
-		IsActive:    optional.Some(true),
 		ListOptions: db.ListOptions{PageSize: setting.UI.MembersPagingNum},
 	})
 	if err != nil {

services/org/team_test.go

@@ -34,10 +34,12 @@ func TestTeam_AddMember(t *testing.T) {
 	team3 := unittest.AssertExistsAndLoadBean(t, &organization.Team{ID: 3})
 	user2 := unittest.AssertExistsAndLoadBean(t, &user_model.User{ID: 2})
 	user4 := unittest.AssertExistsAndLoadBean(t, &user_model.User{ID: 4})
+	user9 := unittest.AssertExistsAndLoadBean(t, &user_model.User{ID: 9})
 
 	test(team1, user2)
 	test(team1, user4)
 	test(team3, user2)
+	test(team1, user9)
 }
 
 func TestTeam_RemoveMember(t *testing.T) {

services/repository/collaboration_test.go

@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ func TestRepository_AddCollaborator(t *testing.T) {
 	testSuccess(1, 4)
 	testSuccess(1, 4)
 	testSuccess(3, 4)
+	testSuccess(1, 9)
 }
 
 func TestRepository_DeleteCollaboration(t *testing.T) {

tests/integration/inactive_user_collaboration_test.go

@@ -0,0 +1,49 @@
+// Copyright 2026 The Gitea Authors. All rights reserved.
+// SPDX-License-Identifier: MIT
+
+package integration
+
+import (
+	"net/http"
+	"testing"
+
+	auth_model "gitea.dev/models/auth"
+	repo_model "gitea.dev/models/repo"
+	"gitea.dev/models/unittest"
+	user_model "gitea.dev/models/user"
+	api "gitea.dev/modules/structs"
+	"gitea.dev/tests"
+
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
+)
+
+type userSearchResults struct {
+	Data []*api.User `json:"data"`
+}
+
+func TestSearchCandidatesIncludesInactiveUsers(t *testing.T) {
+	defer tests.PrepareTestEnv(t)()
+
+	session := loginUser(t, "user1")
+	req := NewRequest(t, "GET", "/user/search_candidates?q=user9")
+	resp := session.MakeRequest(t, req, http.StatusOK)
+	results := DecodeJSON(t, resp, &userSearchResults{})
+	require.Len(t, results.Data, 1)
+	assert.Equal(t, "user9", results.Data[0].UserName)
+	assert.False(t, results.Data[0].IsActive)
+}
+
+func TestAPIAddCollaboratorAllowsInactiveUsers(t *testing.T) {
+	defer tests.PrepareTestEnv(t)()
+
+	inactiveUser := unittest.AssertExistsAndLoadBean(t, &user_model.User{ID: 9})
+	token := getUserToken(t, "user2", auth_model.AccessTokenScopeWriteRepository)
+	req := NewRequestWithJSON(t, "PUT", "/api/v1/repos/user2/repo1/collaborators/"+inactiveUser.Name, &api.AddCollaboratorOption{}).
+		AddTokenAuth(token)
+	MakeRequest(t, req, http.StatusNoContent)
+
+	isCollaborator, err := repo_model.IsCollaborator(t.Context(), 1, inactiveUser.ID)
+	assert.NoError(t, err)
+	assert.True(t, isCollaborator)
+}