InvalidRequestContent
ARM returns `InvalidRequestContent` when deployment payload values are unrecognized for the target resource type or required values are missing.
Last reviewed: February 7, 2026|Editorial standard: source-backed technical guidance
What Does Invalid Request Content Mean?
Template validation fails before provisioning starts, so the deployment is blocked until request content exactly matches the resource provider contract.
Common Causes
- -Template includes properties that are not valid for the selected resource type and API version.
- -Required properties are missing in the resource body or parameter mapping.
- -Pipeline passes malformed parameter objects after variable interpolation.
- -Payload targets a stale API version where property names differ from current schema.
How to Fix Invalid Request Content
- 1Use the template reference for the exact resource type and API version to confirm valid properties.
- 2Remove unknown fields and add missing required fields in the resource definition.
- 3Run template validation before deployment to catch contract mismatches early.
- 4Replay deployment with a minimal valid resource body, then reintroduce optional fields incrementally.
Step-by-Step Diagnosis for Invalid Request Content
- 1Capture the full ARM error details and identify the exact field or segment reported invalid.
- 2Diff the failing resource payload against current template reference examples for that provider/type.
- 3Inspect parameter resolution output to verify the final JSON sent to ARM matches expectations.
- 4Validate nested or linked template inputs to rule out cross-template shape drift.
Resource Contract Alignment
- -Audit resource properties against the documented API schema (example: unsupported property used with
Microsoft.Storage/storageAccounts@2021-04-01). - -Verify required fields are present with correct types (example:
sku.nameomitted or passed as object instead of string).
Parameter Serialization and Template Expansion
- -Trace final parameter file expansion before deployment (example: empty object replaces expected
networkAclsblock after CI variable substitution). - -Inspect linked template parameter handoff for shape changes (example: parent passes string where child expects array).
How to Verify the Fix
- -Run validation again and confirm
InvalidRequestContentis no longer returned. - -Execute deployment and verify resources enter provisioning without request-content failures.
- -Check deployment operations to ensure no downstream resource shows schema-contract errors.
How to Prevent Recurrence
- -Pin API versions per resource type and review contract changes before upgrades.
- -Add CI gates for ARM/Bicep validation plus negative tests for invalid parameter shapes.
- -Generate deployment payload snapshots for critical resources to detect contract drift quickly.
Pro Tip
- -keep a golden, validated payload fixture per high-risk resource type and diff every release payload against it before production deploys.
Decision Support
Compare Guide
HTTP 400 vs 422: Bad Request vs Unprocessable Content
Fix API payload issues faster by using 400 for malformed syntax and 422 for semantic validation failures, so clients correct format before business rules.
Playbook
CORS Error Fix Playbook (Preflight / Origin / Credentials)
Use this playbook to separate browser-enforced cross-origin policy failures from server-side CORS header and route defects and apply strict origin and credential controls safely.
Playbook
Validation Failure Playbook (400 / 422 / INVALID_ARGUMENT)
Use this playbook to separate malformed-request failures from semantic validation failures, then fix request contracts without broad server-side bypasses.
Official References
Provider Context
This guidance is specific to Azure services. Always validate implementation details against official provider documentation before deploying to production.