# OPC-UA Connection Fails with NullPointerException (SecretConfigKtx.getPlaintextString) in 8.3.4 ZIP Install

**URL:** <https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/opc-ua-connection-fails-with-nullpointerexception-secretconfigktx-getplaintextstring-in-8-3-4-zip-install/114656>\
**Category:** Ignition Early Access\
**Created:** [March 25, 2026, 12:01am UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/opc-ua-connection-fails-with-nullpointerexception-secretconfigktx-getplaintextstring-in-8-3-4-zip-install/114656 "2026-03-25T00:01:33Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![skyler\_w\_landess](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/90db22/32.png) [@skyler\_w\_landess](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/skyler_w_landess)\
**Post date:** [March 25, 2026, 12:01am UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/opc-ua-connection-fails-with-nullpointerexception-secretconfigktx-getplaintextstring-in-8-3-4-zip-install/114656/1 "2026-03-25T00:01:33Z")

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Hi everyone,

I’m running into what seems like a **repeatable NullPointerException bug** with OPC‑UA connections in **Ignition 8.3.4 (Windows 64‑bit ZIP install)**. I’ve completely reset the gateway and even recreated the OPC‑UA connection with the most minimal settings possible, but the issue persists.

* * *

## **Environment**

- Ignition **8.3.4** (Windows 64‑bit ZIP)

- Running locally on Windows 10

- Default OPC‑UA server running on `opc.tcp://localhost:62541`

- Anonymous access allowed

- Logix driver device connected successfully

- No other OPC‑UA connections enabled

- All certificates trusted (client + server)

* * *

## **What I am trying to do**

Create a simple OPC‑UA connection from the gateway’s OPC‑UA Client to its own built‑in OPC‑UA Server.

I created a new connection **from scratch** with:

- SecurityMode: **None**

- SecurityPolicy: **None**

- Authentication: **Anonymous**

- Password fields: **None**

- Host Override: **localhost**

- Failover: disabled

This should avoid _all_ secret/keystore/password handling.

* * *

## **Actual Result**

Even with Security = None/None and no passwords, the OPC‑UA connection immediately faults with this stack trace:

```python
java.lang.NullPointerException: Parameter specified as non-null is null: method com.inductiveautomation.ignition.gateway.secrets.SecretConfigKtx.getPlaintextString-gIAlu-s, parameter $this$getPlaintextString
    at com.inductiveautomation.ignition.gateway.secrets.SecretConfigKtx.getPlaintextString-gIAlu-s(SecretConfigKtx.kt)
    at com.inductiveautomation.ignition.gateway.opcua.client.connection.OpcUaConnectionExtensionPoint.create(OpcUaConnectionExtensionPoint.kt:62)
    at com.inductiveautomation.ignition.gateway.opcua.client.connection.OpcUaConnectionExtensionPoint.create(OpcUaConnectionExtensionPoint.kt:22)
    at com.inductiveautomation.ignition.gateway.opc.OpcConnectionExtensionPoint.create(OpcConnectionExtensionPoint.java:58)
    at com.inductiveautomation.ignition.gateway.opc.OpcConnectionManagerImpl.createAndStartConnection(OpcConnectionManagerImpl.java:403)
    at com.inductiveautomation.ignition.gateway.opc.OpcConnectionManagerImpl$OpcConnectionResourceHandler.onResourceAdded(OpcConnectionManagerImpl.java:471)
    ...

```

It looks like the OPC‑UA connection creation path is still trying to dereference a Secret/Password value internally, even though the UI is explicitly set to use `None`.

* * *

## **What I have already tried**

- Deleted **all** OPC‑UA connections.

- Recreated a brand‑new connection with:

- Verified that:

- Restarted gateway

- Restarted the OPC‑UA module

- Confirmed that the Logix device is connected successfully under Device Connections

Still getting the same NPE every time the connection tries to start.

* * *

## **Expected Behavior**

A simple OPC‑UA loopback connection should work with Anonymous + Security=None/None, without touching Secrets at all.

* * *

## **Questions**

1. Is this a known issue with the new Secrets API in 8.3.4 OPC‑UA Client?

2. Is there a workaround (other than downgrading to 8.1.x)?

3. Should I file a bug ticket with Support, or is this a configuration/UI issue?

Any help or insight is greatly appreciated!

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Kevin.Herron](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/inductiveautomation/user_avatar/forum.inductiveautomation.com/kevin.herron/32/7259_2.png) [@Kevin.Herron](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/Kevin.Herron)\
**Post date:** [March 25, 2026, 12:02am UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/opc-ua-connection-fails-with-nullpointerexception-secretconfigktx-getplaintextstring-in-8-3-4-zip-install/114656/2 "2026-03-25T00:02:21Z")

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Look at the advanced settings on the connection and you'll probably find that the `KeyStore Alias Password` setting has not been configured.