Internal server error | Zulip

[Ahson-Shaikh]

Hi - I have tried installing the Zulip. Alongside, I disabled the HTTPS and kept the certificate self-signed, otherwise the application stucks in a boot loop.

However, the application has started but on the UI, it is giving the error shown in the below image.

Urgent help is required. Thanks!

[GonzRon]

yeah I have the same issue, I literally get no errors - and still right away it pops with this issue.

Here's how I solved it:

# docker compose exec zulip bash -c -i -t '/bin/bash'

# cd /var/log/zulip

Inspect for errors:
# ls -altrs
 4 -rw-r--r--. 1 root  root    3738 Aug 27 19:05 django.log
  4 -rw-r--r--. 1 root  root     432 Aug 27 19:07 tornado.log
  4 -rw-rw-r--. 1 zulip zulip   1497 Aug 27 19:07 server.log

2025-08-27 18:57:57.382 ERR  [django.request] Internal Server Error: /
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "/home/zulip/deployments/2025-08-13-23-38-48/.venv/lib/python3.12/site-packages/django/core/handlers/exception.py", line 55, in inner
    response = get_response(request)
               ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
  File "/home/zulip/deployments/2025-08-13-23-38-48/.venv/lib/python3.12/site-packages/django/core/handlers/base.py", line 185, in _get_response
    response = middleware_method(
               ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
  File "/home/zulip/deployments/2025-08-13-23-38-48/zerver/middleware.py", line 690, in process_view
    raise ProxyMisconfigurationError(proxy_state_header)
zerver.middleware.ProxyMisconfigurationError: Reverse proxy misconfiguration: Incorrect reverse proxy IPs set in Zulip (try 172.19.0.1?); see https://zulip.readthedocs.io/en/latest/production/reverse-proxies.html
2025-08-27 18:57:57.418 INFO [zr] 172.19.0.1      GET     500 123ms (+start: 16ms) / (unauth@root via Mozilla)
[pid: 399|app: 0|req: 1/1] 172.19.0.1 () {66 vars in 1295 bytes} [Wed Aug 27 18:57:57 2025] GET / => generated 7382 bytes in 140 msecs (HTTP/1.1 500) 4 headers in 153 bytes (2 switches on core 0)
2025-08-27 18:58:57.700 ERR  [django.request] Internal Server Error: /
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "/home/zulip/deployments/2025-08-13-23-38-48/.venv/lib/python3.12/site-packages/django/core/handlers/exception.py", line 55, in inner
    response = get_response(request)
               ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
  File "/home/zulip/deployments/2025-08-13-23-38-48/.venv/lib/python3.12/site-packages/django/core/handlers/base.py", line 185, in _get_response
    response = middleware_method(
               ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
  File "/home/zulip/deployments/2025-08-13-23-38-48/zerver/middleware.py", line 690, in process_view
    raise ProxyMisconfigurationError(proxy_state_header)
zerver.middleware.ProxyMisconfigurationError: Reverse proxy misconfiguration: Incorrect reverse proxy IPs set in Zulip (try 172.19.0.1?); see https://zulip.readthedocs.io/en/latest/production/reverse-proxies.html
2025-08-27 18:58:57.703 INFO [zr] 172.19.0.1      GET     500  86ms (+start: 17ms) / (unauth@root via Mozilla)
[pid: 400|app: 0|req: 1/2] 172.19.0.1 () {68 vars in 1360 bytes} [Wed Aug 27 18:58:57 2025] GET / => generated 7382 bytes in 104 msecs (HTTP/1.1 500) 4 headers in 153 bytes (2 switches on core 0)
2025-08-27 18:59:57.904 ERR  [django.request] Internal Server Error: /
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "/home/zulip/deployments/2025-08-13-23-38-48/.venv/lib/python3.12/site-packages/django/core/handlers/exception.py", line 55, in inner
    response = get_response(request)
               ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
  File "/home/zulip/deployments/2025-08-13-23-38-48/.venv/lib/python3.12/site-packages/django/core/handlers/base.py", line 185, in _get_response
    response = middleware_method(
               ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
  File "/home/zulip/deployments/2025-08-13-23-38-48/zerver/middleware.py", line 690, in process_view
    raise ProxyMisconfigurationError(proxy_state_header)
zerver.middleware.ProxyMisconfigurationError: Reverse proxy misconfiguration: Incorrect reverse proxy IPs set in Zulip (try 172.19.0.1?); see https://zulip.readthedocs.io/en/latest/production/reverse-proxies.html
2025-08-27 18:59:57.907 INFO [zr] 172.19.0.1      GET     500  87ms (+start: 17ms) / (unauth@root via Mozilla)
[pid: 397|app: 0|req: 1/3] 172.19.0.1 () {68 vars in 1360 bytes} [Wed Aug 27 18:59:57 2025] GET / => generated 7382 bytes in 105 msecs (HTTP/1.1 500) 4 headers in 153 bytes (2 switches on core 0)

Exit Docker Container Shell exit

cd /path/to/zulip
Find the Gateway IP
docker network ls
docker network inspect $(docker-compose -f /path/to/your/docker-compose.yml ps -q zulip | head -1 | xargs docker inspect -f '{{range .NetworkSettings.Networks}}{{.NetworkID}}{{end}}')
docker network inspect bridge
docker network inspect zulip_default | grep -A 5 "IPAM"
docker network inspect zulip_default

# List all Docker networks and their gateways
docker network ls --format "table {{.Name}}\t{{.Driver}}" | tail -n +2 | while read name driver; do
    if [ "$driver" = "bridge" ]; then
        gateway=$(docker network inspect "$name" 2>/dev/null | grep -m1 '"Gateway"' | cut -d'"' -f4)
        echo "Network: $name, Gateway: $gateway"
    fi
done


##### update docker LB ip in docker-compose.yml

> LOADBALANCER_IPS: "172.19.0.1"  # Changed to the Docker gateway IP

docker-compose down
docker-compose up -d

create new organization

zulip-1  |     /home/zulip/deployments/current/manage.py generate_realm_creation_link