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The "SoftException in Application.cpp: UID of script is smaller than min_uid" error means a PHP or CGI script is owned by the wrong user. On shared hosting, scripts must be owned by your cPanel user account to execute.
Fix file ownership
This error occurs when files are owned by root, nobody, or a different user instead of your cPanel account. Fix it via SSH:
chown -R $USER:$USER ~/public_html
Or open a ticket and we will fix the ownership for you.
01. What Causes This
- Files uploaded or created by root - If server-side scripts or admin processes created files, they may be owned by root
- Restored from a backup made on a different account or server
- Extracted from an archive that preserved the original ownership
- Manual server-side file operations by a previous administrator
02. How to Fix
Via SSH:
chown -R $USER:$USER ~/public_htmlAlso fix permissions while you are at it:
find ~/public_html -type d -exec chmod 755 {} \;
find ~/public_html -type f -exec chmod 644 {} \;If you do not have SSH access, open a ticket and we will fix the ownership.
Do not set files to 777 to try to work around this error. The issue is ownership, not permissions. Setting 777 creates a security vulnerability without fixing the actual problem.
Need Ownership Fixed?
Open a ticket and we will correct file ownership across your account.
Open a Support TicketQuick Recap
- Error means wrong file ownership - Files owned by root or another user
- Fix with chown -
chown -R $USER:$USER ~/public_html - Set permissions - 755 for directories, 644 for files
- Do not use 777 - It does not fix ownership issues
- Contact support if you do not have SSH access
Server error troubleshooting · Last updated March 2026 · Browse all Error articles
