Error Reference
Every error modelBridge.ai can show, organized by category. Click an error to jump to its section, or use Ctrl+F to search.
Network & Connectivity
Section titled “Network & Connectivity”Local Server Down {#local-server-down}
Section titled “Local Server Down {#local-server-down}”“Cannot connect to the modelBridge backend server.”
Category: critical
modelBridge.ai’s local helper server is not running or cannot be reached. This server handles all communication between the plugin and Premiere Pro.
Why this happens:
- The backend Node.js process crashed or never started
- A firewall or antivirus is blocking localhost port 3000
- Another application is using port 3000 (see Port Conflict)
What to do:
- Close and reopen Premiere Pro
- If the issue persists, restart your computer
- Check that no firewall or antivirus is blocking port 3000
Network Error {#network-error}
Section titled “Network Error {#network-error}”“Could not connect to fal.ai.”
Category: NETWORK_RETRY
modelBridge.ai could not reach fal.ai’s servers. The request failed before any generation could start.
Why this happens:
- Your internet connection is down or unstable
- A VPN or corporate network is blocking fal.ai
- fal.ai is experiencing a temporary outage
What to do:
- Check your internet connection
- Try again in a moment
- If you are on a VPN or corporate network, check that fal.ai is not blocked
External resources: fal.ai Status
API Timeout {#api-timeout}
Section titled “API Timeout {#api-timeout}”“The generation timed out.”
Category: NETWORK_RETRY
The AI model took too long to complete and fal.ai stopped waiting.
Why this happens:
- Complex or lengthy prompts increase generation time
- The model is cold-starting after a period of inactivity
- fal.ai servers are under heavy load
- Long video durations take more processing time
What to do:
- Try again — timeouts are often temporary
- Try a shorter duration or simpler prompt
- If the model is new, it may need time to warm up — try again in a minute
Were you charged? Usually no. If the model timed out before producing output, no charge applies.
External resources: fal.ai Status
Server Error {#server-error}
Section titled “Server Error {#server-error}”“fal.ai experienced an internal error.”
Category: NETWORK_RETRY
fal.ai’s servers encountered an internal error. This is a server-side issue, not caused by your input.
Why this happens:
- Temporary fal.ai infrastructure issue
- The specific model is experiencing problems
- Server overload during peak usage
What to do:
- Try again in a moment — server errors are usually temporary
- If the error persists, the model may be experiencing issues — try a different model
- Check fal.ai status
Were you charged? No.
External resources: fal.ai Status
Rate Limited {#rate-limited}
Section titled “Rate Limited {#rate-limited}”“Too many requests — please wait a moment.”
Category: NETWORK_RETRY
fal.ai temporarily blocked your request because too many requests were sent in a short period.
Why this happens:
- Clicking Generate multiple times in quick succession
- Multiple concurrent generations exceeding your account’s limit
What to do:
- Wait 30–60 seconds and try again
- Avoid clicking Generate multiple times in quick succession
External resources: fal.ai Status
Port Conflict {#port-conflict}
Section titled “Port Conflict {#port-conflict}”“The backend server could not start.”
Category: critical
Another application is already using port 3000, which modelBridge.ai needs for its local backend server.
Why this happens:
- A dev server (React, Next.js, Express) is running on port 3000
- A previous modelBridge.ai instance did not shut down cleanly
- A Docker container has port 3000 mapped
What to do:
- Open Terminal and run
lsof -i :3000to find the conflicting process - Stop the conflicting application or kill the process (
kill -9 <PID>) - Close and reopen the modelBridge.ai panel in Premiere Pro
| Common conflict | Fix |
|---|---|
| Create React App | Stop with Ctrl+C or use PORT=3001 npm start |
| Next.js dev | Stop with Ctrl+C or use next dev -p 3001 |
| Express server | Stop the server or change its port |
| Docker | Check docker ps and stop or remap the container |
Authentication & Billing
Section titled “Authentication & Billing”Invalid API Key {#invalid-api-key}
Section titled “Invalid API Key {#invalid-api-key}”“Your fal.ai API key is invalid or missing.”
Category: CREDITS_BILLING (persistent)
The API key is missing, expired, malformed, or was entered incorrectly.
Why this happens:
- No key has been entered yet
- The key was copied with extra whitespace or missing characters
- The key was deleted or expired on fal.ai’s side
What to do:
- Open the Settings tab in modelBridge.ai
- Delete the current key and paste a fresh one from fal.ai API Keys
- Click Save and try generating again
External resources: fal.ai API Keys
Balance Empty {#balance-empty}
Section titled “Balance Empty {#balance-empty}”“Your fal.ai balance is empty.”
Category: CREDITS_BILLING (persistent)
Your fal.ai account balance is zero or insufficient for this generation.
Why this happens:
- Previous generations consumed your remaining balance
- The cost of this generation exceeds your current balance
- Your payment method failed or your account was suspended
What to do:
- Go to your fal.ai billing dashboard and add funds
- Check the cost estimate next to Generate — consider lowering resolution, duration, or disabling audio
- Return to modelBridge.ai and click Generate again
Were you charged? No. The balance check failed before generation started.
External resources: fal.ai Billing
Insufficient Scope {#insufficient-scope}
Section titled “Insufficient Scope {#insufficient-scope}”“Your API key does not have the required permissions.”
Category: CREDITS_BILLING (persistent)
Your fal.ai API key is valid but lacks the permissions needed for this operation.
Why this happens:
- The key was generated with limited permissions (e.g., read-only)
- A team admin restricted certain operations on your team key
What to do:
- Generate a new API key with full permissions at fal.ai API Keys
- Replace the key in modelBridge.ai’s Settings tab
- If using a team key, ask your admin to grant the required scope
External resources: fal.ai API Keys
Model Access Gated {#model-access-gated}
Section titled “Model Access Gated {#model-access-gated}”“You do not have access to this model.”
Category: critical
This model requires approval from the model author before it can be used.
Why this happens:
- Some models on fal.ai require explicit approval before use
- The model may be in a limited release or private beta
What to do:
- Visit the model page on fal.ai and request access
- Check your fal.ai Dashboard for pending access requests
- Try a different model that does not require approval
External resources: fal.ai Dashboard
License Invalid {#license-invalid}
Section titled “License Invalid {#license-invalid}”“Your modelBridge subscription could not be verified.”
Category: CREDITS_BILLING
Your modelBridge subscription has expired, or the license server is unreachable.
Why this happens:
- The subscription expired or payment failed
- The license server is temporarily unreachable
- Network issues are preventing the license check
What to do:
- Check your modelBridge subscription status
- Verify your payment method is current
- Check your internet connection
- Restart Premiere Pro to trigger a fresh license check
Input & Media
Section titled “Input & Media”No Media Selected {#no-media-selected}
Section titled “No Media Selected {#no-media-selected}”“No clip or media selected.”
Category: info
No clip or media item is currently selected in Premiere Pro.
Why this happens:
- Nothing is highlighted in the timeline or project panel
- Clicking elsewhere in Premiere Pro deselected the clip
What to do:
- Click on a clip in the timeline or project panel
- Make sure the clip is highlighted before clicking Generate
Were you charged? No.
Extract Failed {#extract-failed}
Section titled “Extract Failed {#extract-failed}”“Could not extract the selected media from Premiere Pro.”
Category: warning
modelBridge.ai could not extract the selected clip from your timeline or project panel for upload.
Why this happens:
- The selection was lost between clicking Generate and extraction
- A sequence was selected instead of an individual clip
- The clip’s source file is offline or locked
What to do:
- Make sure a clip is selected in the timeline or project panel
- Try selecting a different clip
- If using a sequence, try selecting the individual clip instead
- Right-click the clip and choose “Reveal in Finder” to verify the source file exists
Were you charged? No. Extraction happens locally before any API call.
Upload Failed {#upload-failed}
Section titled “Upload Failed {#upload-failed}”“Could not upload your media to fal.ai.”
Category: warning
The selected media was extracted but could not be uploaded to fal.ai for processing.
Why this happens:
- The file is too large for fal.ai’s upload limit
- Your internet connection dropped during upload
- fal.ai’s upload endpoint is temporarily unavailable
What to do:
- Try a smaller or shorter clip
- Check your internet connection
- Try again — upload failures are often temporary
Were you charged? No. The upload failed before generation could start.
Content Flagged {#content-flagged}
Section titled “Content Flagged {#content-flagged}”“Your input was flagged by content moderation.”
Category: CONTENT_POLICY
The input was flagged by fal.ai’s content moderation system and the generation was blocked.
Why this happens:
- Certain words or phrases trigger content filters, even in legitimate creative contexts
- The source image contains content the model’s safety filter flags
- Content moderation systems sometimes produce false positives
What to do:
- Review your prompt for terms that may trigger content filters
- Try rephrasing your prompt
- If using an image, try a different source image
- Try a different model — moderation thresholds vary
Were you charged? Typically no.
Results & Import
Section titled “Results & Import”Download Failed {#download-failed}
Section titled “Download Failed {#download-failed}”“Could not download the generated result.”
Category: warning
The AI model completed generation, but the result file could not be downloaded from fal.ai.
Why this happens:
- The result URL expired (fal.ai URLs have a limited lifespan)
- Your internet connection dropped during download
- Temporary issue with fal.ai’s file storage
What to do:
- Try generating again — you won’t be charged if the result is still cached
- Check your internet connection
- If the issue persists, try a shorter duration or lower resolution
Were you charged? Possibly. The generation completed on fal.ai’s side. If the result is still cached, retrying won’t charge again.
Import Timeout {#import-timeout}
Section titled “Import Timeout {#import-timeout}”“Premiere Pro took too long to import the file.”
Category: warning
The file was downloaded but Premiere Pro did not complete the import in time.
Why this happens:
- Premiere Pro is busy with another operation (render, export, conforming)
- The generated file is very large
- Low system resources
What to do:
- Try importing the file manually from the downloads folder (File > Import)
- Check that Premiere Pro is not busy with another operation
- Restart Premiere Pro if the issue persists
Were you charged? Yes — the generation completed. The file is saved locally and can be imported manually.
Import Failed {#import-failed}
Section titled “Import Failed {#import-failed}”“Premiere Pro could not import the generated file.”
Category: warning
The file was downloaded but Premiere Pro rejected it. The format may not be supported.
Why this happens:
- The model output a format Premiere Pro cannot read (e.g., certain WebM codecs)
- The download was interrupted, resulting in a corrupted file
- A required codec is not installed
What to do:
- Try importing the file manually — open it in another app (VLC, QuickTime) to verify it’s not corrupted
- If the format is unsupported, convert to H.264 MP4 (HandBrake, FFmpeg)
- Try a different model that outputs a Premiere-compatible format
Were you charged? Yes — the generation completed.
Model & Schema
Section titled “Model & Schema”Model Not Found {#model-not-found}
Section titled “Model Not Found {#model-not-found}”“This model is no longer available on fal.ai.”
Category: warning
The model does not exist at the specified endpoint. It may have been removed, renamed, or replaced.
Why this happens:
- The model was taken offline by its author
- The endpoint URL changed (e.g.,
v2→v3) - A newer version replaced the old endpoint
What to do:
- Search for the model by name — it may have a new endpoint
- Remove the model from your list and add the updated version
- Check the fal.ai model page for migration guidance
External resources: fal.ai Models
Schema Failed {#schema-failed}
Section titled “Schema Failed {#schema-failed}”“Could not load this model’s configuration.”
Category: warning
modelBridge.ai could not load the model’s API schema from fal.ai. Without the schema, the UI and request cannot be built.
Why this happens:
- The schema endpoint is temporarily unavailable
- The model was recently added and its schema is not yet published
- The model’s schema uses a format modelBridge.ai doesn’t support
What to do:
- Try again in a moment
- Remove and re-add the model to force a fresh schema fetch
- If the issue persists, the model may not be compatible with modelBridge.ai
Were you charged? No. Schema loading happens before any generation request.
Unknown / Unrecognized
Section titled “Unknown / Unrecognized”Unknown Error {#unknown-error}
Section titled “Unknown Error {#unknown-error}”“Something went wrong.”
Category: DEVELOPER_BUG
modelBridge.ai encountered an error it does not recognize. This may be a new fal.ai error type, an edge case, or a transient issue.
What to do:
- Try again — many unknown errors are transient
- Try a different model or different settings
- If the error keeps happening, report it:
Email: support@modelbridge.app
Tip: If you have Developer Mode enabled (window._mbDevMode = true in DevTools), click the ”?” button on the error banner to copy debug info to your clipboard. Include this in your report.