Title: session_start(): Failed to initialize storage module: user (path: ) Last modified: August 31, 2017 --- # session_start(): Failed to initialize storage module: user (path: ) * Resolved [jnorell](https://wordpress.org/support/users/jnorell/) * (@jnorell) * [8 years, 9 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/session_start-failed-to-initialize-storage-module-user-path-2/) * Hello, * There is a problem when using cleantalk-spam-protect on pantheon’s hosting platform that starting with version 5.72 (it has run fine up through 5.71, which is what we’re still using): after updating (tried with 5.72 and 5.74) everything seems fine at first but after a while the site turns into a “white screen of death” and the following error shows up: `session_start(): Failed to initialize storage module: user (path: )` from `wp-content/plugins/cleantalk-spam-protect/inc/cleantalk- common.php:119` * Pantheon uses a varnish cache, and if I clear the cache this problem will go away for a little while, but shows back up before long. The session can be very active, it does not have to be idle for this to happen (though it will also do it if you leave your session and come back in a bit). * Pantheon also requires the ‘WordPress Native PHP Sessions’ plugin be used, which is surely related – the exact same error is in the troubleshooting section at [https://wordpress.org/plugins/wp-native-php-sessions/](https://wordpress.org/plugins/wp-native-php-sessions/) * The cleantalk plugin is not loaded in mu-plugins, but I’m going to try the workaround suggested there anyways and see if it helps. But could you also look at this and see if whatever changed in 5.72 might be improved or rolled back so that other sites on pantheon and/or running the native php sessions plugin won’t require a similar workaround? * Thanks! Viewing 10 replies - 1 through 10 (of 10 total) * Thread Starter [jnorell](https://wordpress.org/support/users/jnorell/) * (@jnorell) * [8 years, 9 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/session_start-failed-to-initialize-storage-module-user-path-2/#post-9459185) * I did try the workaround to load pantheon-sessions.php earlier and it seems to have fixed the sessions in cleantalk (I haven’t had the above error in a couple hours now), so I think we have a workaround for the time being. * There’s a little more info at [https://pantheon.io/docs/wordpress-sessions/](https://pantheon.io/docs/wordpress-sessions/) on the issue. * Thanks! - This reply was modified 8 years, 9 months ago by [jnorell](https://wordpress.org/support/users/jnorell/). Reason: the siteorigins page builder issue seems unrelated * [SergeM](https://wordpress.org/support/users/serge00/) * (@serge00) * [8 years, 9 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/session_start-failed-to-initialize-storage-module-user-path-2/#post-9459685) * Hello. * Thank you for your request. * Please, give us the link to your website so we could find your CleanTalk profile. * We are sorry for the inconveniences. We will look into this issue and fix it as soon as possible. * You will be informed when we finish fixing it. * Your CleanTalk Control Panel: [ [https://cleantalk.org/my/](https://cleantalk.org/my/)]. * Best regards. * Thread Starter [jnorell](https://wordpress.org/support/users/jnorell/) * (@jnorell) * [8 years, 9 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/session_start-failed-to-initialize-storage-module-user-path-2/#post-9461243) * The live site is [https://www.pharocattle.com/](https://www.pharocattle.com/)( still running 5.71, we’ll push 5.74 up soon) – thanks for looking in to that! * [SergeM](https://wordpress.org/support/users/serge00/) * (@serge00) * [8 years, 9 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/session_start-failed-to-initialize-storage-module-user-path-2/#post-9461347) * Thank you for the information. * We are working on this issue and write back to you as fast as possible. * Please, wait. * [Safronik](https://wordpress.org/support/users/safronik/) * (@safronik) * [8 years, 9 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/session_start-failed-to-initialize-storage-module-user-path-2/#post-9473849) * Hello, * 5.72 haven’t any changes connected with the sessions, the same for the further releases. * May be the issue connected with something else. Any way we’ll try to optimize the sessions in the next release. * Thank you so much for cooperation. * Thread Starter [jnorell](https://wordpress.org/support/users/jnorell/) * (@jnorell) * [8 years, 7 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/session_start-failed-to-initialize-storage-module-user-path-2/#post-9606409) * Following up, I updated to version 5.78 today and disabled the workaround, and I haven’t been logged out after a couple hours – hopefully it’s not premature to say, but this may be fixed. * [Safronik](https://wordpress.org/support/users/safronik/) * (@safronik) * [8 years, 7 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/session_start-failed-to-initialize-storage-module-user-path-2/#post-9611667) * Hello, * Thank you for the feedback! Let us know if you notice any malfunctions connected to our plugin. * Thread Starter [jnorell](https://wordpress.org/support/users/jnorell/) * (@jnorell) * [8 years, 7 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/session_start-failed-to-initialize-storage-module-user-path-2/#post-9646118) * FWIW I updated to 5.79 today and this problem returned; I’ve had it happen repeatedly on the development site/environment, but curiously not on the test or live environment, which I suppose is good. I’m reinstating the workaround mentioned above. * Plugin Support [sergecleantalk](https://wordpress.org/support/users/sergecleantalk/) * (@sergecleantalk) * [8 years, 7 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/session_start-failed-to-initialize-storage-module-user-path-2/#post-9646707) * Hello, * Thank you for your feedback. * We will investigate this again. Please give us 1-2 working days. * Your CleanTalk Control Panel: [ [https://cleantalk.org/my/](https://cleantalk.org/my/)]. * Best regards * [Safronik](https://wordpress.org/support/users/safronik/) * (@safronik) * [8 years, 7 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/session_start-failed-to-initialize-storage-module-user-path-2/#post-9646941) * Hello, * We have compare the code of 5.71 and 5.72 versions. It has no changes connected with sessions. Please, try to deactivate Antispam by CleanTalk plugin and make sure that the problem is gone. * And anyway, use follow the instruction of the troubleshooting section here: [https://wordpress.org/plugins/wp-native-php-sessions/](https://wordpress.org/plugins/wp-native-php-sessions/) Because Antispam by CleanTalk could load before WordPress Native PHP Sessions. * Please, contact us. Viewing 10 replies - 1 through 10 (of 10 total) The topic ‘session_start(): Failed to initialize storage module: user (path: )’ is closed to new replies. * ![](https://ps.w.org/cleantalk-spam-protect/assets/icon-256x256.gif?rev=3539767) * [CleanTalk Anti-Spam. 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