Background of the issue:
I am trying to use WPML Multilingual CMS, but when it is enabled, admin-ajax.php displays a 500 error. I have updated all WPML plugins to the latest version, deleted the site from WPML, and recreated it, but the issue persists. The issue can be seen at: hidden link.
I tried deactivating all plugins and leaving only WPML active and the issue still occurs..
Symptoms:
admin-ajax.php displays a 500 error when WPML Multilingual CMS is enabled. Disabling the plugin resolves the issue.
Questions:
Why does admin-ajax.php display a 500 error when WPML Multilingual CMS is enabled?
How can I resolve the 500 error without disabling WPML Multilingual CMS?
While one of my teammates handles your ticket, I will provide you with initial debugging steps.
The “500 error” means that there is an error in the PHP code that your site runs. When errors are not caught, the server stops everything and returns a page that says “500 error” or an empty page. Different servers are configured to display these errors slightly differently, but they all mean the same – there is an unhandled PHP error in the site’s code.
First, you need to see what the errors are. Guessing what might be the problem and trying different solutions may lead to even more trouble. The first step is to enable debugging. You can add a few lines to the site’s wp-config.php file. With the error log enabled, you will see the actual problem.
To enable it, open your wp-config.php file and look for define('WP_DEBUG', false);. Change it to:
define('WP_DEBUG', true);
To enable the error logging to a file on the server, you need to add yet one more similar line:
define( 'WP_DEBUG_LOG', true );
The errors will be saved to a debug.log file inside the /wp-content/directory.
After performing the recommended actions, the following error is displayed:
[25-Mar-2025 23:02:44 UTC] PHP Fatal error: Uncaught Error: Call to a member function get_requested_lang() on null in /home/premierm/public_html/wp-content/plugins/sitepress-multilingual-cms/sitepress.class.php:1134
As I mentioned before, the error occurs with the WPML Multilingual CMS plugin activated.
It seems that not all WPML plugins are being updated or that some files are missing. Please try updating them manually by following these steps:
1. Download the latest version of WPML from https://wpml.org/account/downloads/.
2. Disable the WPML plugins.
3. Delete the plugins (note that your settings and translations will remain intact in the database).
4. Upload the newly downloaded WPML plugin by going to Plugins -> Add New -> Upload Plugin.
5. Activate the WPML plugins.
If the issue persists, please explain why you need to access /wp-admin/admin-ajax.php directly.
Can you please update the theme Astra to the version 4.9.1 (if fixes a critical issue: hidden link)
Is it possible for you to do this test to check for compatibility issues?
**IMPORTANT:** Please try this in a staging environment or at least with a backup of your site files and database before continuing.
Disable all plugins except WPML-related and temporarily change the theme to a default WordPress theme such as Twenty Twenty-five.
Is the issue resolved with these settings? If so, please reactivate one by one to see which conflicts.
If it's not possible, can you allow me to access the site admin? I would like to request temporary access (wp-admin and FTP) to your site to take a better look at the issue.
It would be better to have a testing site where the issue is replicated.
The information you will enter is private which means only you and I can see and have access to it.
Maybe I'll need to replicate your site locally. For this, I'll need to temporarily install a plugin called “Duplicator” or "All in One WP Migration" on your site.
This will allow me to create a copy of your site and your content.
Once the problem is resolved I will delete the local site.
**IMPORTANT**
- Please make a backup of site files and database before providing us access.
- If you do not see the wp-admin/FTP fields this means your post & website login details will be made PUBLIC. DO NOT post your website details unless you see the required wp-admin/FTP fields.
