[ISSUE] Getting General Exception: '_' errors for all intents

[Tyler-Ward]

Describe the issue
For all intents I get a General Exception: '_' log output and alexa responds with <speak>Sorry, I didnt get that. Can you please say it again!!</speak> per the General exception handler, this seems to be the same as #54

The Launch request will respond with the expected Ready message however all the other commands (including the help command) follow the following pattern. Notably i dont see the messages at the start of the intent processing which indicates the failure is before the individual intent code is run.

DEBUG - In CheckAudioInterfaceHandler
DEBUG - In GeneralExceptionHandler
ERROR - General Exception: '_'
ERROR - Request Type Was: IntentRequest

I have had a dig in the code but aernt familiar with the alexa SDK so cant see what triggers these functions to be called.

Operating System
Published docker conatiner v0.10 on ubuntu 24.04

To Reproduce

I have been able to reproduce in both the alexa test app and on alexa devices.

Logs

The logs from one of the debugging sessions are below, in this session i used an echo dot unit and started the app with the open keyword then tried twice to shuffle random songs before exiting (the exit also generated a skill is not responding reply from alexa which may be a different bug)

asknavidrome-1  | 2026-05-30 12:21:27,585 - root - DEBUG - Request received: {'locale': 'en-GB',
asknavidrome-1  |  'object_type': 'LaunchRequest',
asknavidrome-1  |  'request_id': 'amzn1.echo-api.request.8b4f022b-1921-44cc-bd4b-04d121928e78',
asknavidrome-1  |  'task': None,
asknavidrome-1  |  'timestamp': datetime.datetime(2026, 5, 30, 12, 21, 27, tzinfo=tzlocal())}
asknavidrome-1  | 2026-05-30 12:21:27,585 - root - DEBUG - In LaunchRequestHandler
asknavidrome-1  | 2026-05-30 12:21:27,585 - asknavidrome.subsonic_api - DEBUG - In function ping()
asknavidrome-1  | 2026-05-30 12:21:27,627 - asknavidrome.subsonic_api - INFO - Successfully connected to Navidrome
asknavidrome-1  | 2026-05-30 12:21:27,668 - root - DEBUG - In sanitise_speech_output()
asknavidrome-1  | 2026-05-30 12:21:27,669 - root - DEBUG - Response sent: {'api_response': None,
asknavidrome-1  |  'can_fulfill_intent': None,
asknavidrome-1  |  'card': None,
asknavidrome-1  |  'directives': None,
asknavidrome-1  |  'experimentation': None,
asknavidrome-1  |  'output_speech': {'object_type': 'SSML',
asknavidrome-1  |                    'play_behavior': None,
asknavidrome-1  |                    'ssml': '<speak>Ready!</speak>'},
asknavidrome-1  |  'reprompt': {'directives': None,
asknavidrome-1  |               'output_speech': {'object_type': 'SSML',
asknavidrome-1  |                                 'play_behavior': None,
asknavidrome-1  |                                 'ssml': '<speak>Ready!</speak>'}},
asknavidrome-1  |  'should_end_session': False}
asknavidrome-1  | 2026-05-30 12:21:27,671 - werkzeug - INFO - 172.22.0.1 - - [30/May/2026 12:21:27] "POST / HTTP/1.1" 200 -
asknavidrome-1  | 2026-05-30 12:21:31,848 - root - DEBUG - Request received: {'dialog_state': None,
asknavidrome-1  |  'intent': {'confirmation_status': 'NONE',
asknavidrome-1  |             'name': 'NaviSonicPlayMusicRandom',
asknavidrome-1  |             'slots': None},
asknavidrome-1  |  'locale': 'en-GB',
asknavidrome-1  |  'object_type': 'IntentRequest',
asknavidrome-1  |  'request_id': 'amzn1.echo-api.request.1f054562-cb93-42e7-8253-98290952be24',
asknavidrome-1  |  'timestamp': datetime.datetime(2026, 5, 30, 12, 21, 31, tzinfo=tzlocal())}
asknavidrome-1  | 2026-05-30 12:21:31,848 - root - DEBUG - In CheckAudioInterfaceHandler
asknavidrome-1  | 2026-05-30 12:21:31,849 - root - DEBUG - In GeneralExceptionHandler
asknavidrome-1  | 2026-05-30 12:21:31,849 - root - ERROR - General Exception: '_'
asknavidrome-1  | 2026-05-30 12:21:31,849 - root - ERROR - Request Type Was: IntentRequest
asknavidrome-1  | 2026-05-30 12:21:31,849 - root - ERROR - Intent Name Was: NaviSonicPlayMusicRandom
asknavidrome-1  | 2026-05-30 12:21:31,850 - root - DEBUG - In sanitise_speech_output()
asknavidrome-1  | 2026-05-30 12:21:31,851 - werkzeug - INFO - 172.22.0.1 - - [30/May/2026 12:21:31] "POST / HTTP/1.1" 200 -
asknavidrome-1  | 2026-05-30 12:21:38,673 - root - DEBUG - Request received: {'dialog_state': None,
asknavidrome-1  |  'intent': {'confirmation_status': 'NONE',
asknavidrome-1  |             'name': 'NaviSonicPlayMusicRandom',
asknavidrome-1  |             'slots': None},
asknavidrome-1  |  'locale': 'en-GB',
asknavidrome-1  |  'object_type': 'IntentRequest',
asknavidrome-1  |  'request_id': 'amzn1.echo-api.request.08737a34-09a5-420d-bda8-b5d65b915cb4',
asknavidrome-1  |  'timestamp': datetime.datetime(2026, 5, 30, 12, 21, 38, tzinfo=tzlocal())}
asknavidrome-1  | 2026-05-30 12:21:38,674 - root - DEBUG - In CheckAudioInterfaceHandler
asknavidrome-1  | 2026-05-30 12:21:38,674 - root - DEBUG - In GeneralExceptionHandler
asknavidrome-1  | 2026-05-30 12:21:38,674 - root - ERROR - General Exception: '_'
asknavidrome-1  | 2026-05-30 12:21:38,674 - root - ERROR - Request Type Was: IntentRequest
asknavidrome-1  | 2026-05-30 12:21:38,674 - root - ERROR - Intent Name Was: NaviSonicPlayMusicRandom
asknavidrome-1  | 2026-05-30 12:21:38,674 - root - DEBUG - In sanitise_speech_output()
asknavidrome-1  | 2026-05-30 12:21:38,675 - werkzeug - INFO - 172.22.0.1 - - [30/May/2026 12:21:38] "POST / HTTP/1.1" 200 -
asknavidrome-1  | 2026-05-30 12:21:44,598 - root - DEBUG - Request received: {'dialog_state': None,
asknavidrome-1  |  'intent': {'confirmation_status': 'NONE',
asknavidrome-1  |             'name': 'AMAZON.StopIntent',
asknavidrome-1  |             'slots': None},
asknavidrome-1  |  'locale': 'en-GB',
asknavidrome-1  |  'object_type': 'IntentRequest',
asknavidrome-1  |  'request_id': 'amzn1.echo-api.request.87b85fc2-1f2f-4a21-a689-46e668c1c14d',
asknavidrome-1  |  'timestamp': datetime.datetime(2026, 5, 30, 12, 21, 44, tzinfo=tzlocal())}
asknavidrome-1  | 2026-05-30 12:21:44,599 - root - DEBUG - In CheckAudioInterfaceHandler
asknavidrome-1  | 2026-05-30 12:21:44,599 - root - DEBUG - In GeneralExceptionHandler
asknavidrome-1  | 2026-05-30 12:21:44,600 - root - ERROR - General Exception: '_'
asknavidrome-1  | 2026-05-30 12:21:44,601 - root - ERROR - Request Type Was: IntentRequest
asknavidrome-1  | 2026-05-30 12:21:44,601 - root - ERROR - Intent Name Was: AMAZON.StopIntent
asknavidrome-1  | 2026-05-30 12:21:44,602 - root - DEBUG - In sanitise_speech_output()
asknavidrome-1  | 2026-05-30 12:21:44,603 - werkzeug - INFO - 172.22.0.1 - - [30/May/2026 12:21:44] "POST / HTTP/1.1" 200 -
asknavidrome-1  | 2026-05-30 12:21:44,955 - root - DEBUG - Request received: {'error': {'message': 'shouldEndSession may not be false for '
asknavidrome-1  |                       'AMAZON.StopIntent.',
asknavidrome-1  |            'object_type': 'INVALID_RESPONSE'},
asknavidrome-1  |  'locale': 'en-GB',
asknavidrome-1  |  'object_type': 'SessionEndedRequest',
asknavidrome-1  |  'reason': 'ERROR',
asknavidrome-1  |  'request_id': 'amzn1.echo-api.request.61e59de8-7d2d-4326-be26-de1ae9da41f2',
asknavidrome-1  |  'timestamp': datetime.datetime(2026, 5, 30, 12, 21, 44, tzinfo=tzlocal())}
asknavidrome-1  | 2026-05-30 12:21:44,956 - root - DEBUG - In CheckAudioInterfaceHandler
asknavidrome-1  | 2026-05-30 12:21:44,956 - root - DEBUG - In GeneralExceptionHandler
asknavidrome-1  | 2026-05-30 12:21:44,956 - root - ERROR - General Exception: '_'
asknavidrome-1  | 2026-05-30 12:21:44,957 - root - ERROR - Request Type Was: SessionEndedRequest
asknavidrome-1  | 2026-05-30 12:21:44,958 - root - DEBUG - In sanitise_speech_output()
asknavidrome-1  | 2026-05-30 12:21:44,959 - werkzeug - INFO - 172.22.0.1 - - [30/May/2026 12:21:44] "POST / HTTP/1.1" 200 -

Comments
Happy to add some extra debug lines and run that version to get more info on the bug if that is usefull

[sevntysixr]

Hi, I came across the same issue a couple of days ago. I have solved it in my branch, but it's translated into German so it might not help you. Here's what's happening and how to fix it:

Root Cause

CheckAudioInterfaceHandler.can_handle() returns True when audio_player is None (i.e. the device reports no AudioPlayer in supported_interfaces). The handle() method then tries to read request_attributes['_'] which doesn't exist → Exception '_'.

This intercepts all IntentRequests before they reach their actual handler, which is why you never see the individual intent log messages.

Quick Workaround

sudo docker exec asknavidrome sed -i \
  's/return handler_input.request_envelope.context.system.device.supported_interfaces.audio_player is None/return False/' \
  /opt/asknavidrome/app.py

Restart the container after applying. Intents should work immediately.

Proper Fix

The can_handle() logic needs to be tightened - it should only intercept requests when there is genuinely no AudioPlayer support and the intent actually requires it. At minimum, the request_attributes['_'] access in handle() should be wrapped in a try/except or an existence check to avoid silently swallowing all intents.

Note

After applying the fix you may hit a separate SSL error if your Navidrome URL uses HTTPS with a self-signed or local certificate. That is a different issue - switch to HTTP internally (http://xxx.xxx.x.x:4533) to rule it out.

[Tyler-Ward]

Thanks for the info and workaround, I now have it working.

I applied the workaround above which revealed that the media player interface had become unselected in the alexa developer window somehow (I think editing the json causes the option to get reset as it happened again when adding some new phraeses later). I got a more usefull error message (shown below) with the workaround at that point so was able to fix it, may be worth making sure a usefull error message is generated for this condition after the long term fix is implemented. I havent tested it without the workaround but can do so if that would be usefull.

The requested skill has not declared that it implements the AudioPlayer interface. Please update the skill's configuration from the Developer Console.

[rosskouk]

Thanks for reporting this, I'll look to get a fix applied to the main code