AuthenticationError
runpod.AuthenticationError
Stack trace
runpod.AuthenticationError: API key invalid or missing. Please check your RunPod API key and try again.
File "app.py", line 12, in <module>
client = runpod.Client(api_key="wrong_or_missing_key")
File "/usr/local/lib/python3.9/site-packages/runpod/client.py", line 45, in __init__
raise AuthenticationError("API key invalid or missing") Why it happens
This error occurs when the RunPod client receives an invalid, expired, or missing API key during authentication. The server rejects the request with a 401 Unauthorized status, preventing access to RunPod services.
Detection
Catch runpod.AuthenticationError exceptions during client initialization or API calls and log the error message to detect invalid API key issues before retrying.
Causes & fixes
API key environment variable is not set or misspelled
Ensure the environment variable holding the RunPod API key is correctly named and set before running your application.
Using an expired or revoked API key
Generate a new API key from the RunPod dashboard and update your environment variable accordingly.
Passing the API key directly as a hardcoded string with a typo
Use os.environ to load the API key securely and verify the key string matches exactly the one provided by RunPod.
Code: broken vs fixed
import runpod
client = runpod.Client(api_key="wrong_or_missing_key") # This triggers AuthenticationError
response = client.run_task("task_id")
print(response)import os
import runpod
client = runpod.Client(api_key=os.environ["RUNPOD_API_KEY"]) # Fixed: load API key from env
response = client.run_task("task_id")
print(response)Workaround
Wrap RunPod client initialization in try/except runpod.AuthenticationError, prompt for API key input at runtime, and retry initialization.
Prevention
Store API keys securely in environment variables or secret managers and validate keys on startup to avoid invalid authentication attempts.