3CX Nginx Conf files Malformed

[tudornet]

Hello

Not sure what the hell is going on, SSL cert expired, overwrote existing SSL key and cert with the new files and Nginx would not restart complaining of malformed ngix.conf, 40-common.conf, shared-headers.conf

These files have not been touched!

Any advice on how to fix? 3CX is down.

 

[tudornet]

Got 3cx back up and running by fixing the malformed files, anyway, the files have been overwritten again since its up and running and again malformed......if I need to do a restart I will need to fix the files AGAIN.

 

[tudornet]

2026/10/21 23:34:43 [emerg] 2682#0: invalid number of the map parameters in /etc/nginx/sites-enabled/3cxpbx:3
nginx: configuration file /etc/nginx/nginx.conf test failed
root@pbx:/var/lib/3cxpbx/Instance1/Bin/Cert#

 

[Guillaume Bourgeois]

Hi,

Are you using a custom FQDN, or a 3CX-provided FQDN?

If custom, Are you using Certbot or another automated SSL certificate renewal process?

If you’re using Certbot with the --nginx plugin, that could explain the issue, as it may modify Nginx configuration files managed by 3CX.

I would recommend using certbot certonly instead, from a separate machine, and deploying only the certificate and private key to 3CX without modifying its Nginx configuration.

 

[TheodorosG_3CX]

Seems that you are using custom FQDN therefore the certificates are not 3CX managed.
Check with your SSL Authority and obtain the new certificates. Check also another forum post here for reference.

 

[tudornet]

using custom FQDN, 3cxpbx is back up and running using valid manual certificates, however something keeps altering the nginx conf files to be malformed.....

 

[TheodorosG_3CX]

You might also need to ensure that you also install Intermediate/chain certificate to link it to the trusted root certificate.
Requirements for custom certificates are also listed here but also check and ensure that you keep certificate secure as per guideline here.

 

[tudornet]

Yep this already been done. More importantly what keeps rewriting the nginx conf files....audit trials not bringing anything up

 

[JohnS_3CX]

If you’re using Certbot with the --nginx plugin, that could explain the issue, as it may modify Nginx configuration files managed by 3CX.

 

[tudornet]

Not using certbot, not even installed.

 

[Charles_3CX]

You simply need to ensure that the PEM certificate you uploaded includes the intermediate and root certificates from your CA (SSL.com).

You can check by pasting your 3CX system's URL into an SSL checker, which will detect and show you what is missing.

 

[tudornet]

Yes it does include the intermediate. All pass on a SSL checker.

 

[Charles_3CX]

I've checked the URL of the system the licence key you own belongs to, and if that's the system with the issue you're reporting, I can reach its web client, which means it's running, but it's definitely not the case that the certificate contains the intermediate and root certs from the CA.