{"record":{"id":"891e731e7dd4b2bc","repo":"vllm-project/vllm","slug":"vllm-failed-to-compile-the-model-the-most-likely","errorCode":null,"errorMessage":"vLLM failed to compile the model. The most likely reason for this is that a previous compilation failed, leading to a corrupted compilation artifact. We recommend trying to remove ~/.cache/vllm/torch_compile_cache and try again to see the real issue. ","messagePattern":"vLLM failed to compile the model\\. The most likely reason for this is that a previous compilation failed, leading to a corrupted compilation artifact\\. We recommend trying to remove ~/\\.cache/vllm/torch_compile_cache and try again to see the real issue\\. ","errorType":"exception","errorClass":"RuntimeError","httpStatus":null,"severity":"error","filePath":"vllm/compilation/compiler_interface.py","lineNumber":647,"sourceCode":"            if saved_tracing_context is not None:\n                torch._guards._TLS.tracing_context = None\n\n                def _restore_tracing_context():\n                    torch._guards._TLS.tracing_context = saved_tracing_context\n\n                stack.callback(_restore_tracing_context)\n\n            compiled_graph = compile_fx(\n                graph,\n                example_inputs,\n                inner_compile=hijacked_compile_fx_inner,\n                config_patches=current_config,\n            )\n\n        # Turn off the checks if we disable the compilation cache.\n        if is_compile_cache_enabled(compiler_config):\n            if hash_str is None:\n                raise RuntimeError(\n                    \"vLLM failed to compile the model. The most \"\n                    \"likely reason for this is that a previous compilation \"\n                    \"failed, leading to a corrupted compilation artifact. \"\n                    \"We recommend trying to \"\n                    \"remove ~/.cache/vllm/torch_compile_cache and try again \"\n                    \"to see the real issue. \"\n                )\n            assert file_path is not None, (\n                \"failed to get the file path of the compiled graph\"\n            )\n        return compiled_graph, (hash_str, file_path)\n\n    def load(\n        self,\n        handle: Any,\n        graph: fx.GraphModule,\n        example_inputs: list[Any],\n        graph_index: int,","sourceCodeStart":629,"sourceCodeEnd":665,"githubUrl":"https://github.com/vllm-project/vllm/blob/c794754062d49a8fdb63ab3c5215b488b865030c/vllm/compilation/compiler_interface.py#L629-L665","documentation":"vLLM compiles each partitioned graph through torch inductor's compile_fx with a monkey-patched inner compile that records a cache hash (hash_str). When the compilation cache is enabled but hash_str is still None after compile_fx returns, vLLM could not obtain a cache key for the compiled artifact. This almost always means a previous failed compilation left a corrupted artifact in ~/.cache/vllm/torch_compile_cache, which now blocks the cache-hash path and hides the real underlying error.","triggerScenarios":"Running with CompilationConfig mode=VLLM_COMPILE (piecewise compilation) or any mode where is_compile_cache_enabled(compiler_config) is True, and compile_fx returning without the hijacked inner compile having captured hash_str/file_path (e.g. an inductor cache-hit path from a stale/corrupt entry, or an inner error swallowed by cache logic).","commonSituations":"A previous run crashed or was killed mid-compilation; upgrading vLLM or PyTorch while reusing an old torch_compile_cache; running with default compilation config (-O3) after disk-full or permission issues corrupted cache files.","solutions":["Remove the compilation cache: rm -rf ~/.cache/vllm/torch_compile_cache, then rerun to surface the real error.","If it recurs, disable the compile cache to bypass artifact loading (e.g. set compilation_config.compile_cache_config or VLLM_DISABLE_COMPILE_CACHE=1 / run with -O0 eager) and inspect the underlying failure.","Check for interrupted prior runs (OOM, SIGKILL, full disk in $HOME/.cache) that could have written partial artifacts.","Report the underlying traceback to vLLM if the error persists on a clean cache."],"exampleFix":"# before\npython -m vllm.entrypoints.openai.api_server --model meta-llama/Llama-3-8B # RuntimeError: vLLM failed to compile the model...\n# after\nrm -rf ~/.cache/vllm/torch_compile_cache\npython -m vllm.entrypoints.openai.api_server --model meta-llama/Llama-3-8B","handlingStrategy":"retry","validationCode":"import shutil, pathlib\ncache = pathlib.Path.home() / \".cache/vllm/torch_compile_cache\"\nif cache.exists():\n    bad = []\n    for f in cache.rglob('*'):\n        try:\n            if f.is_file() and f.stat().st_size == 0:\n                bad.append(f)\n        except OSError:\n            bad.append(f)\n    if bad:\n        shutil.rmtree(cache)  # start clean before serving","typeGuard":null,"tryCatchPattern":"try:\n    llm = LLM(model=..., compilation_config=CompilationConfig(mode='VLLM_COMPILE'))\nexcept RuntimeError as e:\n    if 'corrupted compilation artifact' in str(e):\n        shutil.rmtree(pathlib.Path.home() / '.cache/vllm/torch_compile_cache', ignore_errors=True)\n        llm = LLM(model=..., compilation_config=CompilationConfig(mode='VLLM_COMPILE'))  # one retry\n    else:\n        raise","preventionTips":["Wipe ~/.cache/vllm/torch_compile_cache after upgrading vLLM or PyTorch","Avoid killing the process mid-compilation; use graceful shutdown","Pin one cache directory per vllm/torch version pair in CI"],"tags":["compilation","torch-compile","cache","vllm"],"backgroundTag":null,"analyzedSha":"c794754062d49a8fdb63ab3c5215b488b865030c","analyzedAt":"2026-08-14T21:17:39.825Z","schemaVersion":2},"datasetVersion":"2026-08-15T22:17:37.221Z"}