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When Nginx returns 404 for a PHP script that appears to exist, the failure is usually a path-mapping problem. Nginx may be looking under the wrong root or alias, a try_files rule may reject the request, or PHP-FPM may receive a SCRIPT_FILENAME that does not exist in its filesystem. Trace the request from URI to Nginx location, resolved filename, and PHP-FPM endpoint; then fix the first mismatch you find.
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First determine which component produced the 404
A browser’s “404 Not Found” page does not identify the failing component. Nginx can generate a 404 before PHP-FPM is contacted, or it can pass the request upstream and receive an error because PHP-FPM cannot open the script. The remedy differs, so start by recording evidence rather than changing directives at random.
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Hostname used by the client. - Inspect the response with
curl -iso you can see the status,Serverheader, redirects, and response body. - Capture the matching access-log and error-log lines at the same time. The usual files are under
/var/log/nginx/, but the active configuration may specify another location. - From the shell, test whether the expected PHP file exists at the absolute path implied by the active configuration. Check filename case, symlinks, release-directory links, and URI prefixes.
curl -i -H 'Host: example.test' 'http://127.0.0.1/account/login.php?next=%2F'
sudo tail -f /var/log/nginx/access.log /var/log/nginx/error.log
# Substitute the path your configuration should resolve to
stat /var/www/example/public/account/login.phpNginx’s Beginner’s Guide states that when the requested file does not exist, Nginx sends a response indicating a 404 error and recommends checking access.log and error.log when behavior is unexpected. A 404 with no FastCGI activity generally points to Nginx’s URI-to-file mapping; a request that reaches PHP-FPM requires checking the script path visible to that service.
See the configuration Nginx is actually running
Editing an included file is not enough if another server block wins the request or a later include overrides a parameter. Dump the complete, expanded configuration and identify the block selected for the request.
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- Run
sudo nginx -Twith the same configuration and privilege context used by the service. Save the output while troubleshooting. - Find the
serverblock whoselisten,server_name, and default-server status match the request’s address andHostheader. - Within that block and its inherited contexts, record
rootoralias,index, the PHP regular-expression location,try_files,include fastcgi_params,fastcgi_pass, and everyfastcgi_param SCRIPT_FILENAME. - Check for another regular-expression or more-specific prefix location that captures the URI before the PHP location you expected. Nginx location selection, not file order alone, determines which directives apply.
Validate syntax before any reload:
sudo nginx -t
sudo systemctl reload nginxIf validation fails, do not reload. Correct the reported file and line, run nginx -t again, and only then retest with a fresh request and fresh log lines.
Map the URI to a real file with root or alias
The active root or alias establishes the filesystem base. Nginx combines that base with the request URI (according to the directive’s mapping rules) when it checks a file. A visually correct URL can therefore point to a different directory than the one you inspected.
Document root mapping
With a document root such as root /var/www/example/public;, a request for /account/login.php is normally checked under /var/www/example/public/account/login.php. Verify that exact path, not a similarly named file in the project directory or an old deployment release.
server {
root /var/www/example/public;
index index.php;
location / {
try_files $uri $uri/ /index.php?$query_string;
}
}Common root-related causes include a symlink that still points to an older release, a web root one directory above or below the application’s public directory, and case differences on a case-sensitive filesystem. A request for /Login.php does not necessarily match login.php.
Alias mapping
alias replaces the matching location prefix with a filesystem path. It is useful for mounting a directory at a URL prefix, but a mismatch between the location’s trailing slash and the alias path can produce an unexpected filename. Confirm the complete mapping for the exact URI and test a file inside the aliased directory before involving PHP.
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location /assets/ {
alias /srv/site-assets/;
}
Do not assume that $document_root describes an aliased location. In a PHP location nested under or adjacent to an alias, construct SCRIPT_FILENAME from the mapping that actually serves the script, or use a tested explicit path. The goal is that the path sent to PHP-FPM names the same file Nginx would serve from that request.
Check filesystem access and deployment links
- Use
namei -l /var/www/example/public/account/login.phpto inspect every parent directory and permission. - Use
readlink -fon release symlinks to see the physical directory currently targeted. - Compare the path in the request with the application’s public URL prefix. If the site is mounted at
/app/, decide whether the filesystem contains anappdirectory or whether the prefix is removed by a location mapping. - Check that a deployment did not delete the file while Nginx retained an old configuration or cache. Reload after a verified deployment change.
Understand what try_files is doing
try_files checks candidate files or directories in the current mapping. If none exists, its final argument can perform an internal redirect, return a status such as =404, or send the request to a named location. This directive is often where an apparently existing script is rejected.
Front-controller fallback
A typical application routes non-file URLs to a front controller:
location / {
try_files $uri $uri/ /index.php?$query_string;
}Here, a missing path is intentionally rewritten to /index.php. That is appropriate for routes handled by the application, but it can hide a typo in a direct script URL. Confirm that the fallback is intentional for the URI you are testing and that the fallback script itself exists under the active root.
Reject missing PHP scripts before forwarding
Inside the PHP location, try_files $fastcgi_script_name =404; checks the script path derived from the request and stops a nonexistent script before PHP-FPM is contacted. A production configuration example uses this early check together with fastcgi_param SCRIPT_FILENAME $document_root$fastcgi_script_name. Add it only after you have verified the root or alias mapping; otherwise it will consistently reject a valid file because the mapping is wrong.
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location ~ .php$ {
try_files $fastcgi_script_name =404;
include fastcgi_params;
fastcgi_param SCRIPT_FILENAME $document_root$fastcgi_script_name;
fastcgi_pass unix:/run/php/php-fpm.sock;
}Do not confuse try_files with PHP execution. It only determines whether Nginx’s candidate path exists and whether to continue, redirect, or return a status.
Make the PHP location and FastCGI parameters agree
The PHP location must forward the request to the correct PHP-FPM socket, TCP host, or port, and it must identify the script using an absolute path that PHP-FPM can see. Nginx documents that “The SCRIPT_FILENAME parameter is used in PHP for determining the script name, and the QUERY_STRING parameter is used to pass request parameters.” A wrong script filename commonly appears as “Primary script unknown” or “No input file specified.”
Use a complete baseline configuration
server {
root /var/www/example/public;
index index.php;
location / {
try_files $uri $uri/ /index.php?$query_string;
}
location ~ .php$ {
try_files $fastcgi_script_name =404;
include fastcgi_params;
fastcgi_param SCRIPT_FILENAME $document_root$fastcgi_script_name;
fastcgi_pass unix:/run/php/php-fpm.sock;
}
}This is a pattern to adapt, not a universal drop-in. The socket filename varies by distribution, PHP version, pool configuration, and packaging. A TCP endpoint may instead look like 127.0.0.1:9000. Use the endpoint configured by the active PHP-FPM pool.
Verify fastcgi_pass separately
A wrong or stopped endpoint usually produces a 502 Bad Gateway rather than a 404, but it must still be ruled out when logs contain mixed errors. Confirm that the socket exists and that its owner and mode permit Nginx to connect, or verify that the configured host and port are listening.
sudo ss -lx | grep php
sudo ss -ltnp | grep 9000
sudo systemctl status php-fpmUse the service name present on your operating system if it differs. Do not “fix” a 404 by pointing at an arbitrary socket; select the pool that serves this application and confirm its process has access to the application files.
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Check SCRIPT_FILENAME from both processes’ viewpoints
$document_root$fastcgi_script_name works when Nginx’s document root is the same absolute path PHP-FPM uses. It fails in split deployments where Nginx sees /var/www/example/public but PHP-FPM sees the application mounted at /srv/app/public. In that case, either mount the application at the same path in both environments or set SCRIPT_FILENAME to the path PHP-FPM can actually open.
Never use a relative filename, a path that exists only on the host, or a path from a build stage that is absent from the runtime container. Compare mounts and permissions inside each container or host, then test the exact resulting path with stat there.
Preserve the query string and request method
Include the distribution’s FastCGI parameter file, then ensure QUERY_STRING is passed as required by the application. A missing query string does not normally create a file 404, but it can make a front controller appear broken after the path issue is fixed. Keep the parameter definitions consistent with the PHP-FPM package you installed.
Handle slash-ending requests and index files
A request ending in / does not name a PHP file by itself. If Nginx serves an index, the index directive and the PHP handoff determine which script is selected. In FastCGI processing, fastcgi_index index.php appends index.php to a URI ending in / when constructing $fastcgi_script_name.
location ~ .php$ {
fastcgi_index index.php;
include fastcgi_params;
fastcgi_param SCRIPT_FILENAME $document_root$fastcgi_script_name;
fastcgi_pass unix:/run/php/php-fpm.sock;
}Confirm that the directory requested by the client really contains the configured index file and that your try_files rule does not redirect the slash request somewhere else. Test both forms explicitly:
curl -i -H 'Host: example.test' http://127.0.0.1/admin/
curl -i -H 'Host: example.test' http://127.0.0.1/admin/index.phpIf the direct file works but the slash URL fails, focus on index selection and the internal redirect rather than PHP-FPM connectivity.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.A safe, repeatable troubleshooting procedure
- Freeze the failing request. Write down the exact URL, host, HTTP method, status, and timestamp. Use
curl -iagainst the same virtual host so you do not accidentally test a default server. - Identify the selected server and location. Run
sudo nginx -T. Match thelistenaddress,server_name, and location rules to the request. - Resolve the expected path manually. Apply the active
rootoraliasto the URI, account for prefixes and rewrites, and runstaton the resulting absolute filename. Correct case, symlinks, release links, and permissions before changing FastCGI settings. - Inspect
try_files. Determine whether it checks the URI, a directory, or$fastcgi_script_name; note whether its final action is an internal redirect or=404. Verify that a front-controller fallback is deliberate. - Check the PHP location. Confirm the regular expression matches the request, the FastCGI include is present, and there is only one effective
SCRIPT_FILENAMEfor this location. Later parameters can override earlier includes, so read the expanded configuration. - Verify the endpoint. Confirm the configured socket or TCP listener exists, belongs to the intended PHP-FPM pool, and is reachable by Nginx. Treat a 502 or connection-refused message as a separate endpoint problem.
- Compare runtime filesystems. In containers or separate hosts, run
statfor the computed script path inside both Nginx and PHP-FPM environments. Align mounts or change the parameter to the PHP-FPM-visible path. - Validate and reload. Run
nginx -t; reload only on success. Repeat the originalcurl -irequest and inspect only the new log entries. - Remove diagnostics. If you created an
info.php-style file, protect it during the test and delete it immediately afterward. Do not leave a script that exposes runtime details on a public server.
Match symptoms to likely causes
| Observed result | Most likely location of the fault | What to verify next |
|---|---|---|
| 404 immediately, with no FastCGI log activity | Nginx selected the wrong server/location, failed try_files, or mapped the URI to a nonexistent file |
Run nginx -T; trace root/alias, location selection, and the final try_files action |
| “Primary script unknown” or “No input file specified” from PHP | SCRIPT_FILENAME names a path PHP-FPM cannot open |
Compare the computed absolute path with the PHP-FPM container or host; check mounts, case, and permissions |
| 404 only for URLs with a directory prefix | Alias or prefix mapping removes or duplicates part of the URI | Test a known file in that prefix and inspect trailing slashes on the location and alias |
Direct .php URL works, but a slash URL fails |
Index selection or fastcgi_index is inconsistent |
Confirm index index.php, fastcgi_index index.php, and the directory’s actual index file |
| Most unknown paths show the application homepage | Front-controller fallback is working, possibly masking a mistyped script URL | Decide whether the fallback is intended; test the real script path and review application routing |
| 502 instead of 404 after a configuration change | Nginx reached the PHP location but cannot connect to the configured FPM endpoint | Check socket/port existence, pool status, listener address, and Nginx permissions |
Container and multi-host deployments need path alignment
In a single host, $document_root$fastcgi_script_name often points to a file both services can see. In containers, Nginx and PHP-FPM may have different mount points even though they serve the same application. For example, Nginx may resolve /var/www/example/public/index.php while PHP-FPM has only /app/public/index.php. PHP then reports an unknown script, despite the file being present from Nginx’s perspective.
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- Choose one shared absolute mount path when possible; it reduces ambiguity in logs and parameters.
- If paths must differ, set
SCRIPT_FILENAMEto the PHP-FPM path and keep Nginx’s existence check consistent with the path it can test. - After changing mounts, restart the affected service and repeat
statandcurltests from clean containers.
A successful Nginx-side try_files check proves only that Nginx can see a file. It does not prove that PHP-FPM can open the same absolute name.
Use logs to prove the final fix
Once the path and endpoint are corrected, make one controlled request and correlate its timestamp with the access and error logs. The status should be stable across repeated requests, the expected PHP-FPM pool should receive the request, and unrelated URIs should retain their intended fallback behavior. Keep a known-good static file in the same document root to distinguish general virtual-host failures from PHP-specific mapping errors.
Do not disable access checks, broaden permissions indiscriminately, or remove try_files merely to make an error disappear. A configuration that forwards arbitrary nonexistent paths to PHP can obscure typos and increase the amount of untrusted input reaching the interpreter. Fail early with a verified path check, then address the underlying mapping or mount mismatch.
Decision checklist before you declare the issue solved
- The request is handled by the intended
serverblock and PHP location. - The URI maps to the expected file under the active
rootoralias. - The file exists with matching case, and every parent directory is traversable by the relevant service.
try_filesperforms the intended check or fallback, with no accidental rewrite masking a typo.SCRIPT_FILENAMEnames a path visible to PHP-FPM, not merely to Nginx.fastcgi_passpoints to the active pool’s real socket or listener.- Slash-ending URLs select the intended index script.
nginx -tsucceeds before reload, and a freshcurl -irequest matches the expected logs.- Temporary diagnostic scripts have been removed and configuration changes are documented for the next deployment.
The reliable fix is the first point where the request’s URI, Nginx’s filesystem mapping, and PHP-FPM’s visible script path all agree. Once those three views match, a PHP 404 stops being a mystery and becomes a normal, observable configuration error.
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