# Failed to add server, server error occurred **URL:** \ **Category:** Pritunl\ **Created:** [November 8, 2025, 3:58pm UTC](https://forum.pritunl.com/t/failed-to-add-server-server-error-occurred/3615 "2025-11-08T15:58:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![vitexeon](https://forum.pritunl.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/v/3e96dc/32.png) [@vitexeon](https://forum.pritunl.com/u/vitexeon)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2025, 3:58pm UTC](https://forum.pritunl.com/t/failed-to-add-server-server-error-occurred/3615/1 "2025-11-08T15:58:29Z")
I can’t add a server to Pritunl; it immediately throws an error: Failed to add server, server error occurred. LOG: [2025-11-08 15:55:57,143][ERROR] Exception on /server [POST] Traceback (most recent call last): File “/usr/lib/pritunl/usr/lib/python3.9/site-packages/flask/app.py”, line 2190, in wsgi\_app response = self.full\_dispatch\_request() File “/usr/lib/pritunl/usr/lib/python3.9/site-packages/flask/app.py”, line 1486, in full\_dispatch\_request rv = self.handle\_user\_exception(e) File “/usr/lib/pritunl/usr/lib/python3.9/site-packages/flask/app.py”, line 1484, in full\_dispatch\_request rv = self.dispatch\_request() File “/usr/lib/pritunl/usr/lib/python3.9/site-packages/flask/app.py”, line 1469, in dispatch\_request return self.ensure\_sync(self.view\_functions[rule.endpoint])(\*\*view\_args) File “/usr/lib/pritunl/usr/lib/python3.9/site-packages/pritunl/auth/app.py”, line 10, in \_wrapped return call(\*args, \*\*kwargs) File “/usr/lib/pritunl/usr/lib/python3.9/site-packages/pritunl/handlers/server.py”, line 660, in server\_put\_post svr = server.new\_server( File “/usr/lib/pritunl/usr/lib/python3.9/site-packages/pritunl/server/utils.py”, line 16, in new\_server server.initialize() File “/usr/lib/pritunl/usr/lib/python3.9/site-packages/pritunl/server/server.py”, line 616, in initialize self.generate\_tls\_auth\_wait() File “/usr/lib/pritunl/usr/lib/python3.9/site-packages/pritunl/server/server.py”, line 1569, in generate\_tls\_auth\_wait raise ValueError('Popen returned ’ + ValueError: Popen returned error exit code 1 How to cure it? ---
**Author:** ![zach](https://forum.pritunl.com/user_avatar/forum.pritunl.com/zach/32/1105_2.png) [@zach](https://forum.pritunl.com/u/zach)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2025, 11:36pm UTC](https://forum.pritunl.com/t/failed-to-add-server-server-error-occurred/3615/2 "2025-11-08T23:36:31Z")
This is likely an issue with the openssl installation. ---
**Author:** ![vitexeon](https://forum.pritunl.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/v/3e96dc/32.png) [@vitexeon](https://forum.pritunl.com/u/vitexeon)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2025, 1:24am UTC](https://forum.pritunl.com/t/failed-to-add-server-server-error-occurred/3615/3 "2025-11-09T01:24:30Z")
I also thought so at first, but OpenVPN installs without errors… ---
**Author:** ![Alexidze](https://forum.pritunl.com/user_avatar/forum.pritunl.com/alexidze/32/1415_2.png) [@Alexidze](https://forum.pritunl.com/u/Alexidze)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2025, 11:25am UTC](https://forum.pritunl.com/t/failed-to-add-server-server-error-occurred/3615/4 "2025-12-21T11:25:30Z")
I have some issue `[lithium-9036][2025-12-21 13:35:29,833][ERROR] Exception on /server [POST]` `Traceback (most recent call last):` `File “/usr/lib/pritunl/usr/lib/python3.9/site-packages/flask/app.py”, line 2190, in wsgi_app` `response = self.full_dispatch_request()` `File “/usr/lib/pritunl/usr/lib/python3.9/site-packages/flask/app.py”, line 1486, in full_dispatch_request` `rv = self.handle_user_exception(e)` `File “/usr/lib/pritunl/usr/lib/python3.9/site-packages/flask/app.py”, line 1484, in full_dispatch_request` `rv = self.dispatch_request()` `File “/usr/lib/pritunl/usr/lib/python3.9/site-packages/flask/app.py”, line 1469, in dispatch_request` `return self.ensure_sync(self.view_functions[rule.endpoint])(**view_args)` `File “/usr/lib/pritunl/usr/lib/python3.9/site-packages/pritunl/auth/app.py”, line 10, in _wrapped` `return call(*args, **kwargs)` `File “/usr/lib/pritunl/usr/lib/python3.9/site-packages/pritunl/handlers/server.py”, line 660, in server_put_post` `svr = server.new_server(` `File “/usr/lib/pritunl/usr/lib/python3.9/site-packages/pritunl/server/utils.py”, line 16, in new_server` `server.initialize()` `File “/usr/lib/pritunl/usr/lib/python3.9/site-packages/pritunl/server/server.py”, line 616, in initialize` `self.generate_tls_auth_wait()` `File “/usr/lib/pritunl/usr/lib/python3.9/site-packages/pritunl/server/server.py”, line 1569, in generate_tls_auth_wait` `raise ValueError('Popen returned ’ +` `ValueError: Popen returned error exit code 1` `ubu-5:~$ lsb_release -a` `No LSB modules are available.` `Distributor ID: Ubuntu` `Description: Ubuntu 25.10` `Release: 25.10` `Codename: questing` `ubu-5:~$ pritunl version` `pritunl v1.32.4400.99` `ubu-5:~$ mongod --version` `db version v8.0.17` `Build Info: {` `“version”: “8.0.17”,` `“gitVersion”: “b20e43625b72f4bb43cc15107f80ac966ae13b6d”,` `“openSSLVersion”: “OpenSSL 3.5.3 16 Sep 2025”,` `“modules”: ``,` `“allocator”: “tcmalloc-google”,` `“environment”: {` `“distmod”: “ubuntu2404”,` `“distarch”: “x86_64”,` `“target_arch”: “x86_64”` `}` `}` ---
**Author:** ![zach](https://forum.pritunl.com/user_avatar/forum.pritunl.com/zach/32/1105_2.png) [@zach](https://forum.pritunl.com/u/zach)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2025, 9:23pm UTC](https://forum.pritunl.com/t/failed-to-add-server-server-error-occurred/3615/5 "2025-12-21T21:23:56Z")
That error is from the command `openvpn --genkey --secret ./test` failing. ---
**Author:** ![Alexidze](https://forum.pritunl.com/user_avatar/forum.pritunl.com/alexidze/32/1415_2.png) [@Alexidze](https://forum.pritunl.com/u/Alexidze)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2025, 9:58pm UTC](https://forum.pritunl.com/t/failed-to-add-server-server-error-occurred/3615/6 "2025-12-21T21:58:26Z")
`ubu-5:~$ openvpn --genkey --secret ./test` `2025-12-22 00:55:10 DEPRECATED OPTION: The option --secret is deprecated.` `2025-12-22 00:55:10 WARNING: Using --genkey --secret filename is DEPRECATED. Use --genkey secret filename instead.` `ubu-5:~$ openvpn --version` `OpenVPN 2.6.17 x86_64-pc-linux-gnu [SSL (OpenSSL)] [LZO] [LZ4] [EPOLL] [PKCS11] [MH/PKTINFO] [AEAD] [DCO]` `library versions: OpenSSL 3.5.3 16 Sep 2025, LZO 2.10` `DCO version: N/A` `Originally developed by James Yonan` `Copyright (C) 2002-2024 OpenVPN Inc `\<`sales@openvpn.net`\> `Compile time defines: enable_async_push=no enable_comp_stub=no enable_crypto_ofb_cfb=yes enable_dco=yes enable_dco_arg=yes enable_debug=yes enable_dependency_tracking=no enable_dlopen=unknown enable_dlopen_self=unknown enable_dlopen_self_static=unknown enable_fast_install=needless enable_fragment=yes enable_iproute2=no enable_libtool_lock=yes enable_lz4=yes enable_lzo=yes enable_maintainer_mode=no enable_management=yes enable_option_checking=no enable_pam_dlopen=no enable_pedantic=no enable_pkcs11=yes enable_plugin_auth_pam=yes enable_plugin_down_root=yes enable_plugins=yes enable_port_share=yes enable_selinux=no enable_shared=yes enable_shared_with_static_runtimes=no enable_silent_rules=no enable_small=no enable_static=yes enable_strict=no enable_strict_options=no enable_systemd=yes enable_unit_tests=no enable_werror=no enable_win32_dll=yes enable_wolfssl_options_h=yes enable_x509_alt_username=yes with_aix_soname=aix with_crypto_library=openssl with_gnu_ld=yes with_mem_check=no with_openssl_engine=auto with_sysroot=no` ---
**Author:** ![Alexidze](https://forum.pritunl.com/user_avatar/forum.pritunl.com/alexidze/32/1415_2.png) [@Alexidze](https://forum.pritunl.com/u/Alexidze)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2025, 5:07am UTC](https://forum.pritunl.com/t/failed-to-add-server-server-error-occurred/3615/7 "2025-12-22T05:07:11Z")
> [@zach](#): > > That error is from the command `openvpn --genkey --secret ./test` failing. ```auto How to avoid this? ``` ---
**Author:** ![zach](https://forum.pritunl.com/user_avatar/forum.pritunl.com/zach/32/1105_2.png) [@zach](https://forum.pritunl.com/u/zach)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2025, 10:47pm UTC](https://forum.pritunl.com/t/failed-to-add-server-server-error-occurred/3615/8 "2025-12-23T22:47:28Z")
It may be issues with AppArmor or some other compatibility issues with Ubuntu 25.10. The Pritunl server is only packaged for LTS releases. ---
**Author:** ![trufanov-nok](https://forum.pritunl.com/user_avatar/forum.pritunl.com/trufanov-nok/32/1238_2.png) [@trufanov-nok](https://forum.pritunl.com/u/trufanov-nok)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2026, 8:47pm UTC](https://forum.pritunl.com/t/failed-to-add-server-server-error-occurred/3615/9 "2026-01-29T20:47:23Z")
I have the same problem on Kubuntu 25.04. I have downgraded to oldest openvpn version possible. ``` $ openvpn --version OpenVPN 2.6.13 x86\_64-pc-linux-gnu [SSL (OpenSSL)] [LZO] [LZ4] [EPOLL] [PKCS11] [MH/PKTINFO] [AEAD] [DCO] library versions: OpenSSL 3.4.1 11 Feb 2025, LZO 2.10 lsb\_release -a No LSB modules are available. Distributor ID: Ubuntu Description: Ubuntu 25.04 Release: 25.04 Codename: plucky $ pritunl version pritunl v1.32.4512.98 $ mongod --version db version v8.0.18 Build Info: { “version”: “8.0.18”, “gitVersion”: “5d1557a9ac6f1cd358cef85fd11c0fabfcfc4e2e”, “openSSLVersion”: “OpenSSL 3.4.1 11 Feb 2025”, “modules”: [], “allocator”: “tcmalloc-google”, “environment”: { “distmod”: “ubuntu2404”, “distarch”: “x86\_64”, “target\_arch”: “x86\_64” } } $ openvpn --genkey --secret ./test 2026-01-29 23:46:29 DEPRECATED OPTION: The option --secret is deprecated. 2026-01-29 23:46:29 WARNING: Using --genkey --secret filename is DEPRECATED. Use --genkey secret filename instead. $ echo $? 0 ``` the openvpn exit code is 0, so it shouldn;t be a problem ---
**Author:** ![trufanov-nok](https://forum.pritunl.com/user_avatar/forum.pritunl.com/trufanov-nok/32/1238_2.png) [@trufanov-nok](https://forum.pritunl.com/u/trufanov-nok)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2026, 9:04pm UTC](https://forum.pritunl.com/t/failed-to-add-server-server-error-occurred/3615/10 "2026-01-29T21:04:50Z")
replaced the original code with ```auto fhout = open(f'/var/log/tmp/stdout.log', 'w') fherr = open(f'/var/log/tmp/stderr.log', 'w') self.tls_auth_process = subprocess.Popen(args, stdout=fhout, stderr=fherr) ``` and got in stdout.log: ```auto 2026-01-30 00:02:33 DEPRECATED OPTION: The option --secret is deprecated. 2026-01-30 00:02:33 WARNING: Using --genkey --secret filename is DEPRECATED. Use --genkey secret filename instead. 2026-01-30 00:02:33 Cannot open file '/tmp/pritunl_9282aabe52e247d68fe612b3c5296fef/94b5cfdbb4584a1cb9ec08b6904741bb/tls_auth.key' for write: Permission denied (errno=13) 2026-01-30 00:02:33 Failed to write key file 2026-01-30 00:02:33 Exiting due to fatal error ``` ---
**Author:** ![trufanov-nok](https://forum.pritunl.com/user_avatar/forum.pritunl.com/trufanov-nok/32/1238_2.png) [@trufanov-nok](https://forum.pritunl.com/u/trufanov-nok)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2026, 9:08pm UTC](https://forum.pritunl.com/t/failed-to-add-server-server-error-occurred/3615/11 "2026-01-29T21:08:55Z")
This resolves the problem: [Pritunl can't connect after update to Kubuntu 25.04 - #10 by zach](https://forum.pritunl.com/t/pritunl-cant-connect-after-update-to-kubuntu-25-04/3157/10) ---
**Author:** ![zach](https://forum.pritunl.com/user_avatar/forum.pritunl.com/zach/32/1105_2.png) [@zach](https://forum.pritunl.com/u/zach)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2026, 1:57pm UTC](https://forum.pritunl.com/t/failed-to-add-server-server-error-occurred/3615/12 "2026-01-30T13:57:01Z")
The server should only be run on LTS Ubuntu releases. Also Kubuntu is a desktop release, the server release should be used. Even if it does run the link libraries used by the included Python could eventually be incompatible versions and the server will no longer be able to function.