LaTeX error · Fatal errors

Emergency stop

The error in the log

This is how the message appears in the .log file (and in the compile output). The line starting with l. is the line number where TeX noticed the problem; the real mistake is there or just before it.

! Emergency stop.
<*> main.tex
          
*** (job aborted, no legal \end found)

Why it happens

• The document has no \end{document}, or it is commented out or inside an unclosed environment, so the file ends while TeX is still waiting.
• A file named in \input, \include or \documentclass does not exist ("file error in nonstop mode").
• A missing package: LaTeX asks for another file name, and in nonstop mode it cannot read the answer ("cannot \read from terminal").
• A compiler set to stop at the first error (halt-on-error), so any earlier error ends in an emergency stop.

How to fix it

Scroll up to the first line beginning with ! and fix that error; the emergency stop is its consequence. If it is the only error, check the *** line.

For "no legal \end found", make sure the main file ends with \end{document} and that every environment opened before it is closed.

Broken: reproduces the error

\documentclass{article}
\begin{document}
Some text.

Fixed: compiles cleanly

\documentclass{article}
\begin{document}
Some text.
\end{document}

Related errors

• I can't find file – A file read with \input (or the main file) does not exist under that name or path.
• File not found – A package or class named in \usepackage or \documentclass is misspelled or not installed.
• TeX capacity exceeded – TeX ran out of memory, almost always because of a command that calls itself.
• All LaTeX errors and warnings – The full list, grouped by cause

Frequently Asked Questions

What does "job aborted, no legal \end found" mean?

TeX reached the end of the file without seeing \end{document}. Add it at the end of the main file, and check that it is not commented out or swallowed by an unclosed brace or verbatim environment.

Why is no PDF produced after an emergency stop?

The run is aborted before LaTeX can finish the pages, so the log ends with "Fatal error occurred, no output PDF file produced". Fix the error and compile again.

Why does an online editor show Emergency stop when my local LaTeX asks a question?

Locally, TeX may stop and prompt for a file name or a key press. Online editors and build tools run in nonstop mode, where TeX cannot ask, so the same situation ends in "Emergency stop" instead.