upstream_error (5001, HTTP 503) · TranscriptFetch API error

Example response

{
  "ok": false,
  "request_id": "req_…",
  "error": {
    "code": "upstream_error",
    "number": 5001,
    "message": "The upstream fetch failed with a server-side error. Transient, retry.",
    "docs": "https://transcriptfetch.com/docs/errors/upstream_error"
  }
}

Every failure carries error.code, error.number, error.message and error.docs, plus at most one of retry_with (the request change that would succeed), details (structured specifics) or issues (validation problems). Family: 5xxx · transient, retry with backoff.

What it means

Upstream error. The upstream fetch failed with a server-side error. Transient, retry.

Shown to end users as: “The transcript service had a problem. Please try again shortly.”

Why it happens

Upstream error. The upstream fetch failed with a server-side error. Transient, retry.
Transient by definition: the same request may succeed a moment later.

What to do

Transient failure. Wait the seconds in the Retry-After header when present, otherwise back off about 30 seconds, then retry the same request.
Back off exponentially on repeats. Failed requests are never charged.

Retryable? Yes, after the Retry-After window (about 30 seconds when the header is absent), with exponential backoff on repeats. Every error response carries a request_id; include it when contacting support.

Related errors

upstream_unavailable (5101), the service itself, rather than the fetch, was unreachable
rate_limited (2101), your own key's limit answers 429, never 503

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