Questions / Questionnaires Internal Server Error

[X0x1RG9f]

Bug description
When accessing or creating new questions, 500 Internal Server Error is triggered.

Steps to reproduce
Steps to reproduce the behavior:

1. Navigate to https://demo.defectdojo.org/questions

[valentijnscholten]

@X0x1RG9f I am unable to reproduce this locally. Is this only a problem on the demo instance?
I'll see if I can get someone to look at the demo instance logs.

[mtesauro]

@valentijnscholten I wonder if there's an issue with the fixtures we use to pre-load the Public demo 🤔

Here's some more context

Fixtures loaded in the public demo instance are:

manage.py flush --no-input"
manage.py loaddata /app/dojo/fixtures/defect_dojo_sample_data.json"
manage.py loaddata /app/dojo/fixtures/role.json"
manage.py loaddata /app/dojo/fixtures/initial_surveys.json"
manage.py loaddata /app/dojo/fixtures/initial_banner_conf.json"

These are the 'normal' fixtures in the repo:
https://github.com/DefectDojo/django-DefectDojo/tree/master/dojo/fixtures

Error logged on the backend when you click on questions

[28/Apr/2025 19:17:14] ERROR [django.request:248] Internal Server Error: /questions
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "/usr/local/lib/python3.11/site-packages/django/core/handlers/exception.py", line 55, in inner
    response = get_response(request)
               ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
  File "/usr/local/lib/python3.11/site-packages/django/core/handlers/base.py", line 197, in _get_response
    response = wrapped_callback(request, *callback_args, **callback_kwargs)
               ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
  File "/app/dojo/authorization/authorization_decorators.py", line 63, in _wrapped
    return func(request, *args, **kwargs)
           ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
  File "/app/dojo/survey/views.py", line 447, in questions
    return render(request, "defectDojo-engagement-survey/list_questions.html", {
           ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
  File "/usr/local/lib/python3.11/site-packages/django/shortcuts.py", line 25, in render
    content = loader.render_to_string(template_name, context, request, using=using)
              ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
  File "/usr/local/lib/python3.11/site-packages/django/template/loader.py", line 62, in render_to_string
    return template.render(context, request)
           ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
  File "/usr/local/lib/python3.11/site-packages/django/template/backends/django.py", line 107, in render
    return self.template.render(context)
           ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
  File "/usr/local/lib/python3.11/site-packages/django/template/base.py", line 171, in render
    return self._render(context)
           ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
  File "/usr/local/lib/python3.11/site-packages/django/template/base.py", line 163, in _render
    return self.nodelist.render(context)
           ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
  File "/usr/local/lib/python3.11/site-packages/django/template/base.py", line 1008, in render
    return SafeString("".join([node.render_annotated(context) for node in self]))
                              ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
  File "/usr/local/lib/python3.11/site-packages/django/template/base.py", line 1008, in <listcomp>
    return SafeString("".join([node.render_annotated(context) for node in self]))
                               ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
  File "/usr/local/lib/python3.11/site-packages/django/template/base.py", line 969, in render_annotated
    return self.render(context)
           ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
  File "/usr/local/lib/python3.11/site-packages/django/template/loader_tags.py", line 159, in render
    return compiled_parent._render(context)
           ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
  File "/usr/local/lib/python3.11/site-packages/django/template/base.py", line 163, in _render
    return self.nodelist.render(context)
           ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
  File "/usr/local/lib/python3.11/site-packages/django/template/base.py", line 1008, in render
    return SafeString("".join([node.render_annotated(context) for node in self]))
                              ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
  File "/usr/local/lib/python3.11/site-packages/django/template/base.py", line 1008, in <listcomp>
    return SafeString("".join([node.render_annotated(context) for node in self]))
                               ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
  File "/usr/local/lib/python3.11/site-packages/django/template/base.py", line 969, in render_annotated
    return self.render(context)
           ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
  File "/usr/local/lib/python3.11/site-packages/django/template/loader_tags.py", line 65, in render
    result = block.nodelist.render(context)
             ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
  File "/usr/local/lib/python3.11/site-packages/django/template/base.py", line 1008, in render
    return SafeString("".join([node.render_annotated(context) for node in self]))
                              ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
  File "/usr/local/lib/python3.11/site-packages/django/template/base.py", line 1008, in <listcomp>
    return SafeString("".join([node.render_annotated(context) for node in self]))
                               ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
  File "/usr/local/lib/python3.11/site-packages/django/template/base.py", line 969, in render_annotated
    return self.render(context)
           ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
  File "/usr/local/lib/python3.11/site-packages/django/template/defaulttags.py", line 326, in render
    if match:
  File "/usr/local/lib/python3.11/site-packages/django/core/paginator.py", line 191, in __len__
    return len(self.object_list)
           ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
  File "/usr/local/lib/python3.11/site-packages/django/db/models/query.py", line 382, in __len__
    self._fetch_all()
  File "/usr/local/lib/python3.11/site-packages/django/db/models/query.py", line 1928, in _fetch_all
    self._result_cache = list(self._iterable_class(self))
                         ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
  File "/usr/local/lib/python3.11/site-packages/polymorphic/query.py", line 64, in _polymorphic_iterator
    real_results = self.queryset._get_real_instances(base_result_objects)
                   ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
  File "/usr/local/lib/python3.11/site-packages/polymorphic/query.py", line 394, in _get_real_instances
    real_concrete_class = base_object.get_real_instance_class()
                          ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
  File "/usr/local/lib/python3.11/site-packages/polymorphic/models.py", line 129, in get_real_instance_class
    raise PolymorphicTypeInvalid(
polymorphic.models.PolymorphicTypeInvalid: ContentType 18 for <class 'dojo.models.Note_Type'> #3 does not point to a subclass!

[valentijnscholten]

Thank you for reporting @X0x1RG9f . The error in the demo instance initialization script has now been fixed. Let us know if it also works for you now.

[X0x1RG9f]

Sorry for delay, yes it's also working fine for me !

[NoaFayn]

Hi, sorry for reopening this issue, in 2.51.3 I'm still having this error on my instance. What did you do to fix the error?

[manuel-sommer]

this issue is closed in the latest release

[NoaFayn]

I've upgraded to 2.52.1 on our test instance to confirm this on the latest release and the error is still there.

Following is the log dump:

uwsgi-1  | [XXX] ERROR [dojo.middleware:104] Unhandled exception during social login: ContentType 69 for <class 'dojo.models.Announcement'> #3 does not point to a subclass!
uwsgi-1  | [XXX] ERROR [django.request:253] Internal Server Error: /questionnaire/4/edit/questions
uwsgi-1  | Traceback (most recent call last):
uwsgi-1  |   File "/usr/local/lib/python3.13/site-packages/django/core/handlers/exception.py", line 55, in inner
uwsgi-1  |     response = get_response(request)
uwsgi-1  |   File "/usr/local/lib/python3.13/site-packages/django/core/handlers/base.py", line 197, in _get_response
uwsgi-1  |     response = wrapped_callback(request, *callback_args, **callback_kwargs)
uwsgi-1  |   File "/app/dojo/survey/views.py", line 415, in edit_questionnaire_questions
uwsgi-1  |     return render(request, "defectDojo-engagement-survey/edit_survey_questions.html", {
uwsgi-1  |         "survey": survey,
uwsgi-1  |         "form": form,
uwsgi-1  |         "name": "Update Survey Questions",
uwsgi-1  |     })
uwsgi-1  |   File "/usr/local/lib/python3.13/site-packages/django/shortcuts.py", line 25, in render
uwsgi-1  |     content = loader.render_to_string(template_name, context, request, using=using)
uwsgi-1  |   File "/usr/local/lib/python3.13/site-packages/django/template/loader.py", line 62, in render_to_string
uwsgi-1  |     return template.render(context, request)
uwsgi-1  |            ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
uwsgi-1  |   File "/usr/local/lib/python3.13/site-packages/django/template/backends/django.py", line 107, in render
uwsgi-1  |     return self.template.render(context)
uwsgi-1  |            ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~^^^^^^^^^
uwsgi-1  |   File "/usr/local/lib/python3.13/site-packages/django/template/base.py", line 171, in render
uwsgi-1  |     return self._render(context)
uwsgi-1  |            ~~~~~~~~~~~~^^^^^^^^^
uwsgi-1  |   File "/usr/local/lib/python3.13/site-packages/django/template/base.py", line 163, in _render
uwsgi-1  |     return self.nodelist.render(context)
uwsgi-1  |            ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~^^^^^^^^^
uwsgi-1  |   File "/usr/local/lib/python3.13/site-packages/django/template/base.py", line 1008, in render
uwsgi-1  |     return SafeString("".join([node.render_annotated(context) for node in self]))
uwsgi-1  |                                ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~^^^^^^^^^
uwsgi-1  |   File "/usr/local/lib/python3.13/site-packages/django/template/base.py", line 969, in render_annotated
uwsgi-1  |     return self.render(context)
uwsgi-1  |            ~~~~~~~~~~~^^^^^^^^^
uwsgi-1  |   File "/usr/local/lib/python3.13/site-packages/django/template/loader_tags.py", line 159, in render
uwsgi-1  |     return compiled_parent._render(context)
uwsgi-1  |            ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~^^^^^^^^^
uwsgi-1  |   File "/usr/local/lib/python3.13/site-packages/django/template/base.py", line 163, in _render
uwsgi-1  |     return self.nodelist.render(context)
uwsgi-1  |            ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~^^^^^^^^^
uwsgi-1  |   File "/usr/local/lib/python3.13/site-packages/django/template/base.py", line 1008, in render
uwsgi-1  |     return SafeString("".join([node.render_annotated(context) for node in self]))
uwsgi-1  |                                ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~^^^^^^^^^
uwsgi-1  |   File "/usr/local/lib/python3.13/site-packages/django/template/base.py", line 969, in render_annotated
uwsgi-1  |     return self.render(context)
uwsgi-1  |            ~~~~~~~~~~~^^^^^^^^^
uwsgi-1  |   File "/usr/local/lib/python3.13/site-packages/django/template/loader_tags.py", line 65, in render
uwsgi-1  |     result = block.nodelist.render(context)
uwsgi-1  |   File "/usr/local/lib/python3.13/site-packages/django/template/base.py", line 1008, in render
uwsgi-1  |     return SafeString("".join([node.render_annotated(context) for node in self]))
uwsgi-1  |                                ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~^^^^^^^^^
uwsgi-1  |   File "/usr/local/lib/python3.13/site-packages/django/template/base.py", line 969, in render_annotated
uwsgi-1  |     return self.render(context)
uwsgi-1  |            ~~~~~~~~~~~^^^^^^^^^
uwsgi-1  |   File "/usr/local/lib/python3.13/site-packages/django/template/loader_tags.py", line 210, in render
uwsgi-1  |     return template.render(context)
uwsgi-1  |            ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~^^^^^^^^^
uwsgi-1  |   File "/usr/local/lib/python3.13/site-packages/django/template/base.py", line 173, in render
uwsgi-1  |     return self._render(context)
uwsgi-1  |            ~~~~~~~~~~~~^^^^^^^^^
uwsgi-1  |   File "/usr/local/lib/python3.13/site-packages/django/template/base.py", line 163, in _render
uwsgi-1  |     return self.nodelist.render(context)
uwsgi-1  |            ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~^^^^^^^^^
uwsgi-1  |   File "/usr/local/lib/python3.13/site-packages/django/template/base.py", line 1008, in render
uwsgi-1  |     return SafeString("".join([node.render_annotated(context) for node in self]))
uwsgi-1  |                                ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~^^^^^^^^^
uwsgi-1  |   File "/usr/local/lib/python3.13/site-packages/django/template/base.py", line 969, in render_annotated
uwsgi-1  |     return self.render(context)
uwsgi-1  |            ~~~~~~~~~~~^^^^^^^^^
uwsgi-1  |   File "/usr/local/lib/python3.13/site-packages/django/template/defaulttags.py", line 243, in render
uwsgi-1  |     nodelist.append(node.render_annotated(context))
uwsgi-1  |                     ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~^^^^^^^^^
uwsgi-1  |   File "/usr/local/lib/python3.13/site-packages/django/template/base.py", line 969, in render_annotated
uwsgi-1  |     return self.render(context)
uwsgi-1  |            ~~~~~~~~~~~^^^^^^^^^
uwsgi-1  |   File "/usr/local/lib/python3.13/site-packages/django/template/defaulttags.py", line 327, in render
uwsgi-1  |     return nodelist.render(context)
uwsgi-1  |            ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~^^^^^^^^^
uwsgi-1  |   File "/usr/local/lib/python3.13/site-packages/django/template/base.py", line 1008, in render
uwsgi-1  |     return SafeString("".join([node.render_annotated(context) for node in self]))
uwsgi-1  |                                ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~^^^^^^^^^
uwsgi-1  |   File "/usr/local/lib/python3.13/site-packages/django/template/base.py", line 969, in render_annotated
uwsgi-1  |     return self.render(context)
uwsgi-1  |            ~~~~~~~~~~~^^^^^^^^^
uwsgi-1  |   File "/usr/local/lib/python3.13/site-packages/django/template/base.py", line 1073, in render
uwsgi-1  |     return render_value_in_context(output, context)
uwsgi-1  |   File "/usr/local/lib/python3.13/site-packages/django/template/base.py", line 1050, in render_value_in_context
uwsgi-1  |     value = str(value)
uwsgi-1  |   File "/usr/local/lib/python3.13/site-packages/django/forms/utils.py", line 79, in __str__
uwsgi-1  |     return self.as_widget()
uwsgi-1  |            ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~^^
uwsgi-1  |   File "/app/dojo/templatetags/event_tags.py", line 20, in as_widget
uwsgi-1  |     return old_as_widget(widget, attrs, only_initial=only_initial)
uwsgi-1  |   File "/usr/local/lib/python3.13/site-packages/django/forms/boundfield.py", line 108, in as_widget
uwsgi-1  |     return widget.render(
uwsgi-1  |            ~~~~~~~~~~~~~^
uwsgi-1  |         name=self.html_initial_name if only_initial else self.html_name,
uwsgi-1  |         ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
uwsgi-1  |     ...<2 lines>...
uwsgi-1  |         renderer=self.form.renderer,
uwsgi-1  |         ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
uwsgi-1  |     )
uwsgi-1  |     ^
uwsgi-1  |   File "/app/dojo/forms.py", line 166, in render
uwsgi-1  |     html = super().render(name, *args, **kwargs)
uwsgi-1  |   File "/usr/local/lib/python3.13/site-packages/django/forms/widgets.py", line 278, in render
uwsgi-1  |     context = self.get_context(name, value, attrs)
uwsgi-1  |   File "/usr/local/lib/python3.13/site-packages/django/forms/widgets.py", line 764, in get_context
uwsgi-1  |     context = super().get_context(name, value, attrs)
uwsgi-1  |   File "/usr/local/lib/python3.13/site-packages/django/forms/widgets.py", line 715, in get_context
uwsgi-1  |     context["widget"]["optgroups"] = self.optgroups(
uwsgi-1  |                                      ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~^
uwsgi-1  |         name, context["widget"]["value"], attrs
uwsgi-1  |         ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
uwsgi-1  |     )
uwsgi-1  |     ^
uwsgi-1  |   File "/usr/local/lib/python3.13/site-packages/django/forms/widgets.py", line 655, in optgroups
uwsgi-1  |     for index, (option_value, option_label) in enumerate(self.choices):
uwsgi-1  |                                                ~~~~~~~~~^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
uwsgi-1  |   File "/usr/local/lib/python3.13/site-packages/django/forms/models.py", line 1424, in __iter__
uwsgi-1  |     for obj in queryset:
uwsgi-1  |                ^^^^^^^^
uwsgi-1  |   File "/usr/local/lib/python3.13/site-packages/django/db/models/query.py", line 520, in _iterator
uwsgi-1  |     yield from iterable
uwsgi-1  |   File "/usr/local/lib/python3.13/site-packages/polymorphic/query.py", line 63, in _polymorphic_iterator
uwsgi-1  |     real_results = self.queryset._get_real_instances(base_result_objects)
uwsgi-1  |   File "/usr/local/lib/python3.13/site-packages/polymorphic/query.py", line 376, in _get_real_instances
uwsgi-1  |     real_concrete_class = base_object.get_real_instance_class()
uwsgi-1  |   File "/usr/local/lib/python3.13/site-packages/polymorphic/models.py", line 126, in get_real_instance_class
uwsgi-1  |     raise PolymorphicTypeInvalid(
uwsgi-1  |         f"ContentType {self.polymorphic_ctype_id} for {model} #{self.pk} does not point to a subclass!"
uwsgi-1  |     )
uwsgi-1  | polymorphic.models.PolymorphicTypeInvalid: ContentType 69 for <class 'dojo.models.Announcement'> #3 does not point to a subclass!
uwsgi-1  | [pid: 45|app: -|req: -/-] 172.21.0.1 (XXX) {68 vars in 1517 bytes} [XXX] GET /questionnaire/4/edit/questions => generated 49958 bytes in 2782 msecs (HTTP/1.1 500) 8 headers in 388 bytes (1 switches on core 0)

Still interested in the resolution steps that were applied to fix the issue (as I don't see any related MR or code linked to this issue).

As a side note, our instance data is running since 2022 and we haven't played with the Questionnaires until now.

[manuel-sommer]

@NoaFayn : Worked on my side with v. 2.51.2 (branch bugfix)

nginx-1 | 172.18.0.1 - - [17/Nov/2025:11:16:33 +0000] "GET /alerts/count HTTP/1.1" 200 13 "http://localhost:8080/questionnaire/4/edit/questions" "Mozilla/5.0 (Macintosh; Intel Mac OS X 10.15; rv:144.0) Gecko/20100101 Firefox/144.0" "-"
uwsgi-1 | [17/Nov/2025 11:16:43] DEBUG [dojo.middleware:71] Authenticated user: ---
nginx-1 | 172.18.0.1 - - [17/Nov/2025:11:16:43 +0000] "GET /alerts/count HTTP/1.1" 200 13 "http://localhost:8080/questionnaire/4/edit/questions" "Mozilla/5.0 (Macintosh; Intel Mac OS X 10.15; rv:144.0) Gecko/20100101 Firefox/144.0" "-"
Also on https://demo.defectdojo.org/questionnaire/4/edit/questions I could not reproduce it. Please verify if you can reporduce it there as well with also the exact steps to reproduce.

[NoaFayn]

That would indicate that it is linked to the data in my instance? (which I already suspect, although since I haven't modified anything from the questionnaires, I'm surprised)
@manuel-sommer Would you happen to know the tables that might be related to this?
I'll test if I can extract some data to reproduce this problem with a fresh installation.

[manuel-sommer]

That would indicate that it is linked to the data in my instance? (which I already suspect, although since I haven't modified anything from the questionnaires, I'm surprised) @manuel-sommer Would you happen to know the tables that might be related to this? I'll test if I can extract some data to reproduce this problem with a fresh installation.

I would first check if all migrations have been made.

[manuel-sommer]

I found this bug while trying to reproduce your bug: #13717

[valentijnscholten]

Not sure if this will work here as I also see Announcement in the error message. But wha can happen with old data is that the Django Content Type id's can get out of sync over time as new models with overlapping/conflicting ids are added.

You can try manage.py migration_textquestions inside the uwsgi container to regenerate the ids for the text questions.

[NoaFayn]

@manuel-sommer This bug seems unrelated to the error that I have, although I also have the same "Unhandled exception during social login" text that I forgot to include in my log lines (edit: never mind, I did include it), but slightly different:

uwsgi-1  | [XXX] ERROR [dojo.middleware:104] Unhandled exception during social login: ContentType 69 for <class 'dojo.models.Announcement'> #3 does not point to a subclass!

(And as a side note, this error only appear in the 2.52.1 test instance, and not on the 2.51.3.)

@valentijnscholten Yes, this was what I assumed. The command you gave is spelled incorrectly and should instead be ./manage.py migrate_textquestions (if others need to fix this problem). And it does work! Thank you! I think it is good to have it written, as there were no info about how to fix the original issue in the first place.

For my understanding, can this sync problem with the content type happen again in the future? (Is it not handled automatically by DefectDojo?) Or is this the result of a failed migration that I missed during an upgrade?