MinecraftThe "Can't Keep Up! Is the server overloaded?" warning appears in your server console when the server can't maintain 20 ticks per second (TPS). This causes in-game lag such as delayed block breaking, rubber-banding, and slow mob behavior.
What This Warning Means
Minecraft servers run at 20 TPS, with each tick taking 50 milliseconds. When a tick takes longer than 50ms, the server falls behind and logs the warning. Occasional warnings during world generation or when players first join are normal. Constant warnings indicate a performance issue that needs to be addressed.
Common Causes and Fixes
- Too many entities. Mobs, dropped items, and minecarts all consume tick time. Clearing excess entities and configuring spawn limits can significantly improve TPS. See How to Reduce Entity Lag on Your Minecraft Server.
- High view or simulation distance. Lower values reduce the number of chunks the server processes each tick. We recommend 5-7 chunks for most servers. See How to Change View and Simulation Distance on Your Minecraft Server.
- World not pregenerated. Generating new chunks on the fly is one of the most expensive operations a server performs. Pregenerating your world eliminates this entirely. See How to Pregenerate Your Minecraft World Chunks.
- Insufficient RAM. Modded servers or servers with many players may need more memory than their current plan provides. See How to Change the RAM on Your Server.
- Too many plugins or mods. Each plugin and mod adds processing overhead. Remove any you're not actively using and check for plugins known to cause performance issues.
- Redstone machines or hopper systems. Large redstone contraptions and excessive hoppers are common TPS killers. Reduce their complexity or limit their use on your server.
Checking Your Server's TPS
On Paper, Spigot, and their forks, you can check your server's current TPS by running the tps command in the console.
- 20 TPS: Healthy, no issues.
- 15-19 TPS: Minor lag, players may notice slight delays.
- Below 15 TPS: Noticeable lag, investigate the causes listed above.
Start with the most impactful fixes reducing view distance, and pregenerating your world, then address remaining causes as needed.
