Atlas throws "Snowflake token exchange failed (<status>)", "Snowflake token refresh failed (<status>)", or "Snowflake token response did not include access_token" because the Snowflake plugin posted to the token endpoint and got back a response that was not ok or a payload with no access_token in it. The fix is to re-run atlas auth login for snowflake to restart the OAuth flow from scratch, and to read the HTTP status in the message: a 4xx points at the integration config, a 5xx at Snowflake itself.
Why does Atlas say Snowflake token exchange failed
Atlas says "Snowflake token exchange failed (<status>)" because the Snowflake plugin posted to the token endpoint and the response was not ok. Atlas embeds the HTTP status and any detail body in the message, so a 4xx or 5xx code in the parentheses is the primary diagnostic, not a decoration.
The Snowflake plugin does not swallow a bad token response. It throws immediately, carrying the HTTP status and whatever detail body the endpoint returned. Atlas raises the same shape on refresh, as "Snowflake token refresh failed (<status>)", so you can tell whether the failure happened during the initial exchange or later when an existing session tried to renew itself. Those are different problems with different fixes, and the message tells you which one you have before you touch anything.
What the HTTP status in the Snowflake error means
The HTTP status in "Snowflake token exchange failed (<status>)" splits the diagnosis in two. A 4xx status points at the integration config in Snowflake, such as a mismatched redirect URI or a deleted integration. A 5xx status points at Snowflake itself, which means waiting and retrying is reasonable.
Treat the status as a router. A 4xx means Snowflake understood the request and rejected it, so something in the OAuth integration is wrong on the Snowflake side and re-running the flow unchanged will fail identically. A 5xx means Snowflake could not answer, which is not something the Atlas configuration can fix. Any detail body Atlas embeds alongside the status is worth reading in full, because Snowflake often names the specific rejection there and it will save you a round of guesswork.
How to fix Snowflake token exchange failed in Atlas
Fix a Snowflake token exchange failure in Atlas by re-running `atlas auth login` for snowflake, which is step 1 of the 5 documented steps and restarts the OAuth flow from scratch. Then check that the OAuth integration in Snowflake still exists and that its redirect URI matches the local callback.
Restarting the flow clears stale state, which resolves a surprising share of these failures on its own. If the exchange fails again with a 4xx, stop restarting and go look at the integration. An OAuth integration that was deleted, disabled, or edited will reject the exchange every time, and a redirect URI that no longer matches the local callback is the single most common mismatch. State the caveat plainly: no amount of re-running `atlas auth login` will fix a redirect URI configured wrong in Snowflake.
Snowflake OAuth callback server is not running
Atlas raises "Snowflake OAuth callback server is not running" when the local callback has no port. Confirm the callback server is up before you blame the Snowflake integration, because that failure sits 1 step earlier in the flow: nothing was rejected, since nothing reached the token endpoint at all.
The Snowflake OAuth flow in Atlas depends on a local callback server that receives the redirect after browser approval. A missing port means that server is not up, and Atlas names the condition explicitly rather than letting the flow hang. That error is distinct from a token exchange failure: nothing was rejected, because nothing got as far as the token endpoint. Bring the callback server up and re-run the flow.
Snowflake token response did not include access_token
Atlas raises "Snowflake token response did not include access_token" when the token endpoint answered but the payload had no access_token in it. The Snowflake plugin validates the payload separately from the HTTP status, so a 200 response can be fine at the transport level and still fail this check.
The separate validation exists to catch exactly this case. A response that returns successfully but omits access_token would otherwise leave Atlas holding an empty credential and failing later, somewhere less obvious. Because Atlas checks the payload contents directly, the failure lands at the moment of exchange with an accurate name. When you see it, look at the OAuth integration in Snowflake rather than the network path: the endpoint was reachable and it responded, so the shape of what it returned is the thing to investigate.
How to verify the Snowflake OAuth fix worked
Verify the Snowflake OAuth fix in Atlas by re-running `atlas auth login` for snowflake, approving in the browser, then selecting a Snowflake model and sending a message. A completion with no exchange or refresh failure confirms both halves of the lifecycle, the 2 places a Snowflake token error can land.
Check both halves of the lifecycle. A clean initial exchange proves the integration and the redirect URI are correct. The refresh path only exercises later, when the access token ages out, so a session that runs for a while without "Snowflake token refresh failed (<status>)" is the stronger confirmation. If a refresh failure appears afterwards while the initial exchange kept working, the integration is fine and the refresh credential is the thing to look at.
How to fix it
- 01Re-run `atlas auth login` for snowflake to restart the OAuth flow from scratch.
- 02Check that the OAuth integration in Snowflake still exists and that its redirect URI matches the local callback.
- 03Confirm the callback server is running. A missing port raises: Snowflake OAuth callback server is not running.
- 04Read the status code in the message. A 4xx points at the integration config, a 5xx at Snowflake itself.
- 05If the message is "Snowflake token response did not include access_token", the endpoint answered but the payload was wrong, so inspect the integration rather than the network.
Frequently asked questions
- What does Snowflake token exchange failed mean in Atlas
- It means the Snowflake plugin posted to the token endpoint and the response was not ok. Atlas embeds the HTTP status and any detail body in the message so you can see what the endpoint rejected.
- How do I fix Snowflake token exchange failed in Atlas
- Re-run `atlas auth login` for snowflake to restart the OAuth flow from scratch, then check that the OAuth integration in Snowflake still exists and that its redirect URI matches the local callback.
- What does a 4xx status mean on a Snowflake token exchange failure
- A 4xx points at the integration config in Snowflake, such as a deleted integration or a mismatched redirect URI. A 5xx points at Snowflake itself rather than at your configuration.
- Why does Atlas say Snowflake token response did not include access_token
- The token endpoint answered but the payload had no access_token. The Snowflake plugin validates the payload separately from the HTTP status, so investigate the OAuth integration, not the network.
- What is Snowflake OAuth callback server is not running
- Atlas raises that when the local callback has no port, so the browser redirect after approval has nowhere to land. Bring the callback server up and re-run the snowflake login flow.
- Why did Snowflake token refresh fail when login worked
- "Snowflake token refresh failed (<status>)" means the refresh call to the token endpoint was not ok, while the original exchange succeeded. Re-run `atlas auth login` for snowflake and read the status code in the message.
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