Bazel remote execution DEADLINE_EXCEEDED
A gRPC deadline expired before the operation completed from the client’s perspective. The status identifies a timeout, but it does not identify which remote-execution phase consumed the deadline; the server may even have completed work after the client stopped waiting.
Common causes
- Scheduler queue time exceeded the action deadline
- A worker was saturated, unhealthy, or executing an unusually slow action
- Input download or output upload consumed the deadline
- Client, proxy, load balancer, or executor deadlines do not agree
What to check
- Compare queue wait, input fetch, execution, and output upload durations
- Check whether failures cluster by platform queue, worker, mnemonic, or target
- Inspect client and server deadline configuration
- Retry one representative action only after capturing its operation and worker evidence
Primary sources
Use these references to confirm protocol and version-specific behavior.
Investigate with build-level evidence
Hermetiq correlates Bazel actions, cache behavior, Buildbarn infrastructure, and remote-execution timing so teams can move from a status code to the build and system behavior behind it.
Technical review: July 20, 2026 · Verify flags and behavior against the Bazel and Buildbarn versions deployed in your environment.