504 Gateway Timeout

How to Fix “504 Gateway Timeout”

HTTP Status Error 📄 All browsers
⚡ Quick answer

A 504 Gateway Timeout means a server acting as a gateway (like Nginx or Cloudflare) waited too long for a response from an upstream server and gave up. The upstream server is too slow or unresponsive.

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What Causes the “504 Gateway Timeout” Error?

Like 502, a 504 occurs at the gateway level — but instead of an invalid response, the gateway timed out waiting for any response. The upstream server accepted the connection but took too long to process the request. Common causes: a slow database query locking up the application, an upstream API your site depends on being slow, server overload, a long-running PHP or Python script exceeding timeout limits, or misconfigured timeout settings on the gateway.

How to Fix It — 5 Methods

1 Reload and retry after waiting ▶
  1. Press Ctrl+F5 and wait 30–60 seconds
  2. 504 errors from temporary overload often resolve themselves
  3. Try at a different time of day if the site is consistently slow
2 Clear browser cache and DNS ▶
  1. Press Ctrl+Shift+Delete → clear all → reload
  2. Also run ipconfig /flushdns in Command Prompt
3 Try a different DNS ▶

Switch to Google DNS (8.8.8.8) or Cloudflare (1.1.1.1). DNS delays can make a slow server appear to timeout even faster.

4 If you own the site — identify the slow query or process ▶
  1. Check your slow query log in MySQL/MariaDB
  2. Use New Relic, Datadog, or your hosting's APM to find the slow transaction
  3. Increase PHP max_execution_time in php.ini: max_execution_time = 300
  4. Increase Nginx proxy timeout: proxy_read_timeout 300s;
5 Use a CDN to buffer slow back-end responses ▶

A CDN like Cloudflare caches responses and serves cached content even when the back-end is slow, preventing 504s from reaching end users.

  1. Enable Cloudflare's caching rules for your site
  2. Set cache TTL for static and semi-static pages
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✅ Fixed it? Visit tools.examineip.com to confirm your IP address and connection are working correctly.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between 502 and 504?
502 means the gateway received a bad/invalid response. 504 means the gateway gave up waiting — the upstream never responded in time. Both indicate back-end server problems.
Is a 504 error always the server's fault?
Yes. 504 is a server-side error. As a visitor there is nothing you can do except wait and retry.
Can Cloudflare cause a 504?
Yes. If your origin server is too slow to respond within Cloudflare's timeout window (default 100 seconds), Cloudflare returns a 504. Increase the timeout in Cloudflare's settings or fix the slow server process.

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Last updated: March 30, 2026 • Report an error

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