balderdashy/sails · error

E_PORT_BUSY

E_PORT_BUSY

Error message

Trying to start server on port ' + sails.config.port + ' but can't...Something else is probably running on that port!\nPlease disable the other server, or choose a different port and try again.

What it means

Error "Trying to start server on port ' + sails.config.port + ' but can't...Something else is probably running on that port!\nPlease disable the other server, or choose a different port and try again." thrown in balderdashy/sails.

Source

Thrown at lib/hooks/http/start.js:155

            process.exit(1);
            // TODO: For a more graceful shutdown, we should instead consider:
            // return next(new Error('blah blah'));
          });
        }//</failedToStart>
      },

      verify: ['start', function (results, next) {
        var explicitHost = sails.config.explicitHost;

        // Check for port conflicts
        // Ignore this check if explicit host is set, since other more complicated things might be going on.
        if( !explicitHost && !sails.hooks.http.server.address() ) {
          var portBusyErrorMsg = '';
          portBusyErrorMsg += 'Trying to start server on port ' + sails.config.port + ' but can\'t...';
          portBusyErrorMsg += 'Something else is probably running on that port!' + '\n';
          portBusyErrorMsg += 'Please disable the other server, or choose a different port and try again.';
          sails.log.error(portBusyErrorMsg);
          throw flaverr({ name: 'userError', code: 'E_PORT_BUSY' }, new Error(portBusyErrorMsg));
          // TODO: For a more graceful shutdown, we should instead consider:
          // return next(new Error(portBusyErrorMsg));
        }

        next();
      }]

    }, function expressListening (err) {
      clearTimeout(liftAbortTimer);
      if (err) { return cb(err); }

      // Announce that express is now listening on a port
      sails.emit('hook:http:listening');
      return cb();
    });
  };

};

View on GitHub (pinned to 7b76422cc2)

When it happens

Trigger: Thrown at lib/hooks/http/start.js:155 when the library encounters an invalid state.

Common situations: See trigger scenarios.

AI-assisted analysis of balderdashy/sails@7b76422cc2 (2026-09-01). Data as JSON: /api/errors/3a0a0f8d800a12a6. Report an issue: GitHub.