424 Failed Dependency

What HTTP 424 Failed Dependency Means

The request failed because a previous request it depended on failed.

A WebDAV status: the action could not be performed because a dependent action (e.g. in the same batch) did not succeed.

Common Causes

• A prior request in a WebDAV batch failed
• Dependency in a multi-step operation errored
• Chained API calls where an earlier step failed

How to Fix It (For Visitors)

• Retry the operation from the start

How to Fix It (For Developers/Admins)

• Inspect the failed dependency and fix it first
• Make operations idempotent and retryable
• Return details of which dependency failed

Returning a 424 Failed Dependency (Code Examples)

If you build APIs or web apps, here is how to send an HTTP 424 response and how to test for it:

Node.js (Express)

app.get('/resource', (req, res) => {
  res.status(424).json({ error: 'Failed Dependency' });
});

Python (Flask)

@app.route('/resource')
def resource():
    return jsonify(error='Failed Dependency'), 424

PHP

<?php
http_response_code(424);
header('Content-Type: application/json');
echo json_encode(['error' => 'Failed Dependency']);

Check the status with curl

curl -I https://example.com/resource
# Look for: HTTP/1.1 424 Failed Dependency

Frequently Asked Questions

What does HTTP 424 Failed Dependency mean?

A WebDAV status: the action could not be performed because a dependent action (e.g. in the same batch) did not succeed. In short: The request failed because a previous request it depended on failed.

Is 424 Failed Dependency a client or server error?

424 is a 4xx client-error code, so the request itself needs to change. The server is running normally and is rejecting the request as it was sent by the browser, app, or API client.

How do I fix a 424 Failed Dependency error?

Inspect the failed dependency and fix it first. Make operations idempotent and retryable. Return details of which dependency failed.

Official Specification

The 424 Failed Dependency status code is defined in RFC 4918 Section 11.4.

View the IANA HTTP Status Code Registry →