# Filebeat blocks when reading STDIN and output is unavailable

**URL:** <https://discuss.elastic.co/t/filebeat-blocks-when-reading-stdin-and-output-is-unavailable/151600>\
**Category:** Beats\
**Tags:** filebeat\
**Created:** [October 9, 2018, 9:54am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/filebeat-blocks-when-reading-stdin-and-output-is-unavailable/151600 "2018-10-09T09:54:02Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![rarruda](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/rarruda/32/36291_2.png) [@rarruda](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/rarruda)\
**Post date:** [October 9, 2018, 9:54am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/filebeat-blocks-when-reading-stdin-and-output-is-unavailable/151600/1 "2018-10-09T09:54:02Z")

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Hi,

I am using filebeat to read from STDIN from the STDOUT of an application. However once the filebeat's buffer is full, it stops reading from the STDIN, which blocks the execution of the application. This happens if the configured output is unavailable, and filebeat is unable to flush the events further downstream.

Is there any way to configure so filebeat continues reading from STDIN, even if it means dropping events? The side effect of it stopping the application is much worst than the one for dropping log events.

I have tested this to be the case both with the in memory queue, and the file circular queue.

Any help would be very much appreciated.

Regards,  
Renato

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**Author:** ![steffens](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/steffens/32/79630_2.png) [@steffens](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/steffens)\
**Post date:** [October 9, 2018, 9:22pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/filebeat-blocks-when-reading-stdin-and-output-is-unavailable/151600/2 "2018-10-09T21:22:32Z")

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Filebeat uses infinite retry. This can not be disabled right now. Once internal queues are full, they block. If you need your application stop/quit in time you're better advised to write to a log file.

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**Author:** ![rarruda](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/rarruda/32/36291_2.png) [@rarruda](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/rarruda)\
**Post date:** [October 10, 2018, 11:58am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/filebeat-blocks-when-reading-stdin-and-output-is-unavailable/151600/3 "2018-10-10T11:58:46Z")

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Thank you, this was very helpful!

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**Author:** ![system](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/original/3X/1/a/1ac57faf039f6b580b3f104ef42a2a89e41014de.png) [@system](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/system)\
**Post date:** [November 7, 2018, 11:58am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/filebeat-blocks-when-reading-stdin-and-output-is-unavailable/151600/4 "2018-11-07T11:58:50Z")

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