Add an automatic fallback path when the external document loader fails, so RAG processing can continue with the default loader behavior instead of hard-failing.
Why
External loader endpoints can be unavailable or transiently fail. This change improves resilience and keeps retrieval flows usable.
Changes
Add fallback logic from external loader to default loader path on failure.
Preserve existing behavior when external loader succeeds.
Validation
Verified branch fix/external-loader-auto-fallback contains the fallback commit and is pushed.
🔄 This issue represents a GitHub Pull Request. It cannot be merged through Gitea due to API limitations.
## 📋 Pull Request Information
**Original PR:** https://github.com/open-webui/open-webui/pull/23802
**Author:** [@marceaupatu123](https://github.com/marceaupatu123)
**Created:** 4/16/2026
**Status:** ❌ Closed
**Base:** `main` ← **Head:** `fix/external-loader-auto-fallback`
---
### 📝 Commits (1)
- [`538b8b8`](https://github.com/open-webui/open-webui/commit/538b8b88d3c6208010c4f7720037422985798ed8) Add native fallback when external document loader fails
### 📊 Changes
**1 file changed** (+29 additions, -2 deletions)
<details>
<summary>View changed files</summary>
📝 `backend/open_webui/retrieval/loaders/main.py` (+29 -2)
</details>
### 📄 Description
## Summary
Add an automatic fallback path when the external document loader fails, so RAG processing can continue with the default loader behavior instead of hard-failing.
## Why
External loader endpoints can be unavailable or transiently fail. This change improves resilience and keeps retrieval flows usable.
## Changes
- Add fallback logic from external loader to default loader path on failure.
- Preserve existing behavior when external loader succeeds.
## Validation
- Verified branch `fix/external-loader-auto-fallback` contains the fallback commit and is pushed.
---
<sub>🔄 This issue represents a GitHub Pull Request. It cannot be merged through Gitea due to API limitations.</sub>
Blocking a user prevents them from interacting with repositories, such as opening or commenting on pull requests or issues. Learn more about blocking a user.
📋 Pull Request Information
Original PR: https://github.com/open-webui/open-webui/pull/23802
Author: @marceaupatu123
Created: 4/16/2026
Status: ❌ Closed
Base:
main← Head:fix/external-loader-auto-fallback📝 Commits (1)
538b8b8Add native fallback when external document loader fails📊 Changes
1 file changed (+29 additions, -2 deletions)
View changed files
📝
backend/open_webui/retrieval/loaders/main.py(+29 -2)📄 Description
Summary
Add an automatic fallback path when the external document loader fails, so RAG processing can continue with the default loader behavior instead of hard-failing.
Why
External loader endpoints can be unavailable or transiently fail. This change improves resilience and keeps retrieval flows usable.
Changes
Validation
fix/external-loader-auto-fallbackcontains the fallback commit and is pushed.🔄 This issue represents a GitHub Pull Request. It cannot be merged through Gitea due to API limitations.