> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.salad.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

> ## Agent Instructions
> For autonomous tasks, use live SaladCloud API responses for current state, availability, quotas, models, and other dynamic values. Use current OpenAPI specifications where provided for paths, schemas, required fields, and enums. Never invent endpoints, fields, prices, availability, quotas, models, or state. Prefer API workflows over Portal steps. Read before changing and never expose credentials, signed media URLs, prompts, or sensitive outputs. Retry only safe or idempotent operations with bounded backoff, honoring Retry-After. Verify every write with a read. Stop rather than repeat an uncertain non-idempotent or billable request. AI Gateway uses an organization-specific Bearer key and live /v1/models discovery. Do not delete, cancel, stop, or reduce capacity without explicit user intent. Bind shared operation IDs to the selected product path. Treat Container Engine instances as interruptible and local state as ephemeral. Install the SaladCloud skills (npx skills add https://docs.salad.com), start from the salad skill and /agents/overview; docs MCP: https://docs.salad.com/mcp.

# AI Gateway Errors

> Resolve AI Gateway credit and access errors without unsafe retries.

*Last Updated: September 23, 2026*

Read the HTTP status and error code together when an AI Gateway request fails.

## Pay-Per-Token Access Errors

| HTTP status | Error code          | Meaning                                                                     | Suggested action                                                                                                                                                        |
| ----------- | ------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| `402`       | `credits_exhausted` | The organization billed by the key no longer has a positive credit balance. | Add credits through that organization's **Billing & Usage** page, then retry after the balance is positive. Check that your key belongs to the organization you funded. |
| `403`       | `no_access`         | The credential does not have AI Gateway access.                             | Use the intended organization's AI Gateway key, confirm your organization membership and access, and contact support if access is still denied. Do not retry unchanged. |

For credit management, see [Billing](/general/explanation/billing). For creating, replacing, or revoking a key, see
[Manage Your AI Gateway API Key](/ai-gateway/how-to-guides/manage-api-key). For the distinction between self-service
pay-per-token access and closed-beta access, see [Access Model](/ai-gateway/explanation/overview#access-model).

## Authentication Checks

For missing or invalid credentials, check all of the following without logging the key:

* The base URL is `https://ai.salad.cloud/v1`.
* The request uses `Authorization: Bearer <your-ai-gateway-api-key>`.
* The value is the organization's **AI Gateway key**, not the account's **Current API Key**.
* The key has not been deleted or replaced by a regenerated key whose overlap period has ended.

A successful `GET /v1/models` request confirms model discovery, not that your key or credit balance permits a billable
completion.

## Admission and In-Flight Requests

Key validity and pay-per-token access are checked when a request is admitted. A request rejected at admission for one of
the access errors above is not processed as a completion.

Once admitted, a request can finish and its tokens are billed even if its key is revoked or regenerated, or the
organization's credits run out before it finishes. This also applies to streaming requests. Deleting a key is not a way
to cancel an existing completion or avoid its charge. See
[Requests Already in Progress](/ai-gateway/how-to-guides/manage-api-key#requests-already-in-progress).

## Retry Safely

* For `credits_exhausted` or `no_access`, resolve the billing or access issue before submitting again.
* After a timeout, connection failure, server error, or partial stream, the outcome and charge can be uncertain. Do not
  automatically repeat the request; a new completion can incur another charge.

If the issue persists, [contact SaladCloud Support](/support/contact) with the endpoint, model ID, UTC time, HTTP
status, error code, and request identifier if provided. Do not include API keys or sensitive prompts and outputs. Agents
should follow the [troubleshooting runbook](/agents/ai-gateway/troubleshoot-request).