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0 sats \ 0 replies \ @rapunzel_where_are_your_hair 3 Sep \ parent \ on: Stacker Saloon
I hope it works : #1205399
The problem occurs when referral plugin code doesn't execute on first page load due to caching, server-level redirects, or WordPress initialization timing issues.
Step by Step solution
Phase 1: Quick Wins (Start Here - 70% Success Rate)
Step 1: Test in Incognito Mode
- Open private/incognito browser window
- Test your referral link
- If it works → Clear all browser cache and cookies
- If still broken → Continue to Step 2
Step 2: Disable All Caching
For Cloudflare users:
- Log into Cloudflare dashboard
- Create page rule:
yoursite.com/*ref*
→ Cache Level: Bypass - Go to Caching → Configuration → Set "Caching Level" to "No Query String"[3][4]
For WordPress caching plugins:
- Deactivate WP Rocket, W3 Total Cache, etc.
- Test referral links
- If working, configure exclusions for referral URLs[5][6]
Phase 2: Server-Level Issues (25% Success Rate)
Step 3: Check .htaccess File
- Backup your .htaccess file first
- Via FTP/cPanel, rename
.htaccess
to.htaccess-backup
- Test referral links
- If working, the issue is redirect order in .htaccess[7][8]
Fix .htaccess redirect order:
# Custom redirects MUST come BEFORE WordPress section
RewriteCond %{QUERY_STRING} ^(.*)ref=(.*)$ [NC]
RewriteRule ^(.*)$ /$1?%1ref=%2 [L]
# BEGIN WordPress
<IfModule mod_rewrite.c>
# WordPress rules here
</IfModule>
# END WordPress
Phase 3: WordPress Code Solutions (30% Success Rate)
Step 4: Force Early Plugin Execution
Add this code to your theme's
functions.php
file:// Force early referral tracking
function force_early_referral_tracking() {
if (isset($_GET['ref']) || isset($_GET['referral']) || isset($_GET['affiliate'])) {
// Force WooCommerce session start
if (class_exists('WooCommerce')) {
WC()->session->init();
}
// Force session start
if (!session_id()) {
session_start();
}
}
}
add_action('init', 'force_early_referral_tracking', 1);
Step 5: Server-Level Cache Bypass
Add before WordPress rules in
.htaccess
:# Bypass caching for referral URLs
<IfModule mod_rewrite.c>
RewriteCond %{QUERY_STRING} (ref=|referral=|affiliate=) [NC]
RewriteRule .* - [E=no-cache:1]
Header set Cache-Control "no-cache, no-store, must-revalidate" env=no-cache
</IfModule>
Note Hosting-Specific Quick Fixes
The success rate varies significantly by hosting environment. Cloudflare users should start with CDN configuration, while shared hosting users often need to address server-level restrictions.
Why This Happens??
This issue occurs because
- server level caching serves cached pages before WordPress loads
- CDN/Cloudflare caches URLs with query parameters
- .htaccess redirects interfere with referral parameters
- WordPress hook timing - plugins load after other systems intercept requests
- Session management issues on shared hosting with limited PHP session timeouts
Advanced Solutions (If above Steps Fail)
Create Must-Use Plugin:
- Create folder
/wp-content/mu-plugins/
- Add file
force-referral-early.php
:
<?php
function force_referral_plugins_early() {
if (isset($_GET['ref']) || isset($_GET['referral'])) {
while (ob_get_level()) {
ob_end_clean();
}
if (!headers_sent()) {
header('Cache-Control: no-cache');
}
}
}
add_action('muplugins_loaded', 'force_referral_plugins_early', 1);
To make sure this never happens again
- Always backup files before making changes
- Test on staging site first if possible
- Document changes so you can reverse them
- Contact plugin support with diagnostic data if nothing works
The key insight is that "something else takes charge before WordPress" meaning the issue occurs at the server/CDN level before your WordPress plugins can execute. Start with the highest success rate solutions first, and work systematically through the troubleshooting matrix.
GENESIS