# Admin users always get 500 timeout in GitUtils.has\_commit?, while normal users work fine
**URL:** https://meta.discourse.org/t/admin-users-always-get-500-timeout-in-gitutils-has-commit-while-normal-users-work-fine/406903
**Category:** Bug
**Created:** [July 6, 2026, 12:16pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/admin-users-always-get-500-timeout-in-gitutils-has-commit-while-normal-users-work-fine/406903 "2026-07-06T12:16:34Z")
**Posts on this page:** 1
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@aliarjmandi](https://meta.discourse.org/u/aliarjmandi)
#### Post date: [July 6, 2026, 12:16pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/admin-users-always-get-500-timeout-in-gitutils-has-commit-while-normal-users-work-fine/406903/1 "2026-07-06T12:16:35Z")
#
Hi everyone,
I’m facing a strange issue with a fresh Discourse installation and I’d appreciate any guidance.
## Environment
- Discourse Docker (latest stable)
- Ubuntu 24.04
- Fresh installation using `discourse_docker`
- No plugins except OpenID Connect
- Git repository is clean
- Reverse proxy with nginx
- HTTP only (no HTTPS yet)
- Local Git repository exists and is on `latest` branch
## The strange behavior
Anonymous users:
- ✅ Home page loads normally
Normal authenticated users:
- ✅ Work normally
Users authenticated through OpenID Connect:
- ✅ Work normally
But **every local Discourse admin user** gets a timeout and finally:
```plaintext
```
```plaintext
Oops
The software powering this discussion forum encountered an unexpected problem.
```
or sometimes
```plaintext
```
```plaintext
Server is currently experiencing high load.
```
## What we tested
We created a brand new local admin using
```plaintext
```
```plaintext
rake admin:create
```
Result:
- user as Admin → ❌ 500 timeout
- same user after changing
```plaintext
```
```plaintext
u.admin = false
u.save!
```
→ ✅ works immediately
So the issue is reproducible **only when `admin == true`**.
## Log
The worker always times out after about **30 seconds**.
Backtrace:
```plaintext
```
```plaintext
GitUtils.try_git
GitUtils.has_commit?
DiscourseUpdates.new_features
DiscourseUpdates.has_unseen_features?
CurrentUserSerializer
ApplicationLayoutPreloader
```
The timeout always happens here:
```plaintext
```
```plaintext
/var/www/discourse/lib/git_utils.rb:33
Kernel#`
```
## Important observation
Running Git manually inside the container is instantaneous.
For example:
```plaintext
```
```plaintext
git rev-parse HEAD
```
returns in about **7 ms**.
Also:
```plaintext
```
```plaintext
git merge-base --is-ancestor HEAD
```
returns immediately.
So Git itself is not slow.
## Redis
`new_features` does not seem to exist:
```plaintext
```
```plaintext
redis-cli exists new_features latest_new_feature_created_at
(integer) 0
```
## Question
Why would `GitUtils.has_commit?` block only for admin users while every Git command executes instantly from the shell?
Is there any known issue in recent versions of Discourse where `DiscourseUpdates` or `new_features` causes admin-only timeouts?
Any ideas on where to investigate next would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks!