Confluence won't start due error: SEVERE: Error filterStart

Platform Notice: Data Center Only - This article only applies to Atlassian products on the Data Center platform.

Note that this KB was created for the Data Center version of the product. Data Center KBs for non-Data-Center-specific features may also work for Server versions of the product, however they have not been tested. Support for Server* products ended on February 15th 2024. If you are running a Server product, you can visit the Atlassian Server end of support announcement to review your migration options.

*Except Fisheye and Crucible

Problem

The following appears in catalina.out whenever Confluence is started:

1 2 May 02, 2016 1:20:38 PM org.apache.catalina.core.StandardContext startInternal SEVERE: Error filterStart

One of the web.xml files included with Confluence has been modified or copied over from an older version of Confluence as part of an upgrade.

Resolution

Replace the following files with the default ones included as part of a clean Confluence installation and migrate any required changes from previous versions manually:

  • <confluence-install>/conf/web.xml

  • <confluence-install>/confluence/WEB-INF/web.xml

Updated on April 8, 2025

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