# Issue connecting to Github repo with Github App credentials

**URL:** <https://community.jenkins.io/t/issue-connecting-to-github-repo-with-github-app-credentials/35608>\
**Category:** Using Jenkins\
**Created:** [September 17, 2025, 6:49pm UTC](https://community.jenkins.io/t/issue-connecting-to-github-repo-with-github-app-credentials/35608 "2025-09-17T18:49:48Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![mcseforsale](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/flex013/user_avatar/community.jenkins.io/mcseforsale/32/13622_2.png) [@mcseforsale](https://community.jenkins.io/u/mcseforsale)\
**Post date:** [September 17, 2025, 6:49pm UTC](https://community.jenkins.io/t/issue-connecting-to-github-repo-with-github-app-credentials/35608/1 "2025-09-17T18:49:48Z")

</div>

I’m having issues with connecting to our Github repositories using Github App credentials. I have a second test server that works fine using the same credentials and repo URL. The big difference is the problem server is running HTTPS. The error I get is:

An internal error occurred during form field validation (HTTP 500). Please reload the page and if the problem persists, ask the administrator for help.

Please help.

AJ

## Jenkins: 2.504.2 OS: Linux - 5.15.0-153-generic Java: 17.0.16 - Ubuntu (OpenJDK 64-Bit Server VM)

active-directory:2.40  
ant:518.v8d8dc7945eca\_  
antisamy-markup-formatter:173.v680e3a\_b\_69ff3  
apache-httpcomponents-client-4-api:4.5.14-269.vfa\_2321039a\_83  
asm-api:9.8-163.vb\_2a\_96d3f9c3c  
authentication-tokens:1.144.v5ff4a\_5ec5c33  
badge:2.10  
bootstrap5-api:5.3.8-876.vb\_c62a\_27d9a\_77  
bouncycastle-api:2.30.1.81-264.v95c79c0e772c  
branch-api:2.1244.vf95c81f1641c  
build-failure-analyzer:2.5.5  
build-timeout:1.38  
build-with-parameters:76.v9382db\_f78962  
caffeine-api:3.2.2-178.v353b\_8428ed56  
checks-api:373.vfe7645102093  
cloudbees-folder:6.1040.v8a\_e6330a\_54e3  
command-launcher:123.v37cfdc92ef67  
commons-lang3-api:3.18.0-98.v3a\_674c06072d  
commons-text-api:1.14.0-194.v804a\_dc3a\_1b\_d8  
conditional-buildstep:1.5.0  
copyartifact:770.va\_6c69e063442  
credentials:1447.v4cb\_b\_539b\_5321  
credentials-binding:702.vfe613e537e88  
cygpath:1.5  
dark-theme:524.vd675b\_22b\_30cb\_  
disk-usage:1.3  
display-url-api:2.217.va\_6b\_de84cc74b\_  
docker-commons:457.v0f62a\_94f11a\_3  
docker-workflow:621.va\_73f881d9232  
durable-task:595.ve87b\_f1318d67  
echarts-api:6.0.0-1146.v5c8f3b\_8f0573  
eddsa-api:0.3.0.1-19.vc432d923e5ee  
editable-choice:71.v02a291ebbe45  
email-ext:1925.v1598902b\_58dd  
emoji-symbols-api:17.0-57.v8d44b\_9a\_b\_d5ea\_  
envinject:2.926.v69c9b\_3896a\_96  
envinject-api:1.235.va\_14c74f8f487  
extensible-choice-parameter:239.v5f5c278708cf  
external-monitor-job:223.vb\_fddcf42c9b\_3  
fail-the-build-plugin:5.v153b\_2c826ef0  
favorite:2.253.v9b\_413168133b\_  
file-parameters:385.v1cf03fdff8ce  
font-awesome-api:7.0.1-859.v128d3a\_efb\_6e5  
git:5.7.0  
git-client:6.4.0  
git-parameter:444.vca\_b\_84d3703c2  
git-tag-message:1.7.1  
github:1.45.0  
github-api:1.330-492.v3941a\_032db\_2a\_  
github-branch-source:1862.v1a\_fc22a\_d3788  
gradle:2.16.1149.v711b\_998b\_0532  
groovy-postbuild:272.v52a\_03efb\_8653  
gson-api:2.13.2-173.va\_a\_092315913c  
hidden-parameter:494.v9d2513a\_9994d  
htmlpublisher:427  
instance-identity:203.v15e81a\_1b\_7a\_38  
ionicons-api:94.vcc3065403257  
jackson2-api:2.20.0-411.v6ef8fdee4fe9  
jakarta-activation-api:2.1.3-2  
jakarta-mail-api:2.1.3-3  
javadoc:354.vee1a\_660b\_4990  
javax-activation-api:1.2.0-8  
javax-mail-api:1.6.2-11  
jaxb:2.3.9-133.vb\_ec76a\_73f706  
jdk-tool:83.v417146707a\_3d  
jfrog:1.5.10  
jjwt-api:0.11.5-120.v0268cf544b\_89  
job-import-plugin:122.v35289550f1e6  
jobConfigHistory:1356.ve360da\_6c523a\_  
joda-time-api:2.14.0-149.v1c3ce991d1b\_9  
jquery3-api:3.7.1-594.vb\_3864f326cf0  
jsch:0.2.16-95.v3eecb\_55fa\_b\_78  
json-api:20250517-173.v596efb\_962a\_31  
json-path-api:2.9.0-190.veefca\_05d5477  
jsoup:1.21.2-66.v6ea\_38164b\_8a\_2  
junit:1355.v45e2ea\_65863c  
last-changes:456.vc484b\_627e803  
ldap:780.vcb\_33c9a\_e4332  
leastload:62.vfa\_8830902733  
log-parser:2.5.0  
mail-watcher-plugin:1.20  
mailer:522.va\_995fa\_cfb\_8b\_d  
mapdb-api:1.0.9-44.va\_1e1310c9118  
mask-passwords:204.v24d863065180  
matrix-auth:3.2.8  
matrix-project:858.vb\_b\_eb\_9a\_7ea\_99e  
maven-plugin:3.27  
metrics:4.2.33-484.v2fcd689980d1  
mina-sshd-api-common:2.16.0-167.va\_269f38cc024  
mina-sshd-api-core:2.16.0-167.va\_269f38cc024  
next-build-number:66.v4b\_4762172d53  
nodelabelparameter:759.vb\_b\_e95db\_f3251  
okhttp-api:4.11.0-189.v976fa\_d3379d6  
oss-symbols-api:392.v27a\_482d90083  
pam-auth:1.12  
parameterized-trigger:873.v8b\_e37dd8418f  
pipeline-build-step:571.v08a\_fffd4b\_0ce  
pipeline-github-lib:65.v203688e7727e  
pipeline-graph-analysis:245.v88f03631a\_b\_21  
pipeline-graph-view:628.va\_6f6a\_1d12848  
pipeline-groovy-lib:752.vdddedf804e72  
pipeline-input-step:534.v352f0a\_e98918  
pipeline-milestone-step:138.v78ca\_76831a\_43  
pipeline-model-api:2.2265.v140e610fe9d5  
pipeline-model-definition:2.2265.v140e610fe9d5  
pipeline-model-extensions:2.2265.v140e610fe9d5  
pipeline-rest-api:2.38  
pipeline-stage-step:322.vecffa\_99f371c  
pipeline-stage-tags-metadata:2.2265.v140e610fe9d5  
pipeline-stage-view:2.38  
plain-credentials:199.v9f8e1f741799  
plugin-util-api:6.1167.v022176c7e0ca\_  
powershell:2.3  
rebuild:338.va\_0a\_b\_50e29397  
resource-disposer:0.25  
run-condition:243.v3c3f94e46a\_8b\_  
scm-api:707.v749f968369d4  
script-security:1378.vf25626395f49  
show-build-parameters:1.0  
agent-utilization-plugin:1.8  
snakeyaml-api:2.3-125.v4d77857a\_b\_402  
ssh-credentials:361.vb\_f6760818e8c  
ssh-slaves:3.1071.v0d059c7b\_c555  
sshd:3.374.v19b\_d59ce6610  
structs:353.v261ea\_40a\_80fb\_  
subversion:1292.ve8cf25770ee3  
theme-manager:319.v9193461f9671  
throttle-concurrents:2.18  
timestamper:1.30  
token-macro:477.vd4f0dc3cb\_cf1  
trilead-api:2.209.v0e69b\_c43c245  
variant:70.va\_d9f17f859e0  
veracode-scan:25.6.25.0  
versionnumber:234.v315d3b\_3cb\_fb\_5  
windows-cloud:1.0.1  
workflow-aggregator:608.v67378e9d3db\_1  
workflow-api:1384.vdc05a\_48f535f  
workflow-basic-steps:1079.vce64b\_a\_929c5a\_  
workflow-cps:4183.v94b\_6fd39da\_c1  
workflow-durable-task-step:1458.va\_2e10a\_a\_b\_7c4d  
workflow-job:1546.v62a\_c59c112dd  
workflow-multibranch:811.vcd33d074c2a\_0  
workflow-scm-step:437.v05a\_f66b\_e5ef8  
workflow-step-api:706.v518c5dcb\_24c0  
workflow-support:976.vb\_d9493c2eb\_09  
ws-cleanup:0.49

Jenkins setup:

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![poddingue](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/flex013/user_avatar/community.jenkins.io/poddingue/32/985_2.png) [@poddingue](https://community.jenkins.io/u/poddingue)\
**Post date:** [September 19, 2025, 6:54am UTC](https://community.jenkins.io/t/issue-connecting-to-github-repo-with-github-app-credentials/35608/2 "2025-09-19T06:54:39Z")

</div>

Welcome back, @mcseforsale. 👋

The error may happen because Jenkins cannot validate GitHub App credentials when running over HTTPS, but it works over HTTP, which almost always means an **SSL/TLS trust issue**. 🤷

Below are some steps that may help fix it:

* * *

### Step-by-step Troubleshooting

#### 1. Verify Jenkins URL configuration

- Go to: **Manage Jenkins (the little ⚙ on the top right) → System**
- Make sure the **Jenkins URL** is set to the correct **`https://...`** address.
- Incorrect URLs may break OAuth callbacks from GitHub.

* * *

#### 2. Update Java CA certificates

If the Java runtime used by Jenkins doesn’t trust your HTTPS certificate:

```auto
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install ca-certificates
sudo update-ca-certificates

```

- Then **restart Jenkins** to reload the trust store.

* * *

#### 3. Add self-signed certificate (if applicable)

If using a self-signed or private CA certificate, you must import it manually:

```auto
sudo keytool -import \
  -alias mycert \
  -keystore /etc/ssl/certs/java/cacerts \
  -file /path/to/cert.crt

```

> Default keystore password is `changeit`.

Then **restart Jenkins** again.

* * *

#### 4. Check proxy/firewall settings

- If your server uses a proxy:
  - Go to **Manage Jenkins → System**
  - Set the correct proxy host/port and credentials if needed.

* * *

#### 5. Verify system clock

- Make sure your server’s clock is correct (`timedatectl status`)
- SSL validation fails if the system time is significantly off.

* * *

#### 6. Enable debug logging

If the problem persists, enable detailed logs:

- Go to **Manage Jenkins → System Log → Add recorder**
- Add a logger for  
`org.jenkinsci.plugins.github_branch_source`
- Set it to **FINE** or **ALL**

This should show the exact SSL or credential error in the logs.

* * *

#### 7. Plugin compatibility

- Update the following plugins to their latest versions:
  - GitHub Branch Source
  - GitHub API for Jenkins

- Make sure they are compatible with your current Jenkins version.

* * *

### Most common root cause

> Missing or outdated CA certificates in the Java trust store.  
> Fixing this (steps 2–3) should resolve most HTTPS validation issues with GitHub Apps.

### One-liner Trust Check

```auto
openssl s_client -connect your-jenkins-domain:443 -showcerts </dev/null 2>/dev/null | \
openssl x509 -noout -fingerprint -sha256

```

**Then:**

```auto
keytool -list -keystore "$JAVA_HOME/lib/security/cacerts" \
  -storepass changeit | grep -i "<some part of the cert CN or fingerprint>"

```

* * *

### What this does

1. The first command:

- Connects to your HTTPS Jenkins endpoint
- Prints the certificate fingerprint

1. The second command:

- Lists all certificates trusted by Java
- Lets you verify if that fingerprint (or CN) is already trusted

If it’s **missing** , then your Java runtime doesn’t trust the server’s certificate, which may cause the GitHub Branch Source plugin’s credential validation to fail.