Fix "Address Already in Use" / Port Already in Use
Address already in usebind: EADDRINUSEFailed to bind to portFAILED TO BINDThis error means another process is already listening on the port your server wants. Usually it's a previous instance that didn't shut down. Here's how to find and clear it.
Find what's using the port
On Linux, ss (or lsof) shows which process holds the port — say 25565:
ss -tlnp | grep 25565
# or
lsof -i :25565You'll get a PID (process ID) of whatever is bound to it.
Free the port
If it's a stuck old instance of your server, stop it cleanly first; if it won't die, force it:
kill 12345 # graceful, by PID
kill -9 12345 # force, if it won't stopConfirm the PID really is your game server before killing it. Killing a system service by mistake can take other things down.
Common real causes
- A previous server instance is still running (the usual cause).
- Two servers configured on the same port — change one.
- A crashed process left the port in a lingering TIME_WAIT state — wait a minute and retry.
- You're starting the server twice (e.g. a leftover screen/tmux session).
Or just change the port
If you genuinely want two servers, give the second one a different port in its config and update your firewall/forwarding to match.
Something already owns the port. Find the PID with ss/lsof, stop that process, then start your server.
Managed servers, no port wrangling
Our hosting manages ports and restarts cleanly through the panel — no stuck processes to chase.
Frequently asked questions
What does "address already in use" mean?
Another process is already listening on the port your server is trying to bind. It's almost always a previous instance of the same server that didn't shut down.
How do I find what's using a port on Linux?
Run ss -tlnp | grep PORT (or lsof -i :PORT). It shows the process and its PID. Then stop that process with kill, or kill -9 if it won't exit.
How do I free a port that's stuck?
Identify the PID holding it and stop that process. If a crashed process left the port in TIME_WAIT, just wait a minute and retry, or start your server on a different port.
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