Title: Fatal Error due to PHP 8 Compatibility OR missing Database Tables Last modified: April 12, 2021 --- # Fatal Error due to PHP 8 Compatibility OR missing Database Tables * Resolved Anonymous User 14808221 * (@anonymized-14808221) * [5 years, 2 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/php-8-compatibility-12/) * I am getting the same error as reported [here](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/activating-wf-gives-fatal-error/) * The error is: `Fatal error: Uncaught TypeError: json_decode(): Argument #1 ( $json) must be of type string, array given in /var/www/html/wp-content/plugins/ wordfence/lib/wfConfig.php:545 Stack trace: #0 /var/www/html/wp-content/plugins/ wordfence/lib/wfConfig.php(545): json_decode() #1 /var/www/html/wp-content/plugins/ wordfence/lib/wfUtils.php(700): wfConfig::getJSON() #2 /var/www/html/wp-content/ plugins/wordfence/lib/wfUtils.php(719): wfUtils::whitelistPresets() #3 /var/www/ html/wp-content/plugins/wordfence/lib/wfUtils.php(750): wfUtils::whitelistedServiceIPs()# 4 /var/www/html/wp-content/plugins/wordfence/lib/wfUtils.php(776): wfUtils::getIPWhitelist()# 5 /var/www/html/wp-content/plugins/wordfence/lib/wfUtils.php(934): wfUtils::isPrivateAddress()# 6 /var/www/html/wp-content/plugins/wordfence/lib/wfUtils.php(1117): wfUtils:: getCleanIPAndServerVar() #7 /var/www/html/wp-content/plugins/wordfence/lib/wfUtils. php(1048): wfUtils::getIPAndServerVariable() #8 /var/www/html/wp-content/plugins/ wordfence/lib/wfLog.php(114): wfUtils::getIP() #9 /var/www/html/wp-content/plugins/ wordfence/lib/wordfenceClass.php(1132): wfLog->initLogRequest() #10 /var/www/ html/wp-content/plugins/wordfence/wordfence.php(95): wordfence::install_actions()# 11 /var/www/html/wp-admin/includes/plugin.php(2300): include('...') #12 /var/ www/html/wp-admin/plugins.php(191): plugin_sandbox_scrape() #13 {main} thrown in /var/www/html/wp-content/plugins/wordfence/lib/wfConfig.php on line 545` * Running an NGINX VPS with PHP 8 as suggested by the hosting service. I am aware that WP is itself not really yet PHP 8 compatible and many plugins are not either, but the fact is that running WP, Toolset, several custom plugins and theme produces no issues at all. I also do not believe the issue is due to PHP 8, rather, as see below, something else. * I have of course tried to disable all Plugins and enable only WF, however run in the precise same issue. * I tried to debug it, and found that when I dump the error throwing line (544)` $json = self::get($key, $default, $allowCached);` then I get an empty array as result. That probably is due to the underlying error I have seen: * ``` [12-Apr-2021 18:40:04 UTC] WordPress database error Table 'database_name.wp_wfconfig' doesn't exist for query SELECT name, val, autoload FROM wp_wfconfig WHERE name = 'allowLegacy2FA' made by activate_plugin, include_once('/plugins/wordfence/wordfence.php'), require_once('/plugins/wordfence/lib/wordfenceClass.php'), wfCredentialsController::useLegacy2FA, wfCredentialsController::allowLegacy2FA, wfConfig::get [12-Apr-2021 18:40:04 UTC] WordPress database error Table 'database_name.wp_wfls_settings' doesn't exist for query SELECT name, value, autoload FROM wp_wfls_settings WHERE name = 'allow-xml-rpc' made by activate_plugin, include_once('/plugins/wordfence/wordfence.php'), require_once('/plugins/wordfence/lib/wordfenceClass.php'), require('/plugins/wordfence/modules/login-security/wordfence-login-security.php'), WordfenceLS\Controller_WordfenceLS->init, WordfenceLS\Controller_WordfenceLS->_init_actions, WordfenceLS\Controller_Settings->get_bool, WordfenceLS\Controller_Settings->get, WordfenceLS\Settings\Model_DB->get [12-Apr-2021 18:40:04 UTC] WordPress database error Table 'database_name.wp_wfconfig' doesn't exist for query SELECT name, val, autoload FROM wp_wfconfig WHERE name = 'apiKey' made by activate_plugin, include_once('/plugins/wordfence/wordfence.php'), wordfence::install_actions, wordfence::getLog, wfLog::shared, wfConfig::get [12-Apr-2021 18:40:04 UTC] WordPress database error Table 'database_name.wp_wfconfig' doesn't exist for query SELECT name, val, autoload FROM wp_wfconfig WHERE name = 'howGetIPs' made by activate_plugin, include_once('/plugins/wordfence/wordfence.php'), wordfence::install_actions, wfLog->initLogRequest, wfUtils::getIP, wfUtils::getIPAndServerVariable, wfConfig::get [12-Apr-2021 18:40:04 UTC] WordPress database error Table 'database_name.wp_wfconfig' doesn't exist for query SELECT name, val, autoload FROM wp_wfconfig WHERE name = 'detectProxyRecommendation' made by activate_plugin, include_once('/plugins/wordfence/wordfence.php'), wordfence::install_actions, wfLog->initLogRequest, wfUtils::getIP, wfUtils::getIPAndServerVariable, wfConfig::get [12-Apr-2021 18:40:04 UTC] WordPress database error Table 'database_name.wp_wfconfig' doesn't exist for query SELECT name, val, autoload FROM wp_wfconfig WHERE name = 'howGetIPs_trusted_proxies' made by activate_plugin, include_once('/plugins/wordfence/wordfence.php'), wordfence::install_actions, wfLog->initLogRequest, wfUtils::getIP, wfUtils::getIPAndServerVariable, wfUtils::getCleanIPAndServerVar, wfConfig::get [12-Apr-2021 18:40:04 UTC] WordPress database error Table 'database_name.wp_wfconfig' doesn't exist for query SELECT name, val, autoload FROM wp_wfconfig WHERE name = 'whitelistPresets' made by activate_plugin, include_once('/plugins/wordfence/wordfence.php'), wordfence::install_actions, wfLog->initLogRequest, wfUtils::getIP, wfUtils::getIPAndServerVariable, wfUtils::getCleanIPAndServerVar, wfUtils::isPrivateAddress, wfUtils::getIPWhitelist, wfUtils::whitelistedServiceIPs, wfUtils::whitelistPresets, wfConfig::getJSON, wfConfig::get ``` * So to summarise it, perhaps this seems due to the Database tables not being created, hence the offending line results in an empty array and cannot be converted to JSON String. * That made me think, and results that this is a site migration where we had to delete all wf_ database tables due to problems after migration with the login. So, perhaps WF still has something in the options table telling it is already installed and doesnt create the database tables anymore? Hence the Query SELECT fails, hence the array is not populated and results in failure to build the JSON String? * Bottom line, any suggestion to resolve this? - This topic was modified 5 years, 2 months ago by Anonymous User 14808221. Reason: Edit title as more adequate - This topic was modified 5 years, 2 months ago by Anonymous User 14808221. Reason: darn typo! Viewing 3 replies - 1 through 3 (of 3 total) * Plugin Support [WFAdam](https://wordpress.org/support/users/wfadam/) * (@wfadam) * [5 years, 1 month ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/php-8-compatibility-12/#post-14317592) * Hello @bedas and thanks for reaching out to us! * Can you send a diagnostic report to **wftest @ wordfence . com**? You can find the link to do so at the top of the **Wordfence Tools > Diagnostics** page. Then click on **“Send Report by Email”**. Please add your forum username where indicated and _respond here after you have sent it._ * Thanks again! * Thread Starter Anonymous User 14808221 * (@anonymized-14808221) * [5 years, 1 month ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/php-8-compatibility-12/#post-14328368) * Hello [@wfadam](https://wordpress.org/support/users/wfadam/) * First of all sorry I didn’t reply sooner, I plain simple once more didn’t receive any email from the thread here (it happened in past already with other WordPress threads) * Anyway, I’d certainly do what you ask, however with a fatal error I’m not really able to access my site or backend anymore – therefore I’m not sure how to even get that report * As soon I activate WF my site will be down due to the fatal, with or without debug log on. Can I send a copy of the site perhaps using the same approach? * I could scramble the database for anonymity and you could then see the error + source to investigate * Let me know if this can help you? - This reply was modified 5 years, 1 month ago by Anonymous User 14808221. * Plugin Support [WFAdam](https://wordpress.org/support/users/wfadam/) * (@wfadam) * [5 years, 1 month ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/php-8-compatibility-12/#post-14328999) * Could you send me the Error logs from your site? We might be able to see exactly what is happening. If you can, send them to wftest @ wordfence . com with subject“ bedas for WFADAM” and let me know when you have sent it! * Could you also list your plugins/PHP version/WP version here for me to review? * Thanks again! Viewing 3 replies - 1 through 3 (of 3 total) The topic ‘Fatal Error due to PHP 8 Compatibility OR missing Database Tables’ is closed to new replies. * ![](https://ps.w.org/wordfence/assets/icon.svg?rev=2070865) * [Wordfence Security - Firewall, Malware Scan, and Login Security](https://wordpress.org/plugins/wordfence/) * [Frequently Asked Questions](https://wordpress.org/plugins/wordfence/#faq) * [Support Threads](https://wordpress.org/support/plugin/wordfence/) * [Active Topics](https://wordpress.org/support/plugin/wordfence/active/) * [Unresolved Topics](https://wordpress.org/support/plugin/wordfence/unresolved/) * [Reviews](https://wordpress.org/support/plugin/wordfence/reviews/) ## Tags * [fatal error](https://wordpress.org/support/topic-tag/fatal-error/) * [php 8](https://wordpress.org/support/topic-tag/php-8/) * 3 replies * 2 participants * Last reply from: [WFAdam](https://wordpress.org/support/users/wfadam/) * Last activity: [5 years, 1 month ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/php-8-compatibility-12/#post-14328999) * Status: resolved