Jira Custom Fields search page throws Internal Server Error with large search string
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
Entering a large search string in the ⚙️ → Issues → Custom fields search box results in an Internal Server Error:
The browser developer tools shows a HTTP Status 400 – Bad Request: Request header is too large.
The following may appear in the atlassian-jira.log:
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{code:java}
HTTP Status 400 – Bad Request
Type Exception Report
Message Request header is too large
Description The server cannot or will not process the request due to something that is perceived to be a client error (e.g., malformed request syntax, invalid request message framing, or deceptive request routing).
Exception
java.lang.IllegalArgumentException: Request header is too large
org.apache.coyote.http11.Http11InputBuffer.fill(Http11InputBuffer.java:726)
org.apache.coyote.http11.Http11InputBuffer.parseHeader(Http11InputBuffer.java:873)
org.apache.coyote.http11.Http11InputBuffer.parseHeaders(Http11InputBuffer.java:579)
org.apache.coyote.http11.Http11Processor.service(Http11Processor.java:700)
org.apache.coyote.AbstractProcessorLight.process(AbstractProcessorLight.java:66)
org.apache.coyote.AbstractProtocol$ConnectionHandler.process(AbstractProtocol.java:808)
org.apache.tomcat.util.net.NioEndpoint$SocketProcessor.doRun(NioEndpoint.java:1498)
org.apache.tomcat.util.net.SocketProcessorBase.run(SocketProcessorBase.java:49)
java.util.concurrent.ThreadPoolExecutor.runWorker(Unknown Source)
java.util.concurrent.ThreadPoolExecutor$Worker.run(Unknown Source)
org.apache.tomcat.util.threads.TaskThread$WrappingRunnable.run(TaskThread.java:61)
java.lang.Thread.run(Unknown Source)
Note The full stack trace of the root cause is available in the server logs.
Apache Tomcat/8.5.42
{code}Cause
The page is passing the search parameter as part of the request URL which results in the HTTP headers hitting a hard-limit in Tomcat.
Resolution
You can adjust the maxHttpHeaderSize variable to increase the maximum size of the request and response HTTP header.
Open the
<jira-install>/conf/server.xml.Edit the
<Connector>element and adjust the parameter to the desired size, specified in bytes:server.xml
1<Connector [other attributes] maxHttpHeaderSize="newlimit"/>
For more info, check out Apache Tomcat: The HTTP Connector.
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