Protocol error (Target.activateTarget): Session closed

Learn how to fix the 'Session closed' error when trying to interact with a closed browser session

Ivan Muñoz Apr 30, 2025

Crash

This error occurs when you try to interact with a browser session that has been closed or disconnected. This typically happens due to premature session closure or connection issues.

Common Causes

• Premature session closure: Browser session is closed before operations complete
• Connection issues: Network problems causing session disconnection
• Resource cleanup: Automatic cleanup closing sessions too early
• Multiple session handling: Trying to use a closed session
• Error handling issues: Session closes during error recovery

Solutions

1. Implement proper session management

let browser;
let page;

async function initializeSession() {
  browser = await puppeteer.launch({
    // Add connection options
    args: ['--no-sandbox'],
    timeout: 30000
  });
  
  page = await browser.newPage();
  return { browser, page };
}

async function cleanupSession() {
  if (page) await page.close();
  if (browser) await browser.close();
}

// Usage
try {
  const { browser, page } = await initializeSession();
  await page.goto('https://example.com');
  // ... your automation code ...
} catch (error) {
  console.error('Error:', error);
} finally {
  await cleanupSession();
}

2. Add session state checks

async function safeOperation(page, operation) {
  if (!page || !page.isConnected()) {
    throw new Error('Page session is closed or invalid');
  }
  
  try {
    await operation();
  } catch (error) {
    if (error.message.includes('Session closed')) {
      console.log('Session was closed during operation');
      // Handle the error appropriately
    }
    throw error;
  }
}

3. Implement session recovery

async function runWithSessionRecovery() {
  let browser = await puppeteer.launch();
  let page = await browser.newPage();
  
  try {
    await page.goto('https://example.com');
    // ... your automation code ...
  } catch (error) {
    if (error.message.includes('Session closed')) {
      console.log('Session was closed, attempting recovery...');
      // Clean up old session
      await browser.close();
      // Create new session
      browser = await puppeteer.launch();
      page = await browser.newPage();
      await page.goto('https://example.com');
    }
    throw error;
  }
}

4. Use session event listeners

const browser = await puppeteer.launch();

// Listen for browser disconnect
browser.on('disconnected', () => {
  console.log('Browser session was disconnected');
});

// Listen for target changes
browser.on('targetcreated', async (target) => {
  console.log('New target created:', target.url());
});

browser.on('targetdestroyed', async (target) => {
  console.log('Target destroyed:', target.url());
});

5. Implement retry logic with session checks

async function operateWithRetry(page, operation, maxRetries = 3) {
  for (let i = 0; i < maxRetries; i++) {
    try {
      if (!page.isConnected()) {
        throw new Error('Session is closed');
      }
      await operation();
      return;
    } catch (error) {
      if (i === maxRetries - 1) throw error;
      console.log(`Retry ${i + 1} of ${maxRetries}`);
      // Wait before retrying
      await new Promise(resolve => setTimeout(resolve, 1000));
    }
  }
}

Still Encountering Issues?

If you’re still having trouble with session closure errors, you can use a visual testing tool like Buglesstack to debug your automation and track session lifecycle events.

try {
	await page.goto('https://www.google.com/search?q=puppeteer');		
	await page.waitForSelector('[name="q"]');
}
catch (error) {
	// Prepare buglesstack data
	const buglesstackData = {
		url: page.url(),
		screenshot: await page.screenshot({ encoding: 'base64' }),
		html: await page.content(),
		metadata: {},
		message: error.message,
		stack: error.stack
	};

	// Get your access token from https://app.buglesstack.com
	const ACCESS_TOKEN = 'HERE_YOUR_ACCESS_TOKEN';

	// Send error to buglesstack
	await axios.post('https://app.buglesstack.com/api/v1/crashes', buglesstackData, {
		headers: {
			Authorization: `Bearer ${ACCESS_TOKEN}`,
			'Content-Type': 'application/json'
		}
	});
		
	// Re-throw the error to propagate it
	throw error;
}

By implementing proper session management and error handling, you can resolve the “Session closed” error and make your automation more robust.