GoogleGenerativeAIFetchError: [500 Internal Server Error] Failed to convert server response to JSON

[BleedingDev]

Description of the bug:

I am using GoogleAIFileManager from @google/generative-ai/server at version 0.13.0, but it was broken even in version 0.12.

No matter the file I try to upload, so that I can use it later on for the model I get this error:

GoogleGenerativeAIFetchError: [GoogleGenerativeAI Error]: Error fetching from https://generativelanguage.googleapis.com/v1beta/files: [500 Internal Server Error] Failed to convert server response to JSON

It was working well in few days ago, but then out of nowhere I started getting errors like this and nothing helped.

Actual vs expected behavior:

Expected

Upload file without any problem.

Actual

GoogleGenerativeAIFetchError: [GoogleGenerativeAI Error]: Error fetching from https://generativelanguage.googleapis.com/v1beta/files: [500 Internal Server Error] Failed to convert server response to JSON

Any other information you'd like to share?

Not just upload file, but also delete file method is broken and it all leads to the function makeFilesRequest.

But it is probably not in the SDK as even Postman fails with direct POST/GET request to the API.

[singhniraj08]

@BleedingDev, Thank you reporting this issue. Is this intermittent error or you are facing this error consistently?

[BleedingDev]

@singhniraj08 I am facing it consistently. I tried changing API keys, updating the library, changing IP address in case I did something wrong to be blocked...

[hsubox76]

Since you're experiencing this even when bypassing the API and sending a direct request to the service, I would suggest posting on the discussion forum https://discuss.ai.google.dev/ to try to reach the backend team. It doesn't seem like anything we can address in the SDK.

[BleedingDev]

It just automagically fixed itself, don't know why. :) It works via Postman, gonna check if it works with AI SDK as well.

[Karavil]

Having the same issue:

1. Initially, this code was returning an empty object, when the TypeScript type expects an object with specific keys (files, nextPageToken):

const response = await fileManager.listFiles({
    pageSize: 100,
    pageToken: nextPageToken,
});

2. Now, it's throwing a 500 error. This error also occurs with getFile and uploadFile calls.

GoogleGenerativeAIFetchError: [GoogleGenerativeAI Error]: Error fetching from https://generativelanguage.googleapis.com/v1beta/files/a-esfun1pkg-ergifdrhrn: [500 Internal Server Error] Failed to convert server response to JSON
    at handleResponseNotOk (file:///Users/alp/Desktop/dev/projects/goblins-v3/packages/server/node_modules/@google/generative-ai/dist/server/index.mjs:127:11)
    at process.processTicksAndRejections (node:internal/process/task_queues:95:5)
    at async makeRequest (file:///Users/alp/Desktop/dev/projects/goblins-v3/packages/server/node_modules/@google/generative-ai/dist/server/index.mjs:100:9)
    at async GoogleAIFileManager.getFile (file:///Users/alp/Desktop/dev/projects/goblins-v3/packages/server/node_modules/@google/generative-ai/dist/server/index.mjs:335:26)

Not sure if the timeline of the bugs is related, but thought that it'd be useful to include considering it seems to have something to do with the return type.

FYI: I was on 0.12.0 as well. Upgrading to 0.13.0 didn't resolve the issue.

[BleedingDev]

@Karavil glad that somebody else has this issue. It solved and 15 minutes after I posted that it's solved, it broke again. :(

[jaredworkman21]

I am also having this issue. It appears uploadFile works but getFile throws [500 Internal Server Error] Failed to convert server response to JSON. I'm splitting my file into 5 parts and 3 out of the 5 return this error.

[jaydedevyn]

Facing the same error. Is there a solution for this?

[jaydedevyn]

Why is this closed?

[scottleedavis]

I consistently get this following this scenario.

1. upload a file via uploadFile, wait for state to be ACTIVE (10s video)
2. .getFile(fileName);, check state is ACTIVE before step 3
3. use the file with genAI
   .getGenerativeModel({ model: "gemini-2.0-flash-exp" })
   .generateContent(...
4. call deleteFile from step 2 after response
5. try to upload another file.... always the same 500 ISE

GoogleGenerativeAIFetchError: [GoogleGenerativeAI Error]: Error fetching from https://generativelanguage.googleapis.com/v1beta/files/9xe0iylwxcur: [500 Internal Server Error] Failed to convert server response to JSON
   at handleResponseNotOk (file:///mnt/c/Users/scott/Documents/workspace/ai-portland-rocketleague/ScreenShareFeedback/node_modules/@google/generative-ai/dist/server/index.mjs:127:11)
   at process.processTicksAndRejections (node:internal/process/task_queues:95:5)
   at async makeRequest (file:///mnt/c/Users/scott/Documents/workspace/ai-portland-rocketleague/ScreenShareFeedback/node_modules/@google/generative-ai/dist/server/index.mjs:100:9)
   at async GoogleAIFileManager.getFile (file:///mnt/c/Users/scott/Documents/workspace/ai-portland-rocketleague/ScreenShareFeedback/node_modules/@google/generative-ai/dist/server/index.mjs:352:26)
   at async checkProgress (file:///mnt/c/Users/scott/Documents/workspace/ai-portland-rocketleague/ScreenShareFeedback/server/upload.mjs:58:20)
   at async file:///mnt/c/Users/scott/Documents/workspace/ai-portland-rocketleague/ScreenShareFeedback/server/index.mjs:38:22 {
 status: 500,
 statusText: 'Internal Server Error',
 errorDetails: undefined

relates to scottleedavis/ai-portland-rocketleague#1