VASTlint

VAST error codes / NonLinear and companion

VAST error 602: Required companion not displayed

Short answer: A required companion could not be shown, so the ad is dropped.

What it means

The companion was marked `required` and the player could not render it, which invalidates the whole ad.

Common causes

  • `required` companion with no fitting slot
  • Required companion resource failed to load

How to fix it

Either provide a slot for the required companion or do not mark it required when the placement cannot guarantee one.

VAST error codes are runtime buckets emitted by the player. They tell you where the failure happened, not which line of XML caused it. Paste the raw tag into the validator to map this code onto the exact element and rule.

Related vastlint rules

Related error codes

Debug this tag now

Validate the XML, follow the wrapper chain, or check it in CI before launch:

# CLI: exits non-zero on errors, ideal for pipelines
vastlint check creative.xml

Use the right tool for this failure

If you already have the resolved XML, run a pure spec check. If you only have a live tag URL, test that endpoint first. If the failure happens in the wrapper chain, inspect each hop.

Further reading