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fix(pagecache): preserve stale cache object when bgfetch returns 5xx#40675

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lbajsarowicz wants to merge 1 commit intomagento:2.4-developfrom
lbajsarowicz:fix/40673-vcl-bgfetch-abandon
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fix(pagecache): preserve stale cache object when bgfetch returns 5xx#40675
lbajsarowicz wants to merge 1 commit intomagento:2.4-developfrom
lbajsarowicz:fix/40673-vcl-bgfetch-abandon

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@lbajsarowicz
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Description

Add return (abandon) when a background fetch receives a 5xx response, preventing a failing backend refresh from replacing a usable stale cache object.

Problem

Magento's VCL templates use grace periods to serve stale content while revalidating in the background. However, if the backend returns a 5xx error during this background fetch, Varnish replaces the cached object with the error response. This defeats the purpose of grace-based serving during backend incidents.

Solution

Add an early check in vcl_backend_response:

if (beresp.status >= 500 && bereq.is_bgfetch) {
    return (abandon);
}

This follows Varnish's documented grace behavior and ensures stale objects survive backend failures during revalidation.

Applied to varnish5, varnish6, and varnish7 templates (bereq.is_bgfetch requires Varnish 5.1+).

Files Changed

  • app/code/Magento/PageCache/etc/varnish5.vcl
  • app/code/Magento/PageCache/etc/varnish6.vcl
  • app/code/Magento/PageCache/etc/varnish7.vcl

Ref #40673

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m2-assistant bot commented Apr 10, 2026

Hi @lbajsarowicz. Thank you for your contribution!
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