Apache configuration can be generated with syntax errors

Symptoms

• Apache fails to restart with one of the following errors, depending on where the configuration is damaged:

  CONFIG_TEXT: httpd: Syntax error on line ## of /etc/apache2/conf/httpd.conf: Expected </VirtualHost> but saw </VirtualHost>>

  CONFIG_TEXT: httpd: Syntax error on line ## of /etc/apache2/conf/httpd.conf: <IfModule> directive requires additional arguments

  CONFIG_TEXT: httpd: Syntax error on line ## of /etc/apache2/conf/httpd.conf: </VirtualHost>conf.d/userdata/std/2_4/USER/domain.tld/*.conf"> directive missing closing '>'

  CONFIG_TEXT: httpd: Syntax error on line ## of /etc/apache2/conf/httpd.conf: </IfModule> without matching <IfModule> section

  CONFIG_TEXT: httpd: Syntax error on line ## of /etc/apache2/conf/httpd.conf: </VirtualHost> without matching <VirtualHost> section

  CONFIG_TEXT: httpd: Syntax error on line ## of /etc/apache2/conf/httpd.conf: <VirtualHost IP:PORT> was not closed.

• An existing domain is missing from the Apache configuration, or a newly created domain was not written to it, while Apache otherwise keeps running.
• The issue can begin after AutoSSL renews or installs a certificate.

Cause

These syntax errors are due to portions of the Apache configuration not being written during generation and are only seen after AutoSSL installs a certificate. The result can also be an existing domain missing from the configuration, or a new domain not written to it.

We've opened an internal case for our development team to investigate this further. For reference, the case number is CPANEL-57955. Follow this article to receive an email notification when a solution is published in the product.

Resolution

1. Log into the server via SSH.

2. Rebuild the Apache configuration and restart Apache:

   # /scripts/rebuildhttpdconf; /scripts/restartsrv_httpd