Your Project Zomboid server will not start: what to check

Project ZomboidUpdated Oct 18, 20264 min read

Open the Console, click Start and read the last lines before the server stops. Match your message to the table, then follow the link or the fix. The most common causes are a mod that was added last, a world saved by a newer build, and a settings file edited by hand.

Match the message

What you see	Cause	Fix
A notice on Game Settings: The server could not load its world	The world was saved by a newer build than the server runs	Your Project Zomboid server could not load its world
`pnh-workshop-check: WARNING item ... failed to download (removed, private, or a typo)`	A Workshop number is wrong or the item was removed. The panel drops it, so the server can start	Remove that item on the Workshop tab: How to remove a mod from your Project Zomboid server
The server stops right after you added a mod	The mod does not suit this build or breaks the game	Remove the newest mod, or restore your backup: Project Zomboid mods and Build 42: what to know
A Lua error right at the start, after you edited a settings or sandbox file by hand	The edit probably broke the file	Put the file back from a backup: How to restore only the settings or players of your Project Zomboid server
`Error! App '380870' state is 0x606 after update job`	The game update did not finish	Press Update now on Game Settings and start again. If it repeats, open a ticket with these lines
The badge says Install failed	The install did not finish	Open a ticket
The badge stays on Installing	The server is still being set up	Wait a few minutes. If it does not change, open a ticket

The server starts, then stops by itself

It may have run out of memory with many mods or players. Look at the Usage card: How much RAM does a Project Zomboid server need.
When the game quits on its own, the panel may start it again. If it keeps stopping, the last lines of the Console before each stop show the cause.

It starts, but never says Online

Wait for *** SERVER STARTED ****. See Your Project Zomboid server is stuck on starting.

Settings that stop a start

A Server Name that you changed starts a new world. That is not a failure, but it looks like one: Your Project Zomboid world seems to have vanished.
A Beta Branch older than the world: How to choose Build 41 or Build 42 for your Project Zomboid server.

Get help

Include the last 50 to 100 lines of the Console. Use Share log to make a link. See How to fix a server that will not start and What to include in a ticket.

Already hosting it somewhere else? Move your server to us

CREATE YOUR GAME SERVER
READY TO GET STARTED?

Save up to 30% on your new game server.
Premium performance, instant activation, and unbeatable reliability all at a better price.

Create Account Rent a Server

OUR LATEST BLOGS

Factorio

Best Factorio Mods for Multiplayer Servers in 2026

The mods that matter on a Factorio server are the ones that do not cost UPS. Factorio runs its whole simulation on one thread at 60 UPS, and that number, not RA

MaxJun 23, 2026

Terraria

Terraria Optimization & Hosting Guide 2026: Best Settings, Specs, and Server Tips

A vanilla Terraria server for a handful of friends needs about 1 GB of RAM. A tModLoader server running Calamity or Thorium needs 4 to 6 GB, because mods load a

MaxDec 2, 2025

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2 Optimization & System Requirements: Ultimate Performance Guide for 2026

High ping in Counter-Strike 2 and low frames are different problems with different fixes, and treating them as one is why most guides fail. Ping is distance and

EvanNov 27, 2025