HTTP 424 Failed Dependency
HTTP 424 Failed Dependency is a WebDAV extension status code returned for an individual operation within a larger batch when that operation could not be performed because another action it depended on already failed. Like 423, it appears exclusively in WebDAV contexts.
Quick reference
| Code | 424 |
|---|---|
| Name | Failed Dependency |
| Category | 4xx Client Errors |
| Specification | RFC 4918 §11.4 (WebDAV) |
| IANA status | Assigned |
| Used in | WebDAV only, within 207 Multi-Status responses for batched operations. |
| Client behavior | Identify and resolve the root cause failure. The 424 items themselves may succeed once the dependency is fixed. |
| In-depth guide | HTTP 424 WebDAV dependency guide → |
What it means
WebDAV supports batch operations — a single request that modifies multiple resources atomically or semi-atomically. When a server processes a batch and one early step fails, subsequent steps that depended on the failed step cannot proceed. Instead of returning a generic error for the whole batch, WebDAV uses a 207 Multi-Status response containing individual status codes per resource. Resources that could not be processed because a prerequisite step failed get 424.
The 424 code itself does not explain what failed — that information is in the response for the dependency that returned a real error (423, 403, 409, etc.). To resolve a 424, find the root cause error in the same Multi-Status response and fix that first. The 424 items will typically resolve automatically once the dependency is addressed.
Relationship to 207 Multi-Status
424 is almost always seen inside a 207 Multi-Status response body, not as a standalone HTTP response code. The 207 envelope contains a per-resource status block, and within that block, resources with failed dependencies are marked 424. A standalone 424 (without 207 context) is valid but unusual and indicates the entire request failed because of a dependency failure.
Common causes
Lock acquisition failure cascading to dependent operations
In a WebDAV batch that first attempts to lock a set of resources and then modify them, if a lock fails (423), all modification operations that depend on that lock return 424. The lock failure is the root cause; the 424s are the cascade.
COPY or MOVE operations where the source fails
A batch that moves multiple resources where one source resource is locked or does not exist will return a real error for that resource and 424 for any resources whose operations depended on the failing one completing first.
Property setting failures in PROPPATCH batches
PROPPATCH operations that set multiple properties may return 424 for properties that the server could not set because a prior property in the instruction set failed. The first failed property gets the actual error code; subsequent dependent properties get 424.
How to resolve a 424 error
- Read the full 207 Multi-Status response. The 424 is not the root problem — find the actual error code for the dependency that failed first.
- Resolve the root cause error. If the root is a 423 (lock), release the lock. If it is a 403 (permission), address the permissions issue. Once the dependency resolves, retry the batch.
- Retry the full batch. After fixing the root cause, resubmit the entire batch request. The 424-marked operations will succeed if the dependency now passes.
424 vs 423 vs 207
Related resources
On this site: HTTP 424 WebDAV dependency guide · HTTP 423 Locked · HTTP 207 Multi-Status · HTTP 409 Conflict · All 4xx client errors
Standards: RFC 4918 §11.4 · IANA Registry · MDN Web Docs: 424