LiteSpeed Cache replaces theme CSS with missing optimized CSS file

  • Resolved kristoferlse

    (@kristoferlse)


    1 week, 4 days ago

    Hello,

    I’m experiencing an issue with LiteSpeed Cache 7.8.1 on two WordPress installations (production + staging).

    Last Report Number: USRUKVAY
    Last Report Date: 07/27/2026 20:00:50

    Environment

    • WordPress
    • GeneratePress theme
    • LiteSpeed Cache 7.8.1
    • All CSS optimization features are OFF (Minify, Combine, UCSS, CCSS, Async CSS).
    • Production site is connected to QUIC.cloud.
    • Staging site is NOT connected to QUIC.cloud.

    Issue

    On both production and staging, LiteSpeed replaces the original GeneratePress stylesheet with:

    <link data-optimized="2" rel="stylesheet" href="/wp-content/litespeed/css/xxxxxxxx.css">

    The referenced CSS file does not exist and returns 404, leaving the page without any theme CSS.

    The page source also contains:

    <!-- Page optimized by LiteSpeed Cache -->
<!-- QUIC.cloud UCSS in queue -->

    even though all CSS optimization features are disabled.

    If I request the exact same page using a random query parameter (e.g. ?test=123), the page loads correctly:

    • no data-optimized="2"
    • no QUIC.cloud UCSS in queue
    • original CSS is used
    • no 404

    I have also tested a third production website on the same LiteSpeed Enterprise server with the same theme and LiteSpeed Cache version. That site works correctly and does not output data-optimized="2" or QUIC.cloud UCSS in queue.

    I have already tested:

    • Purge All
    • Disable all other plugins
    • Verify .htaccess
    • Latest available LiteSpeed Cache build (master)

    Has anyone seen LiteSpeed replacing the theme stylesheet with a missing optimized CSS file while CSS optimization is disabled?

    Thanks!

    The page I need help with: [log in to see the link]

Viewing 4 replies - 1 through 4 (of 4 total)
  • Plugin Support qtwrk

    (@qtwrk)

    1 week, 3 days ago

    href=”/wp-content/litespeed/css/xxxxxxxx.css and UCSS/CCSS are differnet things , they have their own /litespeed/ucss/ and /ccss directory

    and could you please remove the http auth on staging for the time being?

    Thread Starter kristoferlse

    (@kristoferlse)

    1 week, 3 days ago

    Auth removed for staging

    Plugin Support qtwrk

    (@qtwrk)

    1 week, 3 days ago

    now please explain a bit how to reproduce the issue ? at this moment of writing reply , I don’t see any 404 for wp-content/litespeed/css/.....

    Thread Starter kristoferlse

    (@kristoferlse)

    1 week, 3 days ago

    My hosting provider updated or made some changes to the LiteSpeed server software (server-side, not the WordPress plugin), and the issue disappeared immediately on my staging site.

    After the update:

    • First request = x-litespeed-cache: miss
    • Second request = x-litespeed-cache: hit
    • Subsequent requests = hit
    • No CSS 404 errors
    • No broken layout
    • Query parameters (?test=123) behave identically
    • Optimized CSS files are generated correctly under /wp-content/litespeed/css/

    This strongly suggests the problem was related to the LiteSpeed server build, rather than the LiteSpeed Cache plugin configuration. I updated my production site later and everything works fine now.

Viewing 4 replies - 1 through 4 (of 4 total)

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