badges/shields · error · InvalidParameter

must use a monitor-specific api key

Error message

must use a monitor-specific api key

What it means

UptimeRobot's ensureIsMonitorApiKey throws InvalidParameter when the supplied key does not start with 'm'. UptimeRobot issues monitor-specific API keys prefixed with 'm' (e.g. m780550-...), while account-level keys look different; the badge requires the monitor-specific one. The check runs before the request in fetch().

Source

Thrown at services/uptimerobot/uptimerobot-base.js:45

    monitors: Joi.array().length(1).items(monitor).required(),
  }).required(),
)

const singleMonitorResponseWithUptime = Joi.alternatives(
  errorResponse,
  Joi.object({
    stat: Joi.equal('ok').required(),
    monitors: Joi.array().length(1).items(monitorWithUptime).required(),
  }).required(),
)

export default class UptimeRobotBase extends BaseJsonService {
  static category = 'monitoring'

  static ensureIsMonitorApiKey(value) {
    // A monitor API key must start with "m".
    if (!value.startsWith('m')) {
      throw new InvalidParameter({
        prettyMessage: 'must use a monitor-specific api key',
      })
    }
  }

  async fetch({ monitorSpecificKey, numberOfDays }) {
    this.constructor.ensureIsMonitorApiKey(monitorSpecificKey)

    let opts, schema
    if (numberOfDays) {
      opts = { custom_uptime_ratios: numberOfDays }
      schema = singleMonitorResponseWithUptime
    } else {
      opts = {}
      schema = singleMonitorResponse
    }
    const { stat, error, monitors } = await this._requestJson({
      schema,

View on GitHub (pinned to 766fd8bc89)

Solutions

1. In UptimeRobot, open the monitor's settings and copy the Monitor-specific API key (starts with 'm').
2. Replace the account-level main API key in the badge URL with the monitor-specific key.
3. Verify no string manipulation is stripping the leading 'm' from the key.

Example fix

// before
?apiKey=u695395-abc123...  (account key)
// after
?apiKey=m780550-def456...  (monitor-specific key)

if (!monitorSpecificKey || !monitorSpecificKey.startsWith('m')) throw new Error('monitor-specific API key (starting with m) required')

const isMonitorKey = (v) => typeof v === 'string' && v.startsWith('m')

try { await fetchBadge() } catch (e) { if (e instanceof InvalidParameter) console.error('use the monitor-specific key'); throw e }

When it happens

Trigger: Any uptimerobot badge (e.g. response/uptime for a number of days) with a monitorSpecificKey that does not begin with the character 'm', including missing keys where startsWith throws implicitly.

Common situations: Using the main account API key instead of the per-monitor key; copying the monitor id rather than the monitor API key; the key losing its leading 'm' through trimming or template interpolation.

Related errors

• invalid api key
• monitor API key is unvalid
• Invalid flags, must be one of: ${VALID_FLAGS}
• Invalid re2 regex: ${error.message}
• monitor API key is required

AI-assisted analysis of badges/shields@766fd8bc89 (2026-08-30). Data as JSON: /api/errors/b273269312173fb0. Report an issue: GitHub.