HttpMessageNotReadableException: JSON parse error / Required request body is missing
Spring couldn’t read the request body into your @RequestBody object.
Exact message you may see
JSON parse errorRequired request body is missing
Seen on:
Java
Meaning
Malformed JSON, wrong types for fields, a missing body, or sending form data to a JSON endpoint.
Common causes
- Invalid JSON
- Field type mismatch (string vs number, date format)
- Empty body on @RequestBody
- Wrong Content-Type
⚡ Quick fix
- Validate the JSON payload
- Match field types and date formats
- Send Content-Type: application/json
- Make @RequestBody(required = false) if optional
Detailed fix by platform
Java
- Return 400 with the parse message via @ExceptionHandler(HttpMessageNotReadableException.class)
How to diagnose
- Body — Is it valid JSON?
- Types — Which field fails?
🔧 Still not fixed?
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Last updated 13 Oct 2026