TLS handshake failed

The ROOT error message TLS handshake failed indicates that a secure connection could not be established between a client and a server. This error occurs at the network and runtime level during the Transport Layer Security (TLS) negotiation phase, before any application data is exchanged. It is commonly seen across Linux and Windows systems, Java and Spring Boot applications, Docker containers, web servers, APIs, databases, and cloud-based services that rely on HTTPS or encrypted communication.

When does this error occur?

  • When a client connects to a server using HTTPS but the TLS versions are incompatible
  • When SSL/TLS certificates are expired, invalid, or untrusted
  • When a server is misconfigured to use unsupported ciphers
  • When Java or system trust stores are missing required CA certificates
  • When network security devices interrupt encrypted traffic

Root cause of TLS handshake failed

At the OS and runtime level, TLS handshake failed occurs when the client and server cannot agree on a secure communication configuration. This includes protocol version, cipher suite, certificate trust chain, and key exchange method. If any step in the TLS negotiation fails, the handshake is aborted and the connection is terminated before data transfer begins.

How to fix the error (step-by-step)

Linux / macOS

Verify supported TLS versions and certificates.

openssl s_client -connect hostname:443

If certificates are missing, update the CA bundle.

sudo update-ca-certificates

Windows

Ensure the system supports modern TLS versions.

reg query "HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\SecurityProviders\SCHANNEL\Protocols"

Enable TLS 1.2 or later in system and application settings.

Java / Spring Boot

Check the Java version and supported TLS protocols.

java -version

Explicitly configure TLS if required.

-Dhttps.protocols=TLSv1.2

Ensure the trust store contains the required certificates.

keytool -list -keystore cacerts

Docker / containers

Containers may lack updated CA certificates.

apk add --no-cache ca-certificates

Restart the container after updating certificates.

Database / network services

Verify that the service supports the client TLS version.

SHOW VARIABLES LIKE 'tls_version';

Align server and client encryption settings.

Verify the fix

Retry the secure connection and confirm that it completes without errors. HTTPS requests should succeed, APIs should respond normally, and logs should no longer display TLS handshake failed. Network tools should confirm a negotiated TLS version and cipher.

Common mistakes to avoid

  • Using outdated TLS versions such as TLS 1.0 or 1.1
  • Ignoring expired or self-signed certificates in production
  • Assuming the issue is application logic instead of network security
  • Forgetting to update CA certificates inside containers
  • Disabling certificate validation as a permanent fix

Quick tip

Always standardize on TLS 1.2 or higher and keep system and application trust stores updated across all environments.

FAQ

Q: Is TLS handshake failed always a certificate issue?

A: No. It can also be caused by protocol mismatches, unsupported ciphers, or blocked encrypted traffic.

Q: Can this error occur even if HTTPS is enabled?

A: Yes. HTTPS only indicates encryption is intended; the TLS handshake must still succeed for the connection to work.

Conclusion

TLS handshake failed is a security-level connection failure caused by incompatible encryption settings; review TLS versions, certificates, and trust configuration, and explore related ROOT errors on ErrorFixHub.

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