issue: /api/v1/files/ upload endpoint succeeds, but file is not processed (data.content remains empty)

[LosaLosSantos]

Check Existing Issues

• I have searched the existing issues and discussions.
• I am using the latest version of Open WebUI.

Installation Method

Docker

Open WebUI Version

v0.6.6

Ollama Version (if applicable)

No response

Operating System

Windows 10

Browser (if applicable)

No response

Confirmation

• I am using the latest version of both Open WebUI and Ollama.
• I have read and followed all instructions in README.md.
• I have included the browser console logs.
• I have included the Docker container logs.
• I have listed steps to reproduce the bug in detail.

Expected Behavior

After a successful POST /api/v1/files/, the file should be automatically processed and chunked in the backend, exactly as happens when uploading via the web UI. This ensures the file is ready to be added to a knowledge base and used in RAG flows.

Actual Behavior

Uploading file via POST /api/v1/files/ returns 200 OK with a valid file ID.

However, the uploaded file is not processed:

The corresponding data.content remains empty ({}), and when we try to add the file to a knowledge base via

Steps to Reproduce

Polling /api/v1/files/{id} repeatedly until data.content is populated appears to work only if the UI is open, suggesting the background worker might be linked to a frontend action.

Logs & Screenshots

Collection created: 3496278d-a417-4538-995c-936177edfb77
Loading: LD19SGI-QS1011-009 - Accessi Logici - v05.docx
Uploaded: 2e94bdba-cbd5-43e7-81f6-bd3edc4e0d49
Added to collection: {'detail': 'Extracted content is not available for this file. Please ensure that the file is processed before proceeding.'}
Loading: Strategia_italiana_per_l_Intelligenza_artificiale_2024-2026.pdf
Uploaded: 2aff2bd2-21ec-42e9-b100-5be2befd4357
Added to collection: {'detail': 'Extracted content is not available for this file. Please ensure that the file is processed before proceeding.'}

Additional Information

No response

[tjbck]

We're unable to reproduce on our end, keep us updated!

[athoik]

We're unable to reproduce on our end, keep us updated!

Change to docling and add eg localhost, but no docling server listening / up and running.

That will force error, no data from docling.
Although file will be uploaded on filesystem and on db it will have null hash.

[Likeabozz123]

I am having the exact same issue right now.

`headers = {
'Authorization': f'Bearer {OPEN_WEBUI_API_KEY}',
'Accept': 'application/json'
}

knowledge_base = create_knowledge_base(get_file_name(pdf_file.name), get_file_name(pdf_file.name))

for chapter in chapters:
    with open(chapter, "rb") as f:
        files = {
            'file': f,
        }

        data = requests.post(f"{OPEN_WEBUI_API_PREFIX}/files/", headers=headers, files=files)
        print(f"Uploaded {chapter} to Open-Webui")
        print(data.json())

        requests.post(f"{OPEN_WEBUI_API_PREFIX}/knowledge/{knowledge_base['id']}/add", headers=headers, data={"file_id": data.json()["id"]})
        print(data.json()["id"])
        print(f"Added {chapter} to knowledge base {get_file_name(pdf_file.name)}")

print("All chapters uploaded to Open-Webui.")

`

[LosaLosSantos]

Yes, the error actually comes from:

def add_file_to_knowledge(token, knowledge_id, file_id):
    url = f'http://<your-host>/api/v1/knowledge/{knowledge_id}/file/add'
    headers = {
        'Authorization': f'Bearer {token}',
        'Content-Type': 'application/json'
    }
    data = {'file_id': file_id}
    response = requests.post(url, headers=headers, json=data)
    return response.json()

However, the root cause is a malfunction in the upload step:

def upload_file(token, file_path):
    url = 'http://<your-host>/api/v1/files/'
    headers = {
        'Authorization': f'Bearer {token}',
        'Accept': 'application/json'
    }
    with open(file_path, 'rb') as f:
        files = {'file': f}
        response = requests.post(url, headers=headers, files=files)
    return response.json()

The file uploads successfully (HTTP 200), but it doesn't get processed — the data.content field remains empty. As a result, the file/add call fails with:
{"detail": "Extracted content is not available for this file. Please ensure that the file is processed before proceeding."}

[feder-cr]

Same problem

[MaxStroh]

Same problem, but in our logs of open web ui the logs say, that file.content_type is None and has no field .startsWith:

2025-05-07 16:50:53.688 | DEBUG | python_multipart.multipart:callback:628 - Calling on_part_begin with no data - {}
2025-05-07 16:50:53.688 | DEBUG | python_multipart.multipart:callback:625 - Calling on_header_field with data[36:55] - {}
2025-05-07 16:50:53.689 | DEBUG | python_multipart.multipart:callback:625 - Calling on_header_value with data[57:105] - {}
2025-05-07 16:50:53.689 | DEBUG | python_multipart.multipart:callback:628 - Calling on_header_end with no data - {}
2025-05-07 16:50:53.689 | DEBUG | python_multipart.multipart:callback:628 - Calling on_headers_finished with no data - {}
2025-05-07 16:50:53.689 | DEBUG | python_multipart.multipart:callback:625 - Calling on_part_data with data[109:5064] - {}
2025-05-07 16:50:53.689 | DEBUG | python_multipart.multipart:callback:628 - Calling on_part_end with no data - {}
2025-05-07 16:50:53.689 | DEBUG | python_multipart.multipart:callback:628 - Calling on_end with no data - {}
2025-05-07 16:50:53.766 | INFO | open_webui.routers.files:upload_file:91 - file.content_type: None - {}
2025-05-07 16:50:53.821 | ERROR | open_webui.routers.files:upload_file:159 - 'NoneType' object has no attribute 'startswith' - {}
Traceback (most recent call last):
File "/usr/local/lib/python3.11/threading.py", line 1002, in _bootstrap
self._bootstrap_inner()
│ └ <function Thread._bootstrap_inner at 0x7f7e7815c860>
└ <WorkerThread(AnyIO worker thread, started 140175359329984)>
File "/usr/local/lib/python3.11/threading.py", line 1045, in _bootstrap_inner
self.run()
│ └ <function WorkerThread.run at 0x7f7dad7bd440>
└ <WorkerThread(AnyIO worker thread, started 140175359329984)>
File "/usr/local/lib/python3.11/site-packages/anyio/_backends/_asyncio.py", line 967, in run
result = context.run(func, *args)
│ │ │ └ ()
│ │ └ functools.partial(<function upload_file at 0x7f7db7286c00>, user=UserModel(id='ac940cad-c937-4a9b-a179-9676a4f51b05', name='S...
│ └ <method 'run' of '_contextvars.Context' objects>
└ <_contextvars.Context object at 0x7f7dacf814c0>
> File "/app/backend/open_webui/routers/files.py", line 129, in upload_file
if file.content_type.startswith(
│ └ <property object at 0x7f7e74979760>
└ UploadFile(filename='3248885-V3.md', size=4955, headers=Headers({'content-disposition': 'form-data; name="file"; filename="32...
AttributeError: 'NoneType' object has no attribute 'startswith'
2025-05-07 16:50:53.823 | ERROR | open_webui.routers.files:upload_file:160 - Error processing file: f19d5207-21a9-42e8-b819-f05d7d27d2fe - {}
2025-05-07 16:50:53.825 | INFO | uvicorn.protocols.http.httptools_impl:send:476 - 10.233.241.246:0 - "POST /api/v1/files/ HTTP/1.1" 200 - {}
2025-05-07 16:50:53.994 | INFO | uvicorn.protocols.http.httptools_impl:send:476 - 10.233.241.246:0 - "POST /api/v1/knowledge/bf748ccd-af17-4f17-9909-18402f9be86b/file/add HTTP/1.1" 400 - {}

[MaxStroh]

And the code throws and error ("Error processing file" but returns a 200 on the POST /api/v1/files/ request.

Error occurred on our instance since one of the last updates (not sure if v0.6.5, v0.6.6 or v0.6.7)

[MaxStroh]

Might this change maybe be the cause?
62366ad#diff-ce9cc6463e909189a3a8a594f3c0564170582e8725403c45cad9909369d589a0L128-R137

[Hungleminh]

Hi there, i had the same problem at the moment. Do you have any solution or update on this one?

[sleepyddl]

Same issue here. Has anyone found a solution?

[sleepyddl]

on WSL using Docling as the document parser. Running OpenWebUI v0.6.10

[Hungleminh]

Hello, anyone has any updates or workaround for this bug? Upgrade to latest version?

Thanks

[surak]

If you try via the web ui both as single files or as directories, is the behavior for you the same?

I can upload multiple files, but if I select to upload a directory, it does upload it, but it is never visible or available. I think they use the same endpoint internally.

[arunbugkiller]

Hi, facing the same issue. When uploading through frontend everything is working but using the backend API is causing the issue. Anyone found anything.

I am using self-hosted Apache Tika as content extraction engine.

[YetheSamartaka]

I am having the same issue here when using the official cookbook:
#14664