Match the report title.
Look for "toc target not in spine" or the closest title listed above. If the platform wording is different, keep the original EPUBCheck, KDP, or Kindle Previewer message before choosing a fix.
TOC target not in spine (RSC_011)
Use this when a TOC or navigation reference points to a file that is not in the OPF spine. Check the reading order before you change nav.xhtml, toc.ncx, or content.opf.
The scan shows affected paths and repair decisions. It does not show manuscript text.
Not sure this kind of EPUB should be scanned here? Check unsupported or manual-only EPUB cases.
Scan report titles
- toc target not in spine
- RSC_011 referenced resource is not a spine item
- TOC target is not a spine item
- Referenced resource is not in the OPF spine
Read the scan report
How to decide whether this report item matches TOC target not in spine (RSC_011).
Use the report label, affected file, and repair decision together. A matching title alone is not enough if the file path or EPUB structure points to a different problem.
Check the affected file first.
Use the report's Affected area, Source file, Target file, or Problem type rows before editing content.opf, nav.xhtml, toc.ncx, XHTML, CSS, or image paths.
Follow the repair decision.
Repairable means EPUB Fixer found one clear structural change. Manual review or Not supported means use the source project, formatter, or platform workflow instead of guessing.
Handoff summary
What to send to a formatter if this is not safely repairable.
Copy the report summary instead of rewriting the EPUB from memory. A useful handoff includes the source file, target file or field, original error, repair decision, and next step.
Source file
Target path or field
Original error
Repair decision
Next step
1. Example report output
What the RSC_011 report should show.
The report should prove whether the target file should be in the reading order or whether the TOC points to the wrong document.
EPUBCheck message
ERROR(RSC-011): Referenced resource is not a spine item.
Navigation target
nav.xhtml points to Text/appendix.xhtml#toc-appendix.
Spine status
appendix.xhtml exists in the manifest but is not listed in the spine.
Do this next
Repair only if it is clear whether appendix.xhtml belongs in the reading order or the TOC should point elsewhere.
Do not do this
Do not add random files to the spine or retarget the TOC just to clear the validator.
A safe repair keeps navigation and reading order aligned without changing the intended chapter flow by guess.
2. Next step
Choose reading-order repair or manual TOC review.
The next step depends on whether the navigation points to the right file and the spine is missing it, or whether the navigation points to the wrong file entirely.
Scan first
You only know the target is not a spine item.
Use the scan to see which nav or NCX entry points outside the spine and which manifest item sits behind it.
Safe repair
One file clearly belongs in the reading order.
Repair only when the manifest item is the obvious chapter or section the TOC should reach and the spine omission is clearly accidental.
Manual review
The chapter flow is unclear.
Stop when adding the file to the spine or retargeting the TOC would change chapter order, front matter, appendix behavior, or reader navigation intent.
3. Concrete path example
A typical RSC_011 navigation mismatch.
The file exists, but the reading order does not currently include it.
EPUBCheck: ERROR(RSC-011): Referenced resource is not a spine item. Report: TOC target: OEBPS/Text/appendix.xhtml#toc-appendix Manifest item: appendix.xhtml exists Spine itemref: not present Fix decision: safe repair only if appendix.xhtml clearly belongs in the reading order
If the TOC should point to another existing chapter instead, do not add the wrong file to the spine automatically.
Quick decision
Decide whether the file belongs in the spine or the TOC points to the wrong place.
RSC_011 sits at the boundary between navigation wiring and book structure, so guessing can change how readers move through the book.
Scan first
You need the target file and spine status together.
Read the nav or NCX target, the manifest item, and the spine itemrefs before editing either navigation or reading order.
Safe fix
One destination file is clearly intended.
Repair only when the reading-order omission or TOC target mismatch is obvious from the package structure.
Stop
The structure choice affects the book flow.
Do not decide appendix placement, front matter order, or alternative navigation behavior automatically.
Start here
Check the navigation target against the reading order.
RSC_011 is not just a broken link. It means navigation points to a file that the OPF spine does not currently treat as part of the reading order.
What it means
Navigation is pointing to a file that the package does not currently treat as part of normal reading order.
Can it be fixed automatically?
EPUB Fixer can help when one chapter or section file clearly belongs in the spine or when one existing spine item is clearly the real navigation target.
What to check next
Find the nav.xhtml or toc.ncx entry that points to the non-spine resource.
What not to assume
It should stop when the fix would choose chapter order, appendix placement, front matter behavior, or alternate navigation intent on behalf of the author.
Common situations
Common RSC_011 cases.
Start with whether the TOC points to the correct content file.
A real chapter file is missing from the spine.
The TOC points to a chapter XHTML file that exists and clearly belongs in the reading order, but the spine omitted it.
Add the spine itemref only when that chapter placement is obvious.
The TOC points to back matter or appendix outside the intended flow.
The file exists, but whether it should be in the spine depends on the book structure.
Choose manually before editing the spine.
nav.xhtml or toc.ncx points to the wrong file after export.
A navigation entry survived from an older chapter split or rename.
Retarget the navigation only when one existing spine item is clearly intended.
The file exists but is intentionally not part of the reading order.
Some files should not become normal reading-order items even if a bad navigation link points to them.
Remove or rewrite the navigation reference instead of forcing the file into the spine.
The RSC_011 spine-target error text
RSC_011: Referenced resource is not a spine item.
Where RSC_011 usually appears
EPUBCheck, Kindle Previewer, or KDP finds a TOC or navigation target that resolves to a manifest item not included in the OPF spine reading order.
What it means
RSC_011 usually means TOC wiring and reading order disagree.
Navigation is pointing to a file that the package does not currently treat as part of normal reading order.
This often happens after chapter splits, appendix changes, front matter edits, stale nav.xhtml or toc.ncx links, or manual OPF cleanup that removed a spine itemref.
Before you edit
Compare the TOC target, manifest item, and spine itemrefs.
Do not add a file to the spine or retarget the TOC by guess. First confirm whether the destination should actually be part of the book's reading order.
- 1Find the nav.xhtml or toc.ncx entry that points to the non-spine resource.
- 2Resolve that target to the manifest item and file path it uses.
- 3Check whether that manifest item appears in the OPF spine itemrefs.
- 4Decide whether the file clearly belongs in the reading order or whether the navigation target itself is wrong.
- 5Stop when the change would choose book flow, appendix placement, or front matter structure by guess.
Why KDP checks it
Why validators reject navigation targets outside the spine.
EPUB 3.3 package rules
The OPF file is the EPUB's map: metadata, file list, reading order, and navigation wiring. KDP and EPUBCheck use it to decide whether the book package is coherent.
EPUBCheck
EPUBCheck checks EPUB 2 and EPUB 3 files against the official rules and reports package, markup, link, and file-reference problems.
Can this be fixed safely?
When RSC_011 is safe to repair.
When automatic repair is safe
EPUB Fixer can help when one chapter or section file clearly belongs in the spine or when one existing spine item is clearly the real navigation target.
When you need manual review
It should stop when the fix would choose chapter order, appendix placement, front matter behavior, or alternate navigation intent on behalf of the author.
Before / after example
Before: a TOC entry points to a file outside the spine. After: the spine or navigation is aligned only when the intended reading-order destination is obvious.
Ready to retry?
Scan navigation and reading order together.
A good report should show the nav.xhtml or NCX target, the manifest item it resolves to, and whether that item belongs in the spine.
Upload EPUB to scanFAQ
Questions authors ask about RSC_011.
What does RSC_011 mean?
It means navigation points to a file that is not currently in the OPF spine reading order.
Can EPUB Fixer repair RSC_011 automatically?
Only when one file clearly belongs in the spine or one clear spine item is obviously the intended TOC target.
Should I always add the file to the spine?
No. Sometimes the navigation points to the wrong file. Adding a file to the spine by guess can change the book's reading order.
Is RSC_011 related to missing Kindle TOC problems?
Often, yes. A TOC can exist but still fail when its entries point to files outside the intended reading order.