tiangolo/fastapi · error · HTTPException
Inactive user
Error message
Inactive user
What it means
Legacy-DI variant of error 47 in tutorial004. After a valid JWT resolves to a real user, get_current_active_user raises HTTP 400 'Inactive user' when current_user.disabled is truthy. Only the DI syntax differs from the Annotated version; the semantics are identical.
Solutions
- Use a user with disabled=False (johndoe in the shipped fixture).
- Set disabled=False and re-login.
- Prefer 403 Forbidden over 400 for the disabled-but-authenticated case.
Defensive patterns
Strategy: try-catch
Validate before calling
import jwt
def user_disabled_for_token(token: str, db: dict) -> bool:
payload = jwt.decode(token, SECRET_KEY, algorithms=["HS256"])
u = db.get(payload.get("sub"))
return bool(u and u.get("disabled")) Type guard
from typing import TypeGuard
def is_active_user(u: dict) -> TypeGuard[dict]:
return not u.get("disabled", False) Try / catch
import httpx
try:
r = httpx.get("/users/me/", headers={"Authorization": f"Bearer {token}"})
r.raise_for_status()
except httpx.HTTPStatusError as e:
if e.response.status_code in (400, 403) and "Inactive" in e.response.text:
prompt_reactivation() Prevention
- Keep JWT TTLs short so disabled state is re-checked quickly.
- Revoke tokens on disable.
- Use 403 Forbidden for disabled-but-authenticated users.
When it happens
Trigger: Mint a valid JWT for a disabled user, then call GET /users/me/ — JWT decodes, user loads, then line 113 raises.
Common situations: Suspended accounts in production; a disabled fixture user used by mistake.
Related errors
AI-assisted analysis of tiangolo/fastapi@3e8d1526d8 (2026-08-11).
Data as JSON: /api/errors/8c93c3ab373f4bff.
Report an issue: GitHub.
Appendix: source
Thrown at docs_src/security/tutorial004_py310.py:114
headers={"WWW-Authenticate": "Bearer"},
)
try:
payload = jwt.decode(token, SECRET_KEY, algorithms=[ALGORITHM])
username = payload.get("sub")
if username is None:
raise credentials_exception
token_data = TokenData(username=username)
except InvalidTokenError:
raise credentials_exception
user = get_user(fake_users_db, username=token_data.username)
if user is None:
raise credentials_exception
return user
async def get_current_active_user(current_user: User = Depends(get_current_user)):
if current_user.disabled:
raise HTTPException(status_code=400, detail="Inactive user")
return current_user
@app.post("/token")
async def login_for_access_token(
form_data: OAuth2PasswordRequestForm = Depends(),
) -> Token:
user = authenticate_user(fake_users_db, form_data.username, form_data.password)
if not user:
raise HTTPException(
status_code=status.HTTP_401_UNAUTHORIZED,
detail="Incorrect username or password",
headers={"WWW-Authenticate": "Bearer"},
)
access_token_expires = timedelta(minutes=ACCESS_TOKEN_EXPIRE_MINUTES)
access_token = create_access_token(
data={"sub": user.username}, expires_delta=access_token_expires
)View on GitHub (pinned to 3e8d1526d8)