WhatsApp error 131008: required parameter missing
Error 131008 means a required parameter was missing from the request. It is narrower and more useful than error 100, which covers malformed parameters generally, because this one says the field was absent rather than wrong.
Meta's code for a required parameter that was not included.
The broader code for a parameter that is present but unsupported or malformed.
The code for a parameter that is present with an unsupported value.
What is usually missing
The fields that feel optional and are not, which is why the same handful appear again and again.
- messaging_product, which must be set to whatsapp on every send.
- recipient_type on message shapes that require it.
- The language object on a template send, which is required even when there is only one.
- components on a template that defines variables, where an empty list is not the same as omitting it.
Why it is good news
Because it is the most specific failure in this family. Error 100 tells you a parameter is wrong somewhere; this one tells you a required parameter is not there at all, which narrows the search to the endpoint's list of required fields.\n\nThe fix is to read the reference for the endpoint being called and check the request against its required set. That is a minute of work, and it is why this error is worth distinguishing from 100 in a log rather than grouping both as bad request.
Common mistakes
- Treating it the same as error 100. This one names an absence, which is more specific.
- Sending an empty components array as if it were omission. They are different to the API.
- Omitting messaging_product. It is required on every send and is the most common single cause.
EasyCoexistence returns the phone number id and token needed to build a request, so the values in it are the ones Meta holds rather than ones copied down at setup.
Frequently asked questions
Which parameter is missing?
The response names it. Where it does not, the endpoint reference lists the required set.
Is messaging_product really required?
Yes, on every send, set to whatsapp. It is the most common omission.
Is this the same as 100?
No. 100 covers a parameter that is present and wrong; this one covers a parameter that is absent.
Can retrying help?
No. The request is deterministic and will fail identically until the field is added.
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