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Google Vertex AI (generative AI) error

Vertex AI 504 DEADLINE_EXCEEDED: what it means and how to fix it

Error message
504 DEADLINE_EXCEEDED

Retry? YesLast verified 1 documented fix2 sources

What it means

The request did not finish within the deadline. A client deadline shorter than the server's default deadline can cause this.

Causes

  • The client set a deadline that is too short, for example 10 seconds

How to fix it

  1. Fix 1.

    Remove the deadline setting to use the server default, or set a longer deadline. For Flex pay-as-you-go, increase the request timeout (for example to 30 minutes) instead of retrying aggressively.

More Vertex AI errors

All 11 Vertex AI errors

HTTP 504 at other providers

FAQ

What does the Vertex AI error "504 DEADLINE_EXCEEDED" mean?

The request did not finish within the deadline. A client deadline shorter than the server's default deadline can cause this.

How do I fix Vertex AI "504 DEADLINE_EXCEEDED"?

Remove the deadline setting to use the server default, or set a longer deadline. For Flex pay-as-you-go, increase the request timeout (for example to 30 minutes) instead of retrying aggressively.

Should I retry Vertex AI "504 DEADLINE_EXCEEDED"?

Yes. The official docs treat this error as retryable.

Which other AI APIs return HTTP 504?

Per their official error docs: Anthropic API (504 timeout_error), Gemini API (504 deadline_exceeded; 504 DEADLINE_EXCEEDED), Mistral API (504 Gateway timeout), OpenRouter (504 timeout).

Sources

Last verified against 2 sources: Vertex AI's official docs and official SDK repositories.

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