---
title: "Rebill and PrestaShop site unavailability"
description: "Behavior of automatic renewal when the PrestaShop site is inaccessible and hosting precautions"
url: https://www.ciklik.academy/en/prestashop/gestion-abonnes-ciklik/rebill-et-indisponibilite-site/
lang: en
lastUpdated: 2026-10-09
---

# Rebill and PrestaShop site unavailability

> PrestaShop
>
> This page applies to PrestaShop stores using the Ciklik module. Running a Ciklik box store? [See the box path](https://www.ciklik.academy/en/demarrage/bienvenue-chez-ciklik/).

> Tip
>
> This guide explains Ciklik’s behavior when your PrestaShop site is temporarily inaccessible during automatic subscription renewal, and the precautions to take on the hosting side.

## Prerequisites

- Ciklik module installed and configured on PrestaShop
- Access to hosting configuration (firewall, WAF, .htaccess)
- Knowledge of how rebills work

## Behavior in case of unavailability

If the PrestaShop site is inaccessible when Ciklik attempts to place renewal orders:

1. Rebills are **not** counted as payment failures: the payment retry scenario does not apply
2. The error is recorded in the **Renewal errors** section (type **Module call failed**) and the subscription’s **Renewal situation** panel shows the cause “Your shop did not answer Ciklik”
3. The rebill is **automatically retried 24 hours later**
4. The subscription remains at **active** status during this time

> Note
>
> This behavior is different from credit card payment errors which follow the configured retry scenario. See [Payment attempts: Rebill](https://www.ciklik.academy/en/paiements/tentatives-de-prelevements-rebill/).

## Causes of unavailability

### PrestaShop maintenance

- CMS PrestaShop update
- Module installation/update
- Database migration
- Server intervention

### Technical issues

- Web server crash (Apache, Nginx)
- Resource exhaustion (memory, CPU)
- SSL certificate expiration
- DNS problem

### Security blocks

- Firewall blocking Ciklik IP
- WAF (Web Application Firewall) rejecting requests
- Overly restrictive anti-DDoS protection
- Blocking .htaccess rules

## Hosting precautions

### Whitelist Ciklik IP

> Critical action
>
> Make sure the Ciklik server IP is allowed in all security layers of your hosting.

**Checks to perform:**

| Layer                                | Action                                 |
| ------------------------------------ | -------------------------------------- |
| System firewall (iptables, CSF, UFW) | Add Ciklik IP to whitelist             |
| WAF (ModSecurity, Sucuri)            | Create an exception rule for Ciklik IP |
| Cloudflare / CDN                     | Configure a bypass rule                |
| Anti-DDoS protection (OVH, etc.)     | Add IP to whitelist                    |
| `.htaccess`                          | Verify no rule blocks API requests     |

Ciklik’s IP addresses are shown in the Ciklik application, **My installation** section. Otherwise, ask support: <support@ciklik.co>

### PrestaShop maintenance mode

PrestaShop maintenance mode **also** blocks Ciklik API calls.

> Best practice
>
> When activating maintenance mode:
>
> 1. Add the Ciklik IP to the list of allowed IPs
> 2. Or schedule maintenance outside the rebill window

### Maintenance scheduling

Rebills are generally processed **at night**. To minimize impact:

**Recommendations:**

- Schedule PrestaShop maintenance during the day
- Avoid critical updates on rebill days (often the 1st of the month)
- If maintenance must occur during the rebill window, contact Ciklik support to schedule a manual rebill after maintenance

## Problem diagnosis

### Symptoms of unavailability

- Active subscriptions with `end_date` no longer updating
- **Module call failed** rows in the **Renewal errors** section of the subscription or of your site
- No new orders in PrestaShop for several days

### Server-side checks

```bash
# Check access logs for Ciklik requests
grep "IP_CIKLIK" /var/log/apache2/access.log


# Check error logs
tail -100 /var/log/apache2/error.log


# Check that both paths called by Ciklik answer.
# Without a key, the expected response is 401 (access refused by PrestaShop or by the module).
# A 403, a 503, a redirect or no response points to a block.
curl -I https://your-site.com/api
curl -I https://your-site.com/ciklik/gateway
```

> Common pitfall: Empty HTTP response
>
> An empty HTTP response from the PrestaShop server is harder to diagnose than an explicit 500 error code.
>
> **Common causes:**
>
> - PHP `memory_limit` exceeded
> - `max_execution_time` reached
> - Apache/Nginx crash during processing
> - PrestaShop module generating a fatal error
>
> **Diagnosis:** Check the web server access logs to identify Ciklik requests that do not receive a complete response.

### Ciklik-side checks

1. Access rebill errors via the API:

   ```bash
   GET /api/rebill-errors?filter[created_at_after]=2026-01-01
   ```

2. Check if “PrestaShop API” type errors appear

3. Contact Ciklik support if you suspect a communication problem

## Corrective actions

### After an unavailability

If your site was unavailable during a rebill window:

1. **Verify that the site is accessible again** from outside

2. **Test both paths called by Ciklik**: `https://your-site.com/api` and `https://your-site.com/ciklik/gateway` (401 expected without a key), or check the **Ciklik can reach your shop** line in the **My installation** section

3. **Wait 24 hours**: rebills will be automatically retried

4. **Or contact support** to trigger an immediate manual rebill

### Prevention

- Configure **monitoring** (UptimeRobot, Pingdom, etc.) on the Ciklik API endpoint
- Enable **alerts** in case of unavailability
- Document the **IPs to whitelist** for technical teams

## FAQ

**Q: Will customers be charged twice if the rebill is retried?**

No. The system checks if the rebill has already been successfully completed before retrying. No double charging is possible.

**Q: How many times does Ciklik retry in case of unavailability?**

The rebill is retried every 24 hours until the site is accessible again. There is no limit on retry attempts for accessibility errors (unlike credit card payment errors).

**Q: How can I know if my site was unavailable during a rebill?**

Check your web server access logs at the scheduled rebill date/time. The absence of requests from the Ciklik IP or response codes other than 200 indicate a problem.

**Q: Does PrestaShop maintenance mode affect rebills?**

Yes. Maintenance mode blocks all requests, including those from Ciklik. Add the Ciklik IP to the exception list or disable maintenance mode before rebills.

## See also

[Install the Ciklik module](https://www.ciklik.academy/en/prestashop/setup/installer-le-module-ciklik/)

[PrestaShop renewals explained](https://www.ciklik.academy/en/prestashop/gestion-abonnes-ciklik/renouvellements-prestashop-expliques/)

[Understanding renewal errors (rebill errors)](https://www.ciklik.academy/en/prestashop/gestion-abonnes-ciklik/comprendre-les-erreurs-de-renouvellement/)