The "PF configuration incompatible with PF program version" error typically occurs in environments using Packet Filter (PF), common in OpenBSD, FreeBSD, and macOS, when the pfctl utility (the program) and the kernel (the running configuration) are out of sync. Potential Causes
. If you have installed a different version via Homebrew or MacPorts, it might be trying to load rules the kernel doesn't understand. Check your path with: which pfctl Revert to Default pf configuration incompatible with pf program version
# Running PF kernel version
sysctl net.inet.pf.version
Kernel Sync: If you recently upgraded your kernel, ensure all associated system binaries were also updated to match the new version. The "PF configuration incompatible with PF program version"
: FreeBSD’s implementation of PF often lags behind OpenBSD’s or follows a different development path. For instance, FreeBSD 9.1 used a syntax compatible with OpenBSD 4.6, even while OpenBSD was already moving to newer formats. Feature Removal : Features like Show a short, high-level diagnostic: