Unable to issue a Let's Encrypt certificate for Plesk temporary domain:SERVFAIL looking up A for temporary-domain.203-0-113-1.plesk.tech

Leo Mastropierro

Updated August 22, 2025 13:26

kb: bug kb: technical

Symptoms

Issuing a Lets Encrypt certificate for a Plesk temporary domain temporary-domain.203-0-113-1.plesk.tech fails with error:

Invalid response from https://acme-v02.api.letsencrypt.org/acme/authz/2607825747/572639111817
Details:
Type: urn:ietf:params:acme:error:dns
Status: 400
Detail: DNS problem: SERVFAIL looking up A for temporary-domain.203-0-113-1.plesk.tech - the domain's nameservers may be malfunctioning; DNS problem: SERVFAIL looking up AAAA for temporary-domain.203-0-113-1.plesk.tech - the domain's nameservers may be malfunctioning
The following entries are found in /var/log/plesk/panel.log:

[2025-08-22 12:25:43.280] 94290:68a861c472d1a ERR [extension/letsencrypt] Domain validation failed for temporary-domain.203-0-113-1.plesk.tech: Invalid response from https://acme-v02.api.letsencrypt.org/acme/authz/2607825747/572640186737
Details:
Type: urn:ietf:params:acme:error:dns
Status: 400
Detail: DNS problem: SERVFAIL looking up A for temporary-domain.203-0-113-1.plesk.tech - the domain's nameservers may be malfunctioning; DNS problem: SERVFAIL looking up AAAA for temporary-domain.203-0-113-1.plesk.tech - the domain's nameservers may be malfunctioning
Adding server to Plesk 360 results in error:

The server cannot be added. Please contact support.
Unknown error: Unknown HttpClient error: getaddrinfo EAI_AGAIN temporary-domain.203-0-113-1.plesk.page.

Temporary heavy load in tech domains service produces this behavior.

Additional information could be found here: PAUX-6624

Wait and try again later.

This is being investigated and monitoring by developers.

Workaround for issuing Lets Encrypt certificate

In order to be able to secure the temporary domain, issue a non-wildcard certificate by following these steps:

Log into Plesk
Go to Domains > temporary-domain.203-0-113-1.plesk.tech > Dashboard > SSL/TLS Certificate > Install
Check only the option Secure the domain name
Click on Get it free

Workaround for connecting server to Plesk 360

In order to be able to add the server to Plesk 360, use the IP instead of the server hostname following these steps:

Log into Plesk 360
Go to Servers > Add Server > Connect to Plesk
Complete the Server hostname field with https://203.0.113.1:8443 and check the option "I agree to add this server without a valid certificate", then click Next step
In the next step, click on Connect Anyway