HTTP 506 Variant Also Negotiates indicates a server configuration error where the chosen variant resource is itself configured to engage in content negotiation, creating a circular reference that cannot be resolved.
Status
506 Variant Also NegotiatesExample
Request
GET /page HTTP/1.1
Host: www.example.com
User-Agent: Mozilla/5.0
Accept: text/htmlResponse
HTTP/1.1 506 Variant Also Negotiates
Content-Type: text/html; charset=utf-8
Content-Length: 221
<!doctype html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
<title>506 Variant Also Negotiates</title>
</head>
<body>
<h1>Variant Also Negotiates</h1>
<p>The server has an internal configuration error and could not complete your request.</p>
</body>
</html>How to Troubleshoot
1
Fix content negotiation configuration
Review the server's content negotiation rules and ensure variant resources do not themselves participate in negotiation.
2
Request a specific variant directly
Use a direct URL or specific Accept headers to bypass the negotiation loop.
Common Causes
Misconfigured content negotiation
highThe server's transparent content negotiation configuration has a circular reference — a variant points back to the negotiation process.
Related Status Codes
References
| Specification | Section |
|---|---|
| Transparent Content Negotiation in HTTP | RFC 2295 §8.1 |
Frequently Asked Questions
This reference was compiled from official RFCs, protocol specifications, and hands-on troubleshooting experience. AI tools were used primarily for formatting and organizing the content on the page.