A ConnectionResetError does not, by itself, tell you what failed. First determine whether Python lost its connection to ChromeDriver, or ChromeDriver lost Chrome during startup. Compare a direct launch of the same Chrome binary and arguments with the WebDriver run, then use the traceback and ChromeDriver log to narrow the cause.
What the error does—and does not—tell you
The reset means a connection was closed unexpectedly; it is not a diagnosis of a particular Chrome, ChromeDriver, or Linux fault. The failing connection might be between your Python process and ChromeDriver, or ChromeDriver might have exited after Chrome failed to start. The full traceback, process outcome, and service log are needed to distinguish them.
A SeleniumHQ issue records a ConnectionResetError(10054) reported with Selenium 4.14 while testing multiple browsers, but that report does not establish a general cause for Linux headless Chrome failures. SeleniumHQ issue #13038.
Collect the runtime details before changing anything
Record the actual environment for the failing run, not just the versions installed on your development machine:
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- Selenium and Python versions.
- Chrome or Chromium version and ChromeDriver version, including their major versions.
- Linux distribution and version.
- The Chrome binary path and the command-line arguments used.
- Whether the process runs as root, inside a container, under a service account, or in CI.
- The full Python traceback and the ChromeDriver log from the same attempt.
Selenium’s Chrome documentation says Selenium 4 is compatible with Chrome 75 and greater by default, and that Chrome and ChromeDriver major versions should match. Treat those as compatibility checks, not as proof of the cause: Selenium Chrome-specific functionality.
Test Chrome outside WebDriver
Use the exact Chrome binary that ChromeDriver selected and reproduce the launch under the same Linux account and with the same flags. ChromeDriver’s troubleshooting guidance recommends this direct test and checking chromedriver.log to see which browser binary is being started: Chrome doesn’t start or crashes immediately.
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- Find the binary path reported in the ChromeDriver log. If it is not the intended installation, set the binary explicitly in Chrome options.
- Run that binary directly as the same user, supplying the relevant arguments, including the headless argument if the failing run is headless.
- Compare the direct launch with WebDriver. If direct Chrome startup fails too, investigate the browser installation and its runtime conditions first. If direct startup succeeds but WebDriver fails, focus on version alignment, binary selection, service logs, and the failing traceback operation.
This comparison isolates the browser startup from the WebDriver connection. Do not infer that headless mode is inherently responsible just because removing headless changes the outcome; use headed versus headless only as a controlled comparison.
Check the Linux account and sandbox context
ChromeDriver’s official guidance identifies running Chrome as root as a common cause of startup crashes on Linux. Run the browser and test as a regular user where possible. The same guidance says that although --no-sandbox can work around the issue, that configuration is unsupported and highly discouraged; it recommends using a regular user instead. See ChromeDriver’s startup troubleshooting guidance.
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If the script is in a container, CI runner, or service, check which account actually launches Chrome and whether the directly reproduced command is running under that same context. Do not adopt --no-sandbox as a routine fix.
Enable ChromeDriver service logging in Python
Selenium’s Python Chrome Service accepts service arguments and a log destination. The following diagnostic configuration enables verbose ChromeDriver logging and uses Selenium’s documented modern headless argument; it is an example to adapt to the binary and environment, not a guaranteed fix:
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from selenium import webdriver
options = webdriver.ChromeOptions()
options.add_argument("--headless=new")
service = webdriver.ChromeService(
service_args=["--verbose"],
log_output="chromedriver.log",
)
driver = webdriver.Chrome(options=options, service=service)
Run this as a regular Linux user. Preserve the full traceback and inspect chromedriver.log from that exact attempt, correlating timestamps, the selected binary, startup messages, and process exit. If Chrome is installed at a nonstandard path, set the binary through Chrome options as described in Selenium’s Chrome documentation. For the service parameters, see the Python Chrome Service API.
Follow the branch that matches the direct launch
| What you observe | Where to investigate next |
|---|---|
| Chrome fails when launched directly with the same binary and arguments. | Browser installation, Linux permissions and user context, and the runtime conditions in the container, service, or CI environment. Use ChromeDriver’s startup troubleshooting steps before changing Selenium code. |
| Chrome launches directly, but the WebDriver run fails. | Chrome and ChromeDriver major-version alignment, the binary path ChromeDriver actually selected, service log output, and the exact request or command associated with the traceback. |
| Headed mode succeeds but headless mode fails. | Compare the two runs with the same binary, user, and environment, changing only the headless setting. Selenium documents --headless=new as a commonly used argument; the available evidence does not establish headless mode itself as the cause of a reset. |
For a broader guide to interpreting WebDriver failures, see Selenium’s Understanding Common Errors.
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Common dead ends
- Changing flags without identifying the failed process: a reset does not prove a missing library, a bad headless flag, or a sandbox problem. First compare direct Chrome startup with WebDriver startup.
- Reinstalling packages before checking the selected binary: ChromeDriver may be launching a different Chrome installation than expected. Check its log and test that exact path.
- Copying a version pairing from an old answer: capture current versions and verify the Chrome/ChromeDriver major versions match.
- Adding
--no-sandboxas a universal Linux fix: ChromeDriver documents it as unsupported and highly discouraged; prefer running Chrome as a regular user. - Installing a guessed set of Linux libraries: the symptom alone does not identify a distribution-specific dependency. Use the actual browser output and environment details to guide any package-level diagnosis.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What information should I include when asking for help with this error?
Include the complete traceback, Selenium and Python versions, Chrome and ChromeDriver versions, Linux distribution, execution account and environment (such as container or CI), and the ChromeDriver log from the same run.
Does a ConnectionResetError prove that Chrome crashed?
No. It signals an unexpectedly closed connection, but the traceback and process logs are needed to determine whether ChromeDriver, Chrome, or another connection endpoint failed.
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