How to fix fatal: remote error: internal server error in Git

GitBEGINNERMEDIUMUpdated Oct 16, 2026· 276 views

This error occurs when a Git hosting server (GitHub, GitLab, Bitbucket) encounters an unexpected internal problem while processing your push, pull, or clone request. The issue is server-side and typically resolves itself.

Quick fix

Fixes HTTP 500

git push origin main
  1. Check the Git hosting platform status page
  2. Wait and retry the operation
  3. Increase the Git HTTP buffer size
  4. Push branches individually to identify problems
git — error
git push origin main
fatal: remote error: internal server error

What this error means

When you see "remote error: internal server error" or "HTTP 500" during a Git operation, it means the remote Git server (not your local machine) encountered an unexpected condition it couldn't handle. This is a generic server-side error that indicates something went wrong on the hosting platform's infrastructure—whether that's GitHub, GitLab, Bitbucket, or a self-hosted Git server. The "remote" prefix in the error message is key: it confirms the problem is not with your local Git installation, network connection, or repository state, but rather with the server processing your request. HTTP 500 errors are deliberately vague for security reasons, so the server doesn't reveal internal implementation details. These errors can occur during any Git operation that communicates with the remote server: push, pull, fetch, clone, or even browsing the repository through the web interface. The error often appears intermittently and may resolve without any action on your part.

Typical symptoms

  • Git push, pull, or clone commands fail with "remote error: internal server error"
  • Error message includes "HTTP 500" or "RPC failed; HTTP 500"
  • The error message is prefixed with "remote:" indicating server-side failure
  • Operations that worked previously now fail without changes to your repository
  • Web interface for the Git hosting platform may also show 500 errors
  • Error occurs across multiple repositories on the same platform
  • The same operation succeeds when retried later

Common causes

  1. Temporary service outage or incident on the Git hosting platform (most common)
  2. Pushing too many refs (branches/tags) simultaneously, overwhelming server limits
  3. Large files exceeding the platform's size limits (typically >2GB for GitHub)
  4. Git buffer size too small for the amount of data being transferred
  5. Repository ruleset or webhook violations triggering server-side errors
  6. Server-side storage exhaustion on self-hosted Git servers
  7. Database connection issues on the Git hosting infrastructure
  8. Deploy or maintenance operations in progress on the platform
  9. Corrupted repository state on the server requiring administrative intervention

How to fix "fatal: remote error: internal server error"

1Check the Git hosting platform status page

Before troubleshooting locally, verify whether the platform is experiencing an outage:

GitHub: https://www.githubstatus.com/
GitLab: https://status.gitlab.com/
Bitbucket: https://bitbucket.status.atlassian.com/

If there's an active incident, wait for the platform to resolve it. Many 500 errors are temporary service disruptions that resolve within minutes.

2Wait and retry the operation

If the status page shows no issues, try waiting 5-10 minutes and retry your command:

bash
git push origin main

Many internal server errors are transient and resolve on their own as the server recovers from temporary load or completes background operations.

3Increase the Git HTTP buffer size

If you're pushing large amounts of data, increase Git's HTTP post buffer to handle larger payloads:

bash
git config http.postBuffer 524288000

This sets the buffer to 500MB (524,288,000 bytes). For persistent changes across all repositories:

bash
git config --global http.postBuffer 524288000

Then retry your push operation.

4Push branches individually to identify problems

If you're using git push --all or git push --mirror, try pushing branches one at a time:

bash
git push origin main
git push origin develop
git push origin feature-branch

This can reveal if a specific branch violates repository rules or contains problematic files. GitHub has limits on the number of refs that can be pushed simultaneously.

5Switch to SSH instead of HTTPS

SSH connections may provide better error messages or avoid HTTP-specific issues:

bash
# Check your current remote URL
git remote -v

# Switch to SSH (replace with your repository)
git remote set-url origin git@github.com:username/repository.git

# Retry your operation
git push origin main

SSH can also bypass proxy issues that might be contributing to HTTP 500 errors.

6Identify and exclude large files

If you're pushing files larger than 2GB (GitHub's limit) or your platform's size limit, you'll need to exclude them:

bash
# Find large files in your repository
find . -type f -size +100M -exec ls -lh {} ;

# Add them to .gitignore
echo "large-file.zip" >> .gitignore

# Remove from Git history if already committed
git rm --cached large-file.zip
git commit -m "Remove large file"
git push origin main

Consider using Git LFS for large binary files instead.

7Contact platform support

If the error persists for several hours and the status page shows no incidents:

1. GitHub: Open a support ticket at https://support.github.com/
2. GitLab: Report the issue at https://about.gitlab.com/support/
3. Bitbucket: Contact Atlassian support at https://support.atlassian.com/

Provide:
- The full error message
- The exact Git command that failed
- Your repository URL (if public) or repository ID
- Timestamps of when the errors occurred
- Whether other repositories on the same account are affected

Advanced notes

For self-hosted Git servers (Gitea, GitLab, Gogs):

Check server logs for the actual error cause. For Bitbucket Server, enable debug logging in <Bitbucket home>/shared/bitbucket.properties and inspect the logs when the error occurs.

Common self-hosted causes include:
- Disk space exhaustion preventing Git operations
- Database connection pool exhaustion
- Insufficient memory causing process crashes
- Git binary version incompatibilities
- Corrupted repository objects requiring git fsck and repair

Platform-specific limits:
- GitHub: Maximum 100 refs per push, 2GB file size limit
- GitLab: Configurable push size limits (default 50MB per push)
- Bitbucket: 2GB file size limit, push timeout after 1 hour

When to escalate:
If you consistently get 500 errors for a specific repository but not others, the repository may be in a corrupted state on the server. This requires platform administrator intervention to repair or restore from backup. Do not attempt git push --force as this may worsen corruption.

Frequently asked questions

What does "HTTP 500" mean?
When you see "remote error: internal server error" or "HTTP 500" during a Git operation, it means the remote Git server (not your local machine) encountered an unexpected condition it couldn't handle. This is a generic server-side error that indicates something went wrong on the hosting platform's infrastructure—whether that's GitHub, GitLab, Bitbucket, or a self-hosted Git server. The "remote" prefix in the error message is key: it confirms the problem is not with your local Git installation, network connection, or repository state, but rather with the server processing your request.
How do I fix "HTTP 500"?
This error occurs when a Git hosting server (GitHub, GitLab, Bitbucket) encounters an unexpected internal problem while processing your push, pull, or clone request. The issue is server-side and typically resolves itself.
What causes "HTTP 500"?
Temporary service outage or incident on the Git hosting platform (most common) Pushing too many refs (branches/tags) simultaneously, overwhelming server limits Large files exceeding the platform's size limits (typically >2GB for GitHub)
Is the "HTTP 500" error serious?
It is a medium-severity error — more of a blocker than a risk. The steps above resolve it.

Official resources & further reading