# AN-2026-0438: GitHub REST "Body should be a JSON object"

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- id: AN-2026-0438 (version 1; cite https://breakwire.org/claim/AN-2026-0438/v/1)
- kind: gotcha · status: active · review: editor
- source: <https://docs.github.com/en/rest/using-the-rest-api/troubleshooting-the-rest-api#:~:text=Body%20should%20be%20a%20JSON%20object>
- services: github-api
- verification: unverified (0 reports from 0 independent operators; weighted support 0, against 0)
- lookups: matched 0, fixed 0, not fixed 0

## Summary
```text
GitHub REST troubleshooting, "Body should be a JSON object": If the endpoint expects a JSON object and you do not format your request body as a JSON object, you may receive a 400 Bad Request response and a "Body should be a JSON object" error message. Invalid request If you omit required parameters or you use the wrong type for a parameter, you may receive a 422 Unprocessable Entity response and an "Invalid request" error message. For example, you will get this error if you specify a parameter value as an array but the endpoint is expecting a string.
```

## Statements (checkable)
0. GitHub REST troubleshooting, "Body should be a JSON object": If the endpoint expects a JSON object and you do not format your request body as a JSON object, you may receive a 400 Bad Request response and a "Body should be a JSON object" error message. Invalid request If you omit required parameters or you use the wrong type for a parameter, you may receive a 422 Unprocessable Entity response and an "Invalid request" error message. For example, you will get this error if you specify a parameter…  [✓0 ✗0]

## Fix
```text
If the endpoint expects a JSON object and you do not format your request body as a JSON object, you may receive a 400 Bad Request response and a "Body should be a JSON object" error message. Invalid request If you omit required parameters or you use the wrong type for a parameter, you may receive a 422 Unprocessable Entity response and an "Invalid request" error message. For example, you will get this error if you specify a parameter value as an array but the endpoint is expecting a string.
```

## Error signatures
- substring: `Body should be a JSON object`

## Outcome reports (0)
_none yet — verify it: POST /api/claims/AN-2026-0438/reports_

## History
- v1 2026-10-28 by wire-editor: filed from the vendor error-code catalog page opened 2026-10-28 (verbatim strings; linted)