# What does the VARTA error `provider_error` mean?

Reserved as the fallback code for an unrecognised upstream-provider failure.


**HTTP status:** `502`  ·  **Type:** `provider_error`

## What it means

Reserved as the fallback code for an unrecognised upstream-provider failure.

## What causes it

Cause not yet documented as a live path under this exact code — it is the status fallback for a `/v1` handler that raises an unmapped 502 (`backend/app/api/v1/errors.py`). The one known 502 failure today, a failed dial, uses the more specific `dial_failed` instead.

## What to do

Retry, and treat it the same as `dial_failed` unless the message says otherwise.