> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://unkey.com/docs/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# request_body_unreadable

> The request body could not be read due to malformed JSON, encoding issues, or a dropped connection. Validate your payload format and retry.

<Danger>`err:user:bad_request:request_body_unreadable`</Danger>

```json Example theme={"theme":"kanagawa-wave"}
{
  "meta": {
    "requestId": "req_4dgzrNP3Je5mU1tD"
  },
  "error": {
    "detail": "The request body could not be read.",
    "status": 400,
    "title": "Bad Request",
    "type": "https://unkey.com/docs/errors/user/bad_request/request_body_unreadable",
    "errors": []
  }
}
```

## What Happened?

The server couldn't read your request body. This typically happens when there's an issue with how the request was formed or transmitted.

Common causes include:

* Malformed HTTP request structure
* Network connection closed prematurely during transmission
* Invalid or mismatched `Content-Length` header
* Data corruption during transmission
* Client-side network interruption

## How to Fix It

### 1. Check Your Request Structure

Make sure your HTTP request is properly formatted and all required headers are present:

```bash theme={"theme":"kanagawa-wave"}
curl -X POST https://api.unkey.com/v2/keys.create \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer unkey_XXXX" \
  -d '{
    "apiId": "api_123",
    "name": "My Key"
  }'
```

### 2. Check Network Stability

If you're experiencing intermittent failures:

* Implement retry logic with exponential backoff
* Check your network connection stability
* Consider timeout values that may be too aggressive

### 3. Avoid Partial Uploads

Ensure you're sending the complete request body in one go, not streaming partial data that might get interrupted.

## Still Having Issues?

<Note>
  If you continue to see this error after checking the above:

  1. Check your HTTP client library documentation for known issues
  2. Try a different HTTP client to isolate the problem
  3. [Contact our support team](mailto:support@unkey.com) with:
     * Your request ID (from the error response)
     * The HTTP client/library you're using
     * Any network logs or error messages
</Note>