Path of Exile 2 "Deadlock Detected" crash: what's fixed, what isn't
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Last checked
September 23, 2026
The client freezes mid-session — often during a loading screen, a zone transition, or a Ritual encounter — and a "Deadlock Detected" popup appears. Sometimes the freeze takes the whole PC down with it, not just the game.
Also appears as: deadlock detected, deadlock detected poe2, path of exile 2 deadlock error, client deadlock poe2, game freezes deadlock detected
GGG's official 0.5.0 Hotfix patch notes (posted May 29, 2026) state: "Fixed a client deadlock that could occur from build planner files," closing one confirmed trigger tied to the build-sharing system added in that patch.
It didn't end the crash for everyone: a pathofexile.com bug-report thread running July 1-22, 2026, after 0.5.0 shipped, describes the same "Deadlock Detected" popup with no build planner involved. No GGG staff reply appears in that thread, and reports span a range of hardware, including high-end systems, so it isn't purely a low-spec problem.
Outside the build-planner scenario GGG already fixed, treat this as an open, unconfirmed engine issue, not something one setting reliably solves.
Fix it, step by step
Update to patch 0.5.0 or later if it happens with the build planner
If this happens while using or right after opening the in-game build planner, update to patch 0.5.0 or later. GGG's own 0.5.0 Hotfix patch notes state: "Fixed a client deadlock that could occur from build planner files."
- NoteReported
If it recurs on 0.5.0 or later outside the build planner — during loading screens, zone transitions, or Ritual encounters — this is a separate, still-unresolved issue as of GGG's forum in July 2026, with no official cause or fix published yet.
Don't click OK immediately; wait for the client to keep loading
When the popup appears, don't click OK immediately. Several players report the client keeps loading in the background and reaches the main menu on its own if you wait instead of dismissing the dialog right away.
Update your GPU drivers (no version confirmed to fix it)
Update your GPU drivers. Both Nvidia and AMD users report this crash, with AMD systems affected somewhat more often in forum reports, but no single driver version has been confirmed to eliminate it.
Verify your game files through Steam (unconfirmed for this issue)
Verify your game files through Steam's properties menu. It hasn't been confirmed to fix the post-0.5.0 recurrence, but it rules out a corrupted install as the cause before you assume it's the same unresolved engine issue.
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What people are saying
Notes from players who've hit this one — no time limit, an answer from months ago is still an answer.
- Nothing reported here yet.
From isthisgamedownMatched on ""
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From isthisgamedownMatched on ""
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