[bug]: on v6.8 launch (via launcher 1.6), the Invoke window opens, but stalls with console error "Exception in ASGI application" (full console log in report) (Fix in comments)

[mcbexx]

Is there an existing issue for this problem?

• I have searched the existing issues

Install method

Invoke's Launcher

Operating system

Windows

GPU vendor

Nvidia (CUDA)

GPU model

5070 ti

GPU VRAM

16

Version number

6.8

Browser

No response

System Information

No response

What happened

Version 6.7 worked fine without incident.
I have tried to reinstall and repair the install.
I also restartet my PC in case there have been any changes requiring a reboot.

Launching 6.8 results in the following console error (full log)

Starting up...
Preparing first run of this install - may take a minute or two...
Started Invoke process with PID: 27060
[2025-10-12 01:31:45,515]::[InvokeAI]::INFO --> Using torch device: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 Ti
[2025-10-12 01:31:46,557]::[InvokeAI]::INFO --> cuDNN version: 90701

patchmatch.patch_match: INFO - Downloading patchmatch libraries from github release https://github.com/invoke-ai/PyPatchMatch/releases/download/0.1.1/libpatchmatch_windows_amd64.dll

0%| | 0.00/47.0k [00:00<?, ?B/s]
100%|##########| 47.0k/47.0k [00:00<00:00, 3.71MB/s]

patchmatch.patch_match: INFO - Downloading patchmatch libraries from github release https://github.com/invoke-ai/PyPatchMatch/releases/download/0.1.1/opencv_world460.dll

0%| | 0.00/61.4M [00:00<?, ?B/s]
2%|2 | 1.41M/61.4M [00:00<00:04, 14.7MB/s]
10%|9 | 5.84M/61.4M [00:00<00:01, 33.4MB/s]
16%|#6 | 10.0M/61.4M [00:00<00:01, 34.9MB/s]
24%|##4 | 14.9M/61.4M [00:00<00:01, 40.8MB/s]
32%|###1 | 19.6M/61.4M [00:00<00:00, 43.9MB/s]
41%|####1 | 25.2M/61.4M [00:00<00:00, 48.6MB/s]
49%|####9 | 30.4M/61.4M [00:00<00:00, 50.4MB/s]
59%|#####8 | 36.0M/61.4M [00:00<00:00, 53.1MB/s]
68%|######7 | 41.7M/61.4M [00:00<00:00, 54.9MB/s]
77%|#######6 | 47.2M/61.4M [00:01<00:00, 55.9MB/s]
86%|########5 | 52.7M/61.4M [00:01<00:00, 56.3MB/s]
95%|#########5| 58.4M/61.4M [00:01<00:00, 57.1MB/s]
100%|##########| 61.4M/61.4M [00:01<00:00, 50.3MB/s]
[2025-10-12 01:31:51,183]::[InvokeAI]::INFO --> Patchmatch initialized
[2025-10-12 01:31:52,348]::[InvokeAI]::INFO --> InvokeAI version 6.8.0
[2025-10-12 01:31:52,348]::[InvokeAI]::INFO --> Root directory = H:\InvokeAI
[2025-10-12 01:31:52,351]::[InvokeAI]::INFO --> Initializing database at H:\InvokeAI\databases\invokeai.db\invokeai.db
[2025-10-12 01:31:52,597]::[ModelManagerService]::INFO --> [MODEL CACHE] Calculated model RAM cache size: 13230.56 MB. Heuristics applied: [1, 2].
[2025-10-12 01:31:54,446]::[InvokeAI]::INFO --> Invoke running on http://127.0.0.1:9090/ (Press CTRL+C to quit)
[2025-10-12 01:31:56,353]::[uvicorn.error]::ERROR --> Exception in ASGI application

• Exception Group Traceback (most recent call last):
  | File "H:\InvokeAI.venv\Lib\site-packages\starlette_utils.py", line 79, in collapse_excgroups
  | yield
  | File "H:\InvokeAI.venv\Lib\site-packages\starlette\middleware\base.py", line 183, in call
  | async with anyio.create_task_group() as task_group:
  | ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
  | File "H:\InvokeAI.venv\Lib\site-packages\anyio_backends_asyncio.py", line 781, in aexit
  | raise BaseExceptionGroup(
  | ExceptionGroup: unhandled errors in a TaskGroup (1 sub-exception)
  +-+---------------- 1 ----------------
  | Traceback (most recent call last):
  | File "H:\InvokeAI.venv\Lib\site-packages\uvicorn\protocols\http\httptools_impl.py", line 409, in run_asgi
  | result = await app( # type: ignore[func-returns-value]
  | ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
  | File "H:\InvokeAI.venv\Lib\site-packages\uvicorn\middleware\proxy_headers.py", line 60, in call
  | return await self.app(scope, receive, send)
  | ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
  | File "H:\InvokeAI.venv\Lib\site-packages\fastapi\applications.py", line 1133, in call
  | await super().call(scope, receive, send)
  | File "H:\InvokeAI.venv\Lib\site-packages\starlette\applications.py", line 113, in call
  | await self.middleware_stack(scope, receive, send)
  | File "H:\InvokeAI.venv\Lib\site-packages\starlette\middleware\errors.py", line 186, in call
  | raise exc
  | File "H:\InvokeAI.venv\Lib\site-packages\starlette\middleware\errors.py", line 164, in call
  | await self.app(scope, receive, _send)
  | File "H:\InvokeAI.venv\Lib\site-packages\starlette\middleware\gzip.py", line 29, in call
  | await responder(scope, receive, send)
  | File "H:\InvokeAI.venv\Lib\site-packages\starlette\middleware\gzip.py", line 130, in call
  | await super().call(scope, receive, send)
  | File "H:\InvokeAI.venv\Lib\site-packages\starlette\middleware\gzip.py", line 46, in call
  | await self.app(scope, receive, self.send_with_compression)
  | File "H:\InvokeAI.venv\Lib\site-packages\starlette\middleware\cors.py", line 85, in call
  | await self.app(scope, receive, send)
  | File "H:\InvokeAI.venv\Lib\site-packages\fastapi_events\middleware.py", line 43, in call
  | await self.app(scope, receive, send)
  | File "H:\InvokeAI.venv\Lib\site-packages\starlette\middleware\base.py", line 182, in call
  | with recv_stream, send_stream, collapse_excgroups():
  | ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
  | File "C:\Users\mcbex\AppData\Roaming\uv\python\cpython-3.12.9-windows-x86_64-none\Lib\contextlib.py", line 158, in exit
  | self.gen.throw(value)
  | File "H:\InvokeAI.venv\Lib\site-packages\starlette_utils.py", line 85, in collapse_excgroups
  | raise exc
  | File "H:\InvokeAI.venv\Lib\site-packages\starlette\middleware\base.py", line 184, in call
  | response = await self.dispatch_func(request, call_next)
  | ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
  | File "H:\InvokeAI.venv\Lib\site-packages\invokeai\app\api_app.py", line 96, in dispatch
  | response = await call_next(request)
  | ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
  | File "H:\InvokeAI.venv\Lib\site-packages\starlette\middleware\base.py", line 159, in call_next
  | raise app_exc
  | File "H:\InvokeAI.venv\Lib\site-packages\starlette\middleware\base.py", line 144, in coro
  | await self.app(scope, receive_or_disconnect, send_no_error)
  | File "H:\InvokeAI.venv\Lib\site-packages\starlette\middleware\exceptions.py", line 63, in call
  | await wrap_app_handling_exceptions(self.app, conn)(scope, receive, send)
  | File "H:\InvokeAI.venv\Lib\site-packages\starlette_exception_handler.py", line 53, in wrapped_app
  | raise exc
  | File "H:\InvokeAI.venv\Lib\site-packages\starlette_exception_handler.py", line 42, in wrapped_app
  | await app(scope, receive, sender)
  | File "H:\InvokeAI.venv\Lib\site-packages\fastapi\middleware\asyncexitstack.py", line 18, in call
  | await self.app(scope, receive, send)
  | File "H:\InvokeAI.venv\Lib\site-packages\starlette\routing.py", line 716, in call
  | await self.middleware_stack(scope, receive, send)
  | File "H:\InvokeAI.venv\Lib\site-packages\starlette\routing.py", line 736, in app
  | await route.handle(scope, receive, send)
  | File "H:\InvokeAI.venv\Lib\site-packages\starlette\routing.py", line 290, in handle
  | await self.app(scope, receive, send)
  | File "H:\InvokeAI.venv\Lib\site-packages\starlette\routing.py", line 78, in app
  | await wrap_app_handling_exceptions(app, request)(scope, receive, send)
  | File "H:\InvokeAI.venv\Lib\site-packages\starlette_exception_handler.py", line 53, in wrapped_app
  | raise exc
  | File "H:\InvokeAI.venv\Lib\site-packages\starlette_exception_handler.py", line 42, in wrapped_app
  | await app(scope, receive, sender)
  | File "H:\InvokeAI.venv\Lib\site-packages\starlette\routing.py", line 75, in app
  | response = await f(request)
  | ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
  | File "H:\InvokeAI.venv\Lib\site-packages\fastapi\applications.py", line 1088, in openapi
  | return JSONResponse(self.openapi())
  | ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
  | File "H:\InvokeAI.venv\Lib\site-packages\invokeai\app\util\custom_openapi.py", line 52, in openapi
  | openapi_schema = get_openapi(
  | ^^^^^^^^^^^^
  | File "H:\InvokeAI.venv\Lib\site-packages\fastapi\openapi\utils.py", line 504, in get_openapi
  | field_mapping, definitions = get_definitions(
  | ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
  | File "H:\InvokeAI.venv\Lib\site-packages\fastapi_compat\main.py", line 250, in get_definitions
  | v2_field_maps, v2_definitions = v2.get_definitions(
  | ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
  | File "H:\InvokeAI.venv\Lib\site-packages\fastapi_compat\v2.py", line 229, in get_definitions
  | new_mapping, new_definitions = _remap_definitions_and_field_mappings(
  | ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
  | File "H:\InvokeAI.venv\Lib\site-packages\fastapi_compat\v2.py", line 290, in _remap_definitions_and_field_mappings
  | old_name = schema["$ref"].split("/")[-1]
  | ~~~~~~^^^^^^^^
  | KeyError: '$ref'
  +------------------------------------

During handling of the above exception, another exception occurred:

Traceback (most recent call last):
File "H:\InvokeAI.venv\Lib\site-packages\uvicorn\protocols\http\httptools_impl.py", line 409, in run_asgi
result = await app( # type: ignore[func-returns-value]
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
File "H:\InvokeAI.venv\Lib\site-packages\uvicorn\middleware\proxy_headers.py", line 60, in call
return await self.app(scope, receive, send)
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
File "H:\InvokeAI.venv\Lib\site-packages\fastapi\applications.py", line 1133, in call
await super().call(scope, receive, send)
File "H:\InvokeAI.venv\Lib\site-packages\starlette\applications.py", line 113, in call
await self.middleware_stack(scope, receive, send)
File "H:\InvokeAI.venv\Lib\site-packages\starlette\middleware\errors.py", line 186, in call
raise exc
File "H:\InvokeAI.venv\Lib\site-packages\starlette\middleware\errors.py", line 164, in call
await self.app(scope, receive, _send)
File "H:\InvokeAI.venv\Lib\site-packages\starlette\middleware\gzip.py", line 29, in call
await responder(scope, receive, send)
File "H:\InvokeAI.venv\Lib\site-packages\starlette\middleware\gzip.py", line 130, in call
await super().call(scope, receive, send)
File "H:\InvokeAI.venv\Lib\site-packages\starlette\middleware\gzip.py", line 46, in call
await self.app(scope, receive, self.send_with_compression)
File "H:\InvokeAI.venv\Lib\site-packages\starlette\middleware\cors.py", line 85, in call
await self.app(scope, receive, send)
File "H:\InvokeAI.venv\Lib\site-packages\fastapi_events\middleware.py", line 43, in call
await self.app(scope, receive, send)
File "H:\InvokeAI.venv\Lib\site-packages\starlette\middleware\base.py", line 182, in call
with recv_stream, send_stream, collapse_excgroups():
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
File "C:\Users\mcbex\AppData\Roaming\uv\python\cpython-3.12.9-windows-x86_64-none\Lib\contextlib.py", line 158, in exit
self.gen.throw(value)
File "H:\InvokeAI.venv\Lib\site-packages\starlette_utils.py", line 85, in collapse_excgroups
raise exc
File "H:\InvokeAI.venv\Lib\site-packages\starlette\middleware\base.py", line 184, in call
response = await self.dispatch_func(request, call_next)
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
File "H:\InvokeAI.venv\Lib\site-packages\invokeai\app\api_app.py", line 96, in dispatch
response = await call_next(request)
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
File "H:\InvokeAI.venv\Lib\site-packages\starlette\middleware\base.py", line 159, in call_next
raise app_exc
File "H:\InvokeAI.venv\Lib\site-packages\starlette\middleware\base.py", line 144, in coro
await self.app(scope, receive_or_disconnect, send_no_error)
File "H:\InvokeAI.venv\Lib\site-packages\starlette\middleware\exceptions.py", line 63, in call
await wrap_app_handling_exceptions(self.app, conn)(scope, receive, send)
File "H:\InvokeAI.venv\Lib\site-packages\starlette_exception_handler.py", line 53, in wrapped_app
raise exc
File "H:\InvokeAI.venv\Lib\site-packages\starlette_exception_handler.py", line 42, in wrapped_app
await app(scope, receive, sender)
File "H:\InvokeAI.venv\Lib\site-packages\fastapi\middleware\asyncexitstack.py", line 18, in call
await self.app(scope, receive, send)
File "H:\InvokeAI.venv\Lib\site-packages\starlette\routing.py", line 716, in call
await self.middleware_stack(scope, receive, send)
File "H:\InvokeAI.venv\Lib\site-packages\starlette\routing.py", line 736, in app
await route.handle(scope, receive, send)
File "H:\InvokeAI.venv\Lib\site-packages\starlette\routing.py", line 290, in handle
await self.app(scope, receive, send)
File "H:\InvokeAI.venv\Lib\site-packages\starlette\routing.py", line 78, in app
await wrap_app_handling_exceptions(app, request)(scope, receive, send)
File "H:\InvokeAI.venv\Lib\site-packages\starlette_exception_handler.py", line 53, in wrapped_app
raise exc
File "H:\InvokeAI.venv\Lib\site-packages\starlette_exception_handler.py", line 42, in wrapped_app
await app(scope, receive, sender)
File "H:\InvokeAI.venv\Lib\site-packages\starlette\routing.py", line 75, in app
response = await f(request)
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
File "H:\InvokeAI.venv\Lib\site-packages\fastapi\applications.py", line 1088, in openapi
return JSONResponse(self.openapi())
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
File "H:\InvokeAI.venv\Lib\site-packages\invokeai\app\util\custom_openapi.py", line 52, in openapi
openapi_schema = get_openapi(
^^^^^^^^^^^^
File "H:\InvokeAI.venv\Lib\site-packages\fastapi\openapi\utils.py", line 504, in get_openapi
field_mapping, definitions = get_definitions(
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
File "H:\InvokeAI.venv\Lib\site-packages\fastapi_compat\main.py", line 250, in get_definitions
v2_field_maps, v2_definitions = v2.get_definitions(
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
File "H:\InvokeAI.venv\Lib\site-packages\fastapi_compat\v2.py", line 229, in get_definitions
new_mapping, new_definitions = _remap_definitions_and_field_mappings(
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
File "H:\InvokeAI.venv\Lib\site-packages\fastapi_compat\v2.py", line 290, in _remap_definitions_and_field_mappings
old_name = schema["$ref"].split("/")[-1]
~~~~~~^^^^^^^^
KeyError: '$ref'

What you expected to happen

v6.8 to launch

How to reproduce the problem

No response

Additional context

No response

Discord username

No response

[mcbexx]

Noticed someone with the same, but they are running it under Stability Matrix.
https://www.reddit.com/r/invokeai/comments/1o49ohy/errors_after_update/

[X13X]

Same as user above. On old directory and Fresh new directory, it doesn't matter and hard exits with a $REF error.

[mcbexx]

Ok, this error has been already reported and temporarily fixed in the launcher section apparently. My bad. Did a search for ASGI and it came up blank.

Kudos to user NeoSlyde on the Discord server.

Same as user above. On old directory and Fresh new directory, it doesn't matter and hard exits with a $REF error.

It can be fixed by downgrading the fastapi depository.
Enter this command in the dev console in the launcher:

.\.venv\Scripts\python.exe -m pip install "fastapi==0.118.3"

If you, like me, get the error ""no module named pip", you can enable it via

..venv\Scripts\python.exe -m ensurepip

I can confirm this fixed it for me.

[X13X]

I can confirm mcbexx's fix worked, and taught me a trick about ensurepip

I consider it solved until hardcoded.

[psychedelicious]

Fixed in v6.8.1