GitHub Actions "Error: Process completed with exit code 143" (SIGTERM)

By Daniel Zoghalchali·Latchkey

Exit code 143 means SIGTERM (128 + 15); the process was politely asked to terminate, typically by a job cancel, a timeout, or the runner host being shut down or preempted.

What this error means

A running step stops with "Error: Process completed with exit code 143", often alongside a cancel, timeout, or shutdown message rather than a code error.

Terminated
Error: Process completed with exit code 143.

Common causes

Job cancel or timeout

A concurrency cancel, manual cancel, fail-fast sibling, or timeout-minutes sent SIGTERM to running processes.

Host shutdown or spot preemption

A self-hosted host being scaled down or a spot instance reclaimed sends SIGTERM as it shuts down.

How to fix it

Identify the terminator

1. Check for a concurrency cancel or newer run on the same ref.
2. Look for a job/step timeout firing at the cutoff.
3. For self-hosted, check whether the host was scaled down or preempted.
4. Handle SIGTERM gracefully if the process must clean up.

Stabilize volatile capacity

Latchkey managed runners auto-retry transient infrastructure failures such as host preemption and avoid scaling down hosts mid-job, so a SIGTERM from infrastructure does not fail your build.

How to prevent it

• Set realistic timeouts so legitimate work is not signaled.
• Never scale down hosts running active jobs.
• Handle SIGTERM for clean shutdown where needed.

Frequently asked questions

Related guides

References

• GitHub Actions documentation
• Workflow syntax for GitHub Actions