In this post, we’ll walk you through how to fix the Apache Passenger Is Required issue step by step, explaining why it occurs and how to resolve it properly on cPanel and CloudLinux servers so your NodeJS or Python applications can run smoothly again.
Apache Passenger is required by NodeJS/Python Selector. Please, contact your hoster.
This is a common issue on cPanel + CloudLinux servers when Apache Passenger (mod_passenger) is missing, broken, or incompatible with the installed NodeJS version.
Apache Passenger is mandatory for:
- NodeJS Selector
- Python Selector
- Ruby Applications
🧠 Why This Issue Happens
- Apache Passenger is not installed
- Passenger was removed during OS upgrade
- NodeJS version mismatch
- Apache modules not rebuilt
- CloudLinux Selector misconfiguration
✅ Step 1: Check Available NodeJS Versions
Login as root via SSH or WHM Terminal and run:
yum module list nodejs
Example Output:
nodejs 18
nodejs 20
nodejs 22
nodejs 24
⚠️ If any NodeJS version is already enabled [e], you can skip Step 2 and proceed directly to Step 3
✅ Step 2: Enable Required NodeJS Version
Use this step only if none of the NodeJS versions are enabled [e].
yum module enable nodejs:20 -y
yum install nodejs -y
✅ Step 3: Reinstall Apache Passenger (mod_passenger)
Install Passenger based on your CloudLinux version:
CloudLinux 6
yum -y install ea-ruby24-mod_passenger
CloudLinux 7
yum -y install ea-ruby27-mod_passenger
CloudLinux 8
yum -y install ea-ruby27-mod_passenger
CloudLinux 9
yum -y install ea-apache24-mod-passenger
🔄 Step 4: Restart Apache
systemctl restart httpd
🔍 Step 5: Verify the Fix
Go to: cPanel → Software → Setup Node.js App / Python App
The error should now be resolved successfully.
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❓ Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q1: Is Apache Passenger required for NodeJS Selector?
Yes, Passenger is mandatory for NodeJS and Python selectors in cPanel.
Q2: Does this affect shared hosting users?
Yes, but only the server administrator can fix it.
Q3: Which Passenger package is required for CloudLinux 9?
Use ea-apache24-mod-passenger.
Q4: Can this issue appear after an OS upgrade?
Yes, this is very common after CloudLinux upgrades.
Q5: Will reinstalling Passenger break websites?
No, it is safe when done correctly.
🏢 About PyNoxi Web Solutions
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Sabir Ansari
Founder & CEO @ PyNoxi Web Solutions
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