Fix NERR_AlreadyForwarded (0X000008E2) Error

This error means a message alias (like a shared mailbox or distribution list) has already been forwarded. You'll unmangle the forwarding rule in Exchange or AD.

The 30-Second Fix: Check for a Forwarding Loop

This error almost always means someone set up forwarding on a distribution group or shared mailbox and the target account also has forwarding back to the source. I've seen it happen when a receptionist leaves and their replacement gets forwarding to the old alias.

Open the Exchange Admin Center (or the old ECP if you're on 2013/2016). Go to recipients > mailboxes or groups. Find the alias that throws 0X000008E2. Under mail flow > delivery options, check if forwarding is enabled. If it is, disable it. Then check the target account — if it forwards back, turn that off too. That's the loop. Simple as that.

Had a client last week whose entire print queue died because of this — turns out their HR mailbox was forwarding to a terminated employee's alias that pointed right back. Broke everything. Disabled both forwards and it was fixed in under a minute.

The 5-Minute Fix: Clear Forwarding via PowerShell

If the GUI doesn't let you change it (sometimes it's greyed out), you'll need PowerShell. Connect to Exchange Online or on-prem Exchange Management Shell.

Get-Mailbox "aliasname" | fl ForwardingAddress, ForwardingSmtpAddress

If you see a value there, clear it:

Set-Mailbox "aliasname" -ForwardingAddress $null -ForwardingSmtpAddress $null

For a distribution group:

Set-DistributionGroup "groupname" -ForwardingAddress $null

Now try to forward the alias again. If it still gives 0X000008E2, you've got a stale entry in Active Directory. That's the next step.

I've had cases where the forwarding address was set on the target mailbox instead of the source — PowerShell shows it clearly. One guy had forwarding set on both sides and wondered why mail looped. PowerShell solved it in two commands.

The 15+ Minute Fix: ADSI Edit to Nuke Stale Forwarding

Sometimes the forwarding rule is buried in Active Directory and the GUI won't show it. This is common if you migrated from an older Exchange version (2007 or 2010) and the attribute didn't clean up.

Back up AD first — take a snapshot or export the affected object with PowerShell:

Get-ADUser "username" -Properties * | Export-Csv C:\backup\user.csv

Now open ADSI Edit (install via RSAT if you don't have it). Connect to the default naming context. Navigate to the object (user or group) that shows the error. Right-click > properties. Find the attribute msExchMailboxForwardingAddress or altRecipient. If it's filled, clear the value. Also check dlMemSubmitPerms — sometimes a stale permission locks forwarding.

Once cleared, force replication:

repadmin /syncall /AdeP

Now test forwarding again. If it still fails, check the target object for the same attributes. I've watched admins chase this for hours when the real culprit was a distribution group whose altRecipient pointed to a deleted mailbox GUID. ADSI Edit finds it in five minutes.

Pro tip: If you're on Exchange Online, you won't have ADSI Edit. Instead, use the Set-MailUser cmdlet to clear forwarding attributes on mail users synced from on-prem. Run Set-MailUser "alias" -ExternalEmailAddress $null -EmailAddresses @{remove="smtp:oldalias@domain.com"} to purge stale proxy addresses.

One last thing: if you're still stuck after all this, the problem might be in the Microsoft 365 Admin Center > Users > Active Users. Some forwarding rules are set there, not in Exchange. Check for "forward to" in the mail settings. That's caught me twice.