# Head requests failing, locking up client

**URL:** <https://discuss.elastic.co/t/head-requests-failing-locking-up-client/50142>\
**Category:** Elasticsearch\
**Created:** [May 16, 2016, 5:11pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/head-requests-failing-locking-up-client/50142 "2016-05-16T17:11:53Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![wflanagan](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/wflanagan/32/3856_2.png) [@wflanagan](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/wflanagan)\
**Post date:** [May 16, 2016, 5:11pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/head-requests-failing-locking-up-client/50142/1 "2016-05-16T17:11:53Z")

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I have an existing production server that is having some problems. When I use elasticsearch-ruby client, and do an "exists" request.. it performs a head check to see if the ID exists.. (this is how it works in the /plugin/\_head as well). On /plugin/\_head and using CURL, and using my local client, this behavior has been seen.

It doesn't happen but about 1/100 incidents. When it happens, it locks up the client. and the process hangs.

I have checked every permutation I can. We have determined using packet traces that the request goes to the ElasticSearch server.. but the ES server does not reply with a valid packet. It returns an empty packet.. which hangs the client.

We are down. We have been down for 2 weeks. I"m lost as to what to do next. It is clearly an ES server issue. 1.7.4 on ES.

Help!

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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:** [July 5, 2017, 10:51pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/head-requests-failing-locking-up-client/50142/2 "2017-07-05T22:51:19Z")

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