**Steps to replicate the issue** (include links if applicable):
* https://commons.wikimedia.beta.wmcloud.org/wiki/Main_Page
* https://commons.wikimedia.beta.wmcloud.org/wiki/Special:Random
* https://en.wikipedia.beta.wmcloud.org/wiki/Special:Random
* Beta enwiki main page loads quickly though. Beta commons main page does not
**What happens?**:
It's taking minutes to load anything.
https://en.wikipedia.beta.wmcloud.org/wiki/Special:Random just gave me:
```Error
Our servers are currently under maintenance or experiencing a technical issue
If you report this error to the Wikimedia System Administrators, please include the details below.
Request served via deployment-cache-text08 deployment-cache-text08, Varnish XID 248807457
Error: 503, Backend fetch failed at Sun, 22 Mar 2026 04:06:51 GMT
```
With wget:
```
wget https://commons.wikimedia.beta.wmcloud.org/wiki/File:Test_upload_header_3_$100_bill8.svg
--2026-03-22 05:22:33-- https://commons.wikimedia.beta.wmcloud.org/wiki/File:Test_upload_header_3_00_bill8.svg
Resolving commons.wikimedia.beta.wmcloud.org (commons.wikimedia.beta.wmcloud.org)... 185.15.56.36
Connecting to commons.wikimedia.beta.wmcloud.org (commons.wikimedia.beta.wmcloud.org)|185.15.56.36|:443... connected.
HTTP request sent, awaiting response... 503 Backend fetch failed
2026-03-22 05:24:10 ERROR 503: Backend fetch failed.
```
From https://commons.wikimedia.beta.wmcloud.org/wiki/Special:Upload trying to upload something:
```
Error
Our servers are currently under maintenance or experiencing a technical problem. Please try again in a few minutes.
See the error message at the bottom of this page for more information.
If you report this error to the Wikimedia System Administrators, please include the details below.
Request from [IP redacted] via deployment-cache-text08.deployment-prep.eqiad1.wikimedia.cloud, ATS/9.2.11
Error: 504, Connection Timed Out at 2026-03-22 04:30:46 GMT
```
**What should have happened instead?**:
Hmeep hmeep!
**Other information** (browser name/version, screenshots, etc.):
Unsure if related, but these ping results are strange? Why are different domains answering?
```
PING commons.wikimedia.beta.wmcloud.org (185.15.56.36) 56(84) bytes of data.
64 bytes from upload.wikimedia.beta.wmflabs.org (185.15.56.36): icmp_seq=1 ttl=53 time=109 ms
64 bytes from upload.wikimedia.beta.wmflabs.org (185.15.56.36): icmp_seq=2 ttl=53 time=106 ms
64 bytes from config-master.wikimedia.beta.wmflabs.org (185.15.56.36): icmp_seq=3 ttl=53 time=102 ms
64 bytes from upload.wikimedia.beta.wmflabs.org (185.15.56.36): icmp_seq=4 ttl=53 time=102 ms
64 bytes from beta.wmflabs.org (185.15.56.36): icmp_seq=5 ttl=53 time=103 ms
64 bytes from instance-deployment-cache-text08.deployment-prep.wmcloud.org (185.15.56.36): icmp_seq=6 ttl=53 time=102 ms
64 bytes from upload.wikimedia.beta.wmflabs.org (185.15.56.36): icmp_seq=7 ttl=53 time=103 ms
64 bytes from upload.wikimedia.beta.wmflabs.org (185.15.56.36): icmp_seq=8 ttl=53 time=103 ms
```