HTTP status code · Server errors (5xx)
508 Loop Detected
508 Loop Detected officially means a WebDAV server stopped an operation because it ran into an infinite loop while processing a request with "Depth: infinity". Most people, however, see 508 as "Resource Limit Is Reached" on shared hosting, where CloudLinux blocks an account that exceeded its CPU, memory or process limits.
| Class | 5xx, Server errors |
|---|---|
| Defined in | RFC 5842 §7.2 |
| Cacheable by default | Only with explicit Cache-Control or Expires |
| Safe to retry | No for a WebDAV loop; for "Resource Limit Is Reached", yes after the load drops |
| Relevant headers |
|
What 508 means
RFC 5842, which adds bindings to WebDAV, defines 508 in section 7.2: the server terminated an operation because it encountered an infinite loop while processing a request with "Depth: infinity", and the entire operation failed. Bindings let the same collection appear at several paths, so a folder can end up containing itself, and a recursive PROPFIND or COPY would never finish.
The far more common sighting is unofficial. On cPanel servers running CloudLinux, each account lives in a lightweight virtual environment (LVE) with caps on CPU, memory, I/O and entry processes. When a site hits one of those caps, usually entry processes, the server answers "508 Resource Limit Is Reached" until usage drops.
Common causes
If you are visiting the site
- The site is on shared hosting and has used up its resource allowance, often during a traffic spike or a bot crawl.
If you run the server
- CloudLinux LVE limits: too many simultaneous PHP processes (entry processes), often from slow plugins, a cron hitting wp-cron.php, or aggressive crawlers.
- A WebDAV collection bound inside itself, reached through a request with Depth: infinity.
How to fix it
If you are visiting the site
- Wait a few minutes and reload; the limit clears when the account's usage drops.
If you run the server
- In cPanel, open Resource Usage to see which limit was hit and when, then cut the load: enable page caching, block abusive bots, replace wp-cron with a real cron job, remove slow plugins.
- If legitimate traffic outgrew the plan, ask the host for higher LVE limits or move to a VPS.
- For WebDAV, remove the binding that makes a collection contain itself, or have clients use Depth: 1 and walk the tree themselves.
How to send 508
Neither kind of 508 is something you send from a handler: a WebDAV server generates the loop error, and CloudLinux generates the resource-limit page in front of your site.
Commonly confused with
- 508 vs 503
- A resource-limit 508 is effectively an overload response; standard servers would say 503 for the same situation.
- 508 vs 507
- 507 is the WebDAV code for running out of storage space; the WebDAV 508 is about a request that would recurse forever, not about capacity.
Frequently asked questions
- What does "508 Resource Limit Is Reached" mean?
- Your hosting account, usually on CloudLinux shared hosting, exceeded one of its limits on CPU, memory, I/O or concurrent processes. The server blocks new requests until usage drops. It is not the WebDAV meaning of 508.
- How do I fix 508 Resource Limit Is Reached on WordPress?
- Check Resource Usage in cPanel to see which limit was hit, then reduce load: add a page cache, block bad bots, disable wp-cron in favor of a system cron, and remove heavy plugins. If traffic is legitimate, upgrade the plan.
- What causes 508 Loop Detected in WebDAV?
- A request with Depth: infinity, such as a recursive PROPFIND or COPY, reached a collection that contains itself through a binding (RFC 5842). The server stops instead of recursing forever, and the whole operation fails.
Last reviewed by Arielton Oberek.