Some branded links return 404 instead of redirecting.
Where to Check in PassiveWP
WordPress Admin -> PassiveWP -> Branded Links -> My Links
Step-by-Step Fix Walkthrough
Fix Step 1: Resave WordPress permalinks to refresh rewrite rules.
Go here WordPress Admin→PassiveWP→Branded Links→My Links
Do this Complete the field changes in WordPress Admin→PassiveWP→Branded Links→My Links, then click Save Changes and do not leave the page until the success notice appears.
Confirm Private-window click tests should route correctly and keep required attribution params.
Fix Step 2: Rename conflicting slugs and retest.
Go here WordPress Admin→PassiveWP→Branded Links→My Links
Do this In Basics, set "Branded URL" with a unique lowercase slug (no query/hash), then continue when validation passes.
Confirm Private-window click tests should route correctly and keep required attribution params.
Fix Step 3: Purge cache/CDN and retest from private browser.
Go here WordPress Admin→PassiveWP→Branded Links→My Links
Do this Open WordPress Admin→PassiveWP→Branded Links→My Links, click the test/validate action in that screen, and wait for the result notice before continuing.
Confirm Private-window click tests should route correctly and keep required attribution params.
Fix Step 4: Verify route behavior after server config changes.
Go here WordPress Admin→PassiveWP→Branded Links→My Links
Do this In WordPress Admin→PassiveWP→Branded Links→My Links, do this in order: open the relevant panel, find the control related to "Verify route behavior after server config changes.", apply one change, click Save/Run, then reload once to confirm it stuck.
Confirm Private-window click tests should route correctly and keep required attribution params.
Most Common Causes
- Permalink/rewrite rules out of sync.
- Path conflicts with existing site routes.
- Recent cache or server rewrite changes.
How to Prevent It Next Time
- Run route checks after deploys.
- Avoid slugs similar to existing core/content paths.
- Keep a regression test list for top links.
When to Contact Support
- You completed every fix step and still get the same error.
- The issue impacts revenue-critical pages or high-volume campaigns.
- You can share timestamps, affected link/product IDs, and screenshots of the exact error state.
