Fix “Server error: 502” in VS Code GitHub Copilot – Difference from 504 & Stream terminated

When using GitHub Copilot in VS Code, you may suddenly encounter the following error and the chat stops responding:

Sorry, your request failed. Please try again.
Copilot Request id: xxxxxxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxxxxxxxxxx
Reason: Server error: 502

This error, known as "502 Bad Gateway," is almost always a server-side communication trouble on Copilot's end, not a misconfiguration on your PC.

In this article, based on actual cases in the ZIDOOKA! environment, we explain the true nature of the 502 error, how it differs from similar errors (504 / Stream terminated), and fixes you can try right now.

Conclusion: What is Server error: 502?

In short, it means "The Copilot relay server failed to receive a valid response from the AI model."

Here is a simplified view of how Copilot works:

1. VS Code (You) sends a request.
2. Copilot API (Relay) receives it.
3. AI Model (Inference Server) processes it.

A 502 error occurs when the request reaches the "Relay" (step 2), but the "AI Model" (step 3) fails to send back a proper response (or the connection drops).

Difference from Similar Errors

Copilot has several similar errors. Knowing the difference helps you fix them faster.

• 504 (Gateway Timeout) means it just took too long. Sending the same instruction again often works.
• Stream terminated happens often with specific models like Gemini 3 Pro (Preview). Changing the model to Claude or GPT-4o fixes it.
• This 502 error indicates a stronger "server-side issue" than the others, making it harder for users to control.

How to Fix: What to do when 502 occurs

You might think, "If it's a server issue, do I just have to wait?" Not necessarily. Here are some steps that might fix it.

1. Restart VS Code (Most Effective)

If session information is stuck in a halfway state, the 502 error may persist. Completely close VS Code and open it again. This fixes the issue in about 70% of cases.

2. Sign Out and Sign In to Copilot

There might be an authentication token mismatch.

1. Click the user icon in the bottom left of VS Code.
2. Select Sign out from GitHub.
3. Sign in again and enable Copilot.

3. Switch Models

If you are using a model like Gemini 3 Pro (Preview), only that model's inference server might be down. Try switching to GPT-4o or Claude 3.5 Sonnet from the Copilot Chat model selection dropdown.

4. If all else fails, "Wait"

If none of the above works, it is highly likely that there is an outage in the entire GitHub Copilot service (or the edge server in your region). It is wise to wait for 15 minutes to an hour before retrying.

Summary

If you see Server error: 502, rest assured that "it's not your code's fault."

1. Restart VS Code.
2. Try changing the model.
3. If that fails, grab a coffee and wait.

This is the ZIDOOKA! optimal solution.

Related Error Articles:

• Copilot “Server error: 504” in VS Code — What Happened in My Windows Environment
• Gemini 3 Pro "Server error. Stream terminated" Causes and Fixes