Cobra Forum

Question: [BUG] nginx shows configuration error in Plesk: "proxy_read_timeout" directive is duplicate


Applicable to:

• Plesk for Linux

Symptoms

• The following error message is shown:

[emerg] "proxy_read_timeout" directive is duplicate in /var/www/vhosts/system/example.com/conf/vhost_nginx.conf:1 nginx: configuration file /etc/nginx/nginx.conf test failed

when

• adding proxy_read_timeout to the Additional nginx directives field at Domains > example.com > Apache & nginx settings;
• opening the Home page in Plesk;
• repairing the web-server configuration.

The max_execution_time value is customized at Domains > example.com > PHP Settings (Reset to Default option is shown):

(https://pix.cobrasoft.org/images/2025/12/06/Screenshot_2020-03-27_PHP_Settings_for_example_com_-_Plesk_Obsidian_18_0_23.png)

• Plesk repair utility fails with:

# plesk repair web
...
Template_Exception: nginx: [emerg] "proxy_read_timeout"
directive is duplicate in
/var/www/vhosts/system/example.com/conf/vhost_nginx.conf:2
nginx: configuration file /etc/nginx/nginx.conf test failed


Cause

Product issue:

• #PPPM-12599 "Specifying custom values for both the proxy_read_timeout nginx directive and max_execution_time PHP setting for the same domain results in the max_execution_time value being substituted for the proxy_read_timeout value (e.g., adding proxy_read_timeout 1800; to "Apache&Nginx Settings" > "Additional Nginx directives" and setting max_execution_time to 90 in "PHP Settings" will result in proxy_read_timeout being set to 90 in the nginx configuration file for the domain in question)."
• Fixed in:

     

• Plesk Obsidian 23 November 2021 (Linux)

Resolution

Please consider updating your server:

How to install Plesk updates


Workaround

1.Log in to Plesk.

2.Apply one of the following steps to remove the duplicate directive:

• Reset the max_execution_time value to default at Domains > example.com > PHP Settings and specify proxy_read_timeout in the Additional nginx directives field at Domains > example.com > Apache & nginx settings
• Remove the proxy_read_timeout (if defined) from the Additional nginx directives field at Domains > example.com > Apache & nginx Settings and adjust max_execution_time in domain's PHP Settings.

Note: If there are a lot of domains with both directives customized, see the command-line instructions below.

3.Go to Tools & Settings > Webserver Configurations Troubleshooter

4.Click the mceclip1.png button > Set the Status filter to Error from the drop-down menu.

(https://pix.cobrasoft.org/images/2025/12/06/mceclip1-8.png)


5.The list of broken configuration files will appear. Select all and click Rebuild > Selected.


Disabling proxy_read_timeout for all domains via a command-line interface


1.Connect to the Plesk server via SSH.

2.Disable proxy_read_timeout for all domains with the command:

# grep -rl "proxy_read_timeout" /var/www/vhosts/system/*/conf/ | xargs sed -i 's/proxy_read_timeout/#proxy_read_timeout/g'

3.Repair web-server configuration:

# plesk repair web -y