scrape: provide a fallback format (#15136)

scrape: Remove implicit fallback to the Prometheus text format

Remove implicit fallback to the Prometheus text format in case of invalid/missing Content-Type and fail the scrape instead. Add ability to specify a `fallback_scrape_protocol` in the scrape config.

---------

Signed-off-by: alexgreenbank <alex.greenbank@grafana.com>
Signed-off-by: Alex Greenbank <alex.greenbank@grafana.com>
Co-authored-by: Björn Rabenstein <beorn@grafana.com>

CHANGELOG.md

@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 
 ## unreleased
 
+* [CHANGE] Scraping: Remove implicit fallback to the Prometheus text format in case of invalid/missing Content-Type and fail the scrape instead. Add ability to specify a `fallback_scrape_protocol` in the scrape config. #15136
 * [BUGFIX] PromQL: Fix stddev+stdvar aggregations to always ignore native histograms. #14941
 * [BUGFIX] PromQL: Fix stddev+stdvar aggregations to treat Infinity consistently. #14941
 

config/config.go

@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ import (
 	"errors"
 	"fmt"
 	"log/slog"
+	"mime"
 	"net/url"
 	"os"
 	"path/filepath"
@@ -473,9 +474,22 @@ func (s ScrapeProtocol) Validate() error {
 	return nil
 }
 
+// HeaderMediaType returns the MIME mediaType for a particular ScrapeProtocol.
+func (s ScrapeProtocol) HeaderMediaType() string {
+	if _, ok := ScrapeProtocolsHeaders[s]; !ok {
+		return ""
+	}
+	mediaType, _, err := mime.ParseMediaType(ScrapeProtocolsHeaders[s])
+	if err != nil {
+		return ""
+	}
+	return mediaType
+}
+
 var (
 	PrometheusProto      ScrapeProtocol = "PrometheusProto"
 	PrometheusText0_0_4  ScrapeProtocol = "PrometheusText0.0.4"
+	PrometheusText1_0_0  ScrapeProtocol = "PrometheusText1.0.0"
 	OpenMetricsText0_0_1 ScrapeProtocol = "OpenMetricsText0.0.1"
 	OpenMetricsText1_0_0 ScrapeProtocol = "OpenMetricsText1.0.0"
 	UTF8NamesHeader      string         = model.EscapingKey + "=" + model.AllowUTF8
@@ -483,6 +497,7 @@ var (
 	ScrapeProtocolsHeaders = map[ScrapeProtocol]string{
 		PrometheusProto:      "application/vnd.google.protobuf;proto=io.prometheus.client.MetricFamily;encoding=delimited",
 		PrometheusText0_0_4:  "text/plain;version=0.0.4",
+		PrometheusText1_0_0:  "text/plain;version=1.0.0;escaping=allow-utf-8",
 		OpenMetricsText0_0_1: "application/openmetrics-text;version=0.0.1",
 		OpenMetricsText1_0_0: "application/openmetrics-text;version=1.0.0",
 	}
@@ -492,6 +507,7 @@ var (
 	DefaultScrapeProtocols = []ScrapeProtocol{
 		OpenMetricsText1_0_0,
 		OpenMetricsText0_0_1,
+		PrometheusText1_0_0,
 		PrometheusText0_0_4,
 	}
 
@@ -503,6 +519,7 @@ var (
 		PrometheusProto,
 		OpenMetricsText1_0_0,
 		OpenMetricsText0_0_1,
+		PrometheusText1_0_0,
 		PrometheusText0_0_4,
 	}
 )
@@ -629,8 +646,15 @@ type ScrapeConfig struct {
 	// The protocols to negotiate during a scrape. It tells clients what
 	// protocol are accepted by Prometheus and with what preference (most wanted is first).
 	// Supported values (case sensitive): PrometheusProto, OpenMetricsText0.0.1,
-	// OpenMetricsText1.0.0, PrometheusText0.0.4.
+	// OpenMetricsText1.0.0, PrometheusText1.0.0, PrometheusText0.0.4.
 	ScrapeProtocols []ScrapeProtocol `yaml:"scrape_protocols,omitempty"`
+	// The fallback protocol to use if the Content-Type provided by the target
+	// is not provided, blank, or not one of the expected values.
+	// Supported values (case sensitive): PrometheusProto, OpenMetricsText0.0.1,
+	// OpenMetricsText1.0.0, PrometheusText1.0.0, PrometheusText0.0.4.
+	ScrapeFallbackProtocol ScrapeProtocol `yaml:"fallback_scrape_protocol,omitempty"`
+	// Whether to scrape a classic histogram that is also exposed as a native histogram.
+	ScrapeClassicHistograms bool `yaml:"scrape_classic_histograms,omitempty"`
 	// Whether to scrape a classic histogram, even if it is also exposed as a native histogram.
 	AlwaysScrapeClassicHistograms bool `yaml:"always_scrape_classic_histograms,omitempty"`
 	// File to which scrape failures are logged.
@@ -780,6 +804,12 @@ func (c *ScrapeConfig) Validate(globalConfig GlobalConfig) error {
 		return fmt.Errorf("%w for scrape config with job name %q", err, c.JobName)
 	}
 
+	if c.ScrapeFallbackProtocol != "" {
+		if err := c.ScrapeFallbackProtocol.Validate(); err != nil {
+			return fmt.Errorf("invalid fallback_scrape_protocol for scrape config with job name %q: %w", c.JobName, err)
+		}
+	}
+
 	switch globalConfig.MetricNameValidationScheme {
 	case LegacyValidationConfig:
 	case "", UTF8ValidationConfig:

config/config_test.go

@@ -206,19 +206,20 @@ var expectedConf = &Config{
 		{
 			JobName: "prometheus",
 
-			HonorLabels:           true,
-			HonorTimestamps:       true,
-			ScrapeInterval:        model.Duration(15 * time.Second),
-			ScrapeTimeout:         DefaultGlobalConfig.ScrapeTimeout,
-			EnableCompression:     true,
-			BodySizeLimit:         globBodySizeLimit,
-			SampleLimit:           globSampleLimit,
-			TargetLimit:           globTargetLimit,
-			LabelLimit:            globLabelLimit,
-			LabelNameLengthLimit:  globLabelNameLengthLimit,
-			LabelValueLengthLimit: globLabelValueLengthLimit,
-			ScrapeProtocols:       DefaultGlobalConfig.ScrapeProtocols,
-			ScrapeFailureLogFile:  "testdata/fail_prom.log",
+			HonorLabels:            true,
+			HonorTimestamps:        true,
+			ScrapeInterval:         model.Duration(15 * time.Second),
+			ScrapeTimeout:          DefaultGlobalConfig.ScrapeTimeout,
+			EnableCompression:      true,
+			BodySizeLimit:          globBodySizeLimit,
+			SampleLimit:            globSampleLimit,
+			TargetLimit:            globTargetLimit,
+			LabelLimit:             globLabelLimit,
+			LabelNameLengthLimit:   globLabelNameLengthLimit,
+			LabelValueLengthLimit:  globLabelValueLengthLimit,
+			ScrapeProtocols:        DefaultGlobalConfig.ScrapeProtocols,
+			ScrapeFallbackProtocol: PrometheusText0_0_4,
+			ScrapeFailureLogFile:   "testdata/fail_prom.log",
 
 			MetricsPath: DefaultScrapeConfig.MetricsPath,
 			Scheme:      DefaultScrapeConfig.Scheme,
@@ -2086,12 +2087,20 @@ var expectedErrors = []struct {
 	},
 	{
 		filename: "scrape_config_files_scrape_protocols.bad.yml",
-		errMsg:   `parsing YAML file testdata/scrape_config_files_scrape_protocols.bad.yml: scrape_protocols: unknown scrape protocol prometheusproto, supported: [OpenMetricsText0.0.1 OpenMetricsText1.0.0 PrometheusProto PrometheusText0.0.4] for scrape config with job name "node"`,
+		errMsg:   `parsing YAML file testdata/scrape_config_files_scrape_protocols.bad.yml: scrape_protocols: unknown scrape protocol prometheusproto, supported: [OpenMetricsText0.0.1 OpenMetricsText1.0.0 PrometheusProto PrometheusText0.0.4 PrometheusText1.0.0] for scrape config with job name "node"`,
 	},
 	{
 		filename: "scrape_config_files_scrape_protocols2.bad.yml",
 		errMsg:   `parsing YAML file testdata/scrape_config_files_scrape_protocols2.bad.yml: duplicated protocol in scrape_protocols, got [OpenMetricsText1.0.0 PrometheusProto OpenMetricsText1.0.0] for scrape config with job name "node"`,
 	},
+	{
+		filename: "scrape_config_files_fallback_scrape_protocol1.bad.yml",
+		errMsg:   `parsing YAML file testdata/scrape_config_files_fallback_scrape_protocol1.bad.yml: invalid fallback_scrape_protocol for scrape config with job name "node": unknown scrape protocol prometheusproto, supported: [OpenMetricsText0.0.1 OpenMetricsText1.0.0 PrometheusProto PrometheusText0.0.4 PrometheusText1.0.0]`,
+	},
+	{
+		filename: "scrape_config_files_fallback_scrape_protocol2.bad.yml",
+		errMsg:   `unmarshal errors`,
+	},
 }
 
 func TestBadConfigs(t *testing.T) {
@@ -2412,3 +2421,54 @@ func TestScrapeConfigNameValidationSettings(t *testing.T) {
 		})
 	}
 }
+
+func TestScrapeProtocolHeader(t *testing.T) {
+	tests := []struct {
+		name          string
+		proto         ScrapeProtocol
+		expectedValue string
+	}{
+		{
+			name:          "blank",
+			proto:         ScrapeProtocol(""),
+			expectedValue: "",
+		},
+		{
+			name:          "invalid",
+			proto:         ScrapeProtocol("invalid"),
+			expectedValue: "",
+		},
+		{
+			name:          "prometheus protobuf",
+			proto:         PrometheusProto,
+			expectedValue: "application/vnd.google.protobuf",
+		},
+		{
+			name:          "prometheus text 0.0.4",
+			proto:         PrometheusText0_0_4,
+			expectedValue: "text/plain",
+		},
+		{
+			name:          "prometheus text 1.0.0",
+			proto:         PrometheusText1_0_0,
+			expectedValue: "text/plain",
+		},
+		{
+			name:          "openmetrics 0.0.1",
+			proto:         OpenMetricsText0_0_1,
+			expectedValue: "application/openmetrics-text",
+		},
+		{
+			name:          "openmetrics 1.0.0",
+			proto:         OpenMetricsText1_0_0,
+			expectedValue: "application/openmetrics-text",
+		},
+	}
+	for _, tc := range tests {
+		t.Run(tc.name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			mediaType := tc.proto.HeaderMediaType()
+
+			require.Equal(t, tc.expectedValue, mediaType)
+		})
+	}
+}

config/testdata/conf.good.yml

@@ -74,6 +74,8 @@ scrape_configs:
     # metrics_path defaults to '/metrics'
     # scheme defaults to 'http'.
 
+    fallback_scrape_protocol: PrometheusText0.0.4
+
     scrape_failure_log_file: fail_prom.log
     file_sd_configs:
       - files:

config/testdata/scrape_config_files_fallback_scrape_protocol1.bad.yml

@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+scrape_configs:
+  - job_name: node
+    fallback_scrape_protocol: "prometheusproto"
+    static_configs:
+      - targets: ['localhost:8080']

config/testdata/scrape_config_files_fallback_scrape_protocol2.bad.yml

@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+scrape_configs:
+  - job_name: node
+    fallback_scrape_protocol: ["OpenMetricsText1.0.0", "PrometheusText0.0.4"]
+    static_configs:
+      - targets: ['localhost:8080']

docs/configuration/configuration.md

@@ -212,9 +212,15 @@ job_name: <job_name>
 
 # The protocols to negotiate during a scrape with the client.
 # Supported values (case sensitive): PrometheusProto, OpenMetricsText0.0.1,
-# OpenMetricsText1.0.0, PrometheusText0.0.4.
+# OpenMetricsText1.0.0, PrometheusText0.0.4, PrometheusText1.0.0.
 [ scrape_protocols: [<string>, ...] | default = <global_config.scrape_protocols> ]
 
+# Fallback protocol to use if a scrape returns blank, unparseable, or otherwise
+# invalid Content-Type.
+# Supported values (case sensitive): PrometheusProto, OpenMetricsText0.0.1,
+# OpenMetricsText1.0.0, PrometheusText0.0.4, PrometheusText1.0.0.
+[ fallback_scrape_protocol: <string> ]
+
 # Whether to scrape a classic histogram, even if it is also exposed as a native
 # histogram (has no effect without --enable-feature=native-histograms).
 [ always_scrape_classic_histograms: <boolean> | default = false ]

model/textparse/interface.go

@@ -14,6 +14,8 @@
 package textparse
 
 import (
+	"errors"
+	"fmt"
 	"mime"
 
 	"github.com/prometheus/common/model"
@@ -78,28 +80,65 @@ type Parser interface {
 	Next() (Entry, error)
 }
 
-// New returns a new parser of the byte slice.
-//
-// This function always returns a valid parser, but might additionally
-// return an error if the content type cannot be parsed.
-func New(b []byte, contentType string, parseClassicHistograms, skipOMCTSeries bool, st *labels.SymbolTable) (Parser, error) {
+// extractMediaType returns the mediaType of a required parser. It tries first to
+// extract a valid and supported mediaType from contentType. If that fails,
+// the provided fallbackType (possibly an empty string) is returned, together with
+// an error. fallbackType is used as-is without further validation.
+func extractMediaType(contentType, fallbackType string) (string, error) {
 	if contentType == "" {
-		return NewPromParser(b, st), nil
+		if fallbackType == "" {
+			return "", errors.New("non-compliant scrape target sending blank Content-Type and no fallback_scrape_protocol specified for target")
+		}
+		return fallbackType, fmt.Errorf("non-compliant scrape target sending blank Content-Type, using fallback_scrape_protocol %q", fallbackType)
 	}
 
+	// We have a contentType, parse it.
 	mediaType, _, err := mime.ParseMediaType(contentType)
 	if err != nil {
-		return NewPromParser(b, st), err
+		if fallbackType == "" {
+			retErr := fmt.Errorf("cannot parse Content-Type %q and no fallback_scrape_protocol for target", contentType)
+			return "", errors.Join(retErr, err)
+		}
+		retErr := fmt.Errorf("could not parse received Content-Type %q, using fallback_scrape_protocol %q", contentType, fallbackType)
+		return fallbackType, errors.Join(retErr, err)
 	}
+
+	// We have a valid media type, either we recognise it and can use it
+	// or we have to error.
+	switch mediaType {
+	case "application/openmetrics-text", "application/vnd.google.protobuf", "text/plain":
+		return mediaType, nil
+	}
+	// We're here because we have no recognised mediaType.
+	if fallbackType == "" {
+		return "", fmt.Errorf("received unsupported Content-Type %q and no fallback_scrape_protocol specified for target", contentType)
+	}
+	return fallbackType, fmt.Errorf("received unsupported Content-Type %q, using fallback_scrape_protocol %q", contentType, fallbackType)
+}
+
+// New returns a new parser of the byte slice.
+//
+// This function no longer guarantees to return a valid parser.
+//
+// It only returns a valid parser if the supplied contentType and fallbackType allow.
+// An error may also be returned if fallbackType had to be used or there was some
+// other error parsing the supplied Content-Type.
+// If the returned parser is nil then the scrape must fail.
+func New(b []byte, contentType, fallbackType string, parseClassicHistograms, skipOMCTSeries bool, st *labels.SymbolTable) (Parser, error) {
+	mediaType, err := extractMediaType(contentType, fallbackType)
+	// err may be nil or something we want to warn about.
+
 	switch mediaType {
 	case "application/openmetrics-text":
 		return NewOpenMetricsParser(b, st, func(o *openMetricsParserOptions) {
 			o.SkipCTSeries = skipOMCTSeries
-		}), nil
+		}), err
 	case "application/vnd.google.protobuf":
-		return NewProtobufParser(b, parseClassicHistograms, st), nil
+		return NewProtobufParser(b, parseClassicHistograms, st), err
+	case "text/plain":
+		return NewPromParser(b, st), err
 	default:
-		return NewPromParser(b, st), nil
+		return nil, err
 	}
 }
 

model/textparse/interface_test.go

@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/prometheus/common/model"
 	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
 
+	"github.com/prometheus/prometheus/config"
 	"github.com/prometheus/prometheus/model/exemplar"
 	"github.com/prometheus/prometheus/model/histogram"
 	"github.com/prometheus/prometheus/model/labels"
@@ -31,6 +32,10 @@ import (
 func TestNewParser(t *testing.T) {
 	t.Parallel()
 
+	requireNilParser := func(t *testing.T, p Parser) {
+		require.Nil(t, p)
+	}
+
 	requirePromParser := func(t *testing.T, p Parser) {
 		require.NotNil(t, p)
 		_, ok := p.(*PromParser)
@@ -43,34 +48,83 @@ func TestNewParser(t *testing.T) {
 		require.True(t, ok)
 	}
 
+	requireProtobufParser := func(t *testing.T, p Parser) {
+		require.NotNil(t, p)
+		_, ok := p.(*ProtobufParser)
+		require.True(t, ok)
+	}
+
 	for name, tt := range map[string]*struct {
-		contentType    string
-		validateParser func(*testing.T, Parser)
-		err            string
+		contentType            string
+		fallbackScrapeProtocol config.ScrapeProtocol
+		validateParser         func(*testing.T, Parser)
+		err                    string
 	}{
 		"empty-string": {
-			validateParser: requirePromParser,
+			validateParser: requireNilParser,
+			err:            "non-compliant scrape target sending blank Content-Type and no fallback_scrape_protocol specified for target",
+		},
+		"empty-string-fallback-text-plain": {
+			validateParser:         requirePromParser,
+			fallbackScrapeProtocol: config.PrometheusText0_0_4,
+			err:                    "non-compliant scrape target sending blank Content-Type, using fallback_scrape_protocol \"text/plain\"",
 		},
 		"invalid-content-type-1": {
 			contentType:    "invalid/",
-			validateParser: requirePromParser,
+			validateParser: requireNilParser,
 			err:            "expected token after slash",
 		},
+		"invalid-content-type-1-fallback-text-plain": {
+			contentType:            "invalid/",
+			validateParser:         requirePromParser,
+			fallbackScrapeProtocol: config.PrometheusText0_0_4,
+			err:                    "expected token after slash",
+		},
+		"invalid-content-type-1-fallback-openmetrics": {
+			contentType:            "invalid/",
+			validateParser:         requireOpenMetricsParser,
+			fallbackScrapeProtocol: config.OpenMetricsText0_0_1,
+			err:                    "expected token after slash",
+		},
+		"invalid-content-type-1-fallback-protobuf": {
+			contentType:            "invalid/",
+			validateParser:         requireProtobufParser,
+			fallbackScrapeProtocol: config.PrometheusProto,
+			err:                    "expected token after slash",
+		},
 		"invalid-content-type-2": {
 			contentType:    "invalid/invalid/invalid",
-			validateParser: requirePromParser,
+			validateParser: requireNilParser,
 			err:            "unexpected content after media subtype",
 		},
+		"invalid-content-type-2-fallback-text-plain": {
+			contentType:            "invalid/invalid/invalid",
+			validateParser:         requirePromParser,
+			fallbackScrapeProtocol: config.PrometheusText1_0_0,
+			err:                    "unexpected content after media subtype",
+		},
 		"invalid-content-type-3": {
 			contentType:    "/",
-			validateParser: requirePromParser,
+			validateParser: requireNilParser,
 			err:            "no media type",
 		},
+		"invalid-content-type-3-fallback-text-plain": {
+			contentType:            "/",
+			validateParser:         requirePromParser,
+			fallbackScrapeProtocol: config.PrometheusText1_0_0,
+			err:                    "no media type",
+		},
 		"invalid-content-type-4": {
 			contentType:    "application/openmetrics-text; charset=UTF-8; charset=utf-8",
-			validateParser: requirePromParser,
+			validateParser: requireNilParser,
 			err:            "duplicate parameter name",
 		},
+		"invalid-content-type-4-fallback-open-metrics": {
+			contentType:            "application/openmetrics-text; charset=UTF-8; charset=utf-8",
+			validateParser:         requireOpenMetricsParser,
+			fallbackScrapeProtocol: config.OpenMetricsText1_0_0,
+			err:                    "duplicate parameter name",
+		},
 		"openmetrics": {
 			contentType:    "application/openmetrics-text",
 			validateParser: requireOpenMetricsParser,
@@ -87,20 +141,33 @@ func TestNewParser(t *testing.T) {
 			contentType:    "text/plain",
 			validateParser: requirePromParser,
 		},
+		"protobuf": {
+			contentType:    "application/vnd.google.protobuf",
+			validateParser: requireProtobufParser,
+		},
 		"plain-text-with-version": {
 			contentType:    "text/plain; version=0.0.4",
 			validateParser: requirePromParser,
 		},
 		"some-other-valid-content-type": {
 			contentType:    "text/html",
-			validateParser: requirePromParser,
+			validateParser: requireNilParser,
+			err:            "received unsupported Content-Type \"text/html\" and no fallback_scrape_protocol specified for target",
+		},
+		"some-other-valid-content-type-fallback-text-plain": {
+			contentType:            "text/html",
+			validateParser:         requirePromParser,
+			fallbackScrapeProtocol: config.PrometheusText0_0_4,
+			err:                    "received unsupported Content-Type \"text/html\", using fallback_scrape_protocol \"text/plain\"",
 		},
 	} {
 		t.Run(name, func(t *testing.T) {
 			tt := tt // Copy to local variable before going parallel.
 			t.Parallel()
 
-			p, err := New([]byte{}, tt.contentType, false, false, labels.NewSymbolTable())
+			fallbackProtoMediaType := tt.fallbackScrapeProtocol.HeaderMediaType()
+
+			p, err := New([]byte{}, tt.contentType, fallbackProtoMediaType, false, false, labels.NewSymbolTable())
 			tt.validateParser(t, p)
 			if tt.err == "" {
 				require.NoError(t, err)

promql/fuzz.go

@@ -61,8 +61,8 @@ const (
 var symbolTable = labels.NewSymbolTable()
 
 func fuzzParseMetricWithContentType(in []byte, contentType string) int {
-	p, warning := textparse.New(in, contentType, false, false, symbolTable)
-	if warning != nil {
+	p, warning := textparse.New(in, contentType, "", false, false, symbolTable)
+	if p == nil || warning != nil {
 		// An invalid content type is being passed, which should not happen
 		// in this context.
 		panic(warning)
@@ -91,7 +91,7 @@ func fuzzParseMetricWithContentType(in []byte, contentType string) int {
 // Note that this is not the parser for the text-based exposition-format; that
 // lives in github.com/prometheus/client_golang/text.
 func FuzzParseMetric(in []byte) int {
-	return fuzzParseMetricWithContentType(in, "")
+	return fuzzParseMetricWithContentType(in, "text/plain")
 }
 
 func FuzzParseOpenMetric(in []byte) int {

scrape/scrape.go

@@ -114,6 +114,7 @@ type scrapeLoopOptions struct {
 	timeout                  time.Duration
 	alwaysScrapeClassicHist  bool
 	validationScheme         model.ValidationScheme
+	fallbackScrapeProtocol   string
 
 	mrc               []*relabel.Config
 	cache             *scrapeCache
@@ -189,6 +190,7 @@ func newScrapePool(cfg *config.ScrapeConfig, app storage.Appendable, offsetSeed
 			metrics,
 			options.skipOffsetting,
 			opts.validationScheme,
+			opts.fallbackScrapeProtocol,
 		)
 	}
 	sp.metrics.targetScrapePoolTargetLimit.WithLabelValues(sp.config.JobName).Set(float64(sp.config.TargetLimit))
@@ -325,6 +327,7 @@ func (sp *scrapePool) restartLoops(reuseCache bool) {
 		enableCompression        = sp.config.EnableCompression
 		trackTimestampsStaleness = sp.config.TrackTimestampsStaleness
 		mrc                      = sp.config.MetricRelabelConfigs
+		fallbackScrapeProtocol   = sp.config.ScrapeFallbackProtocol.HeaderMediaType()
 	)
 
 	validationScheme := model.UTF8Validation
@@ -371,6 +374,7 @@ func (sp *scrapePool) restartLoops(reuseCache bool) {
 				interval:                 interval,
 				timeout:                  timeout,
 				validationScheme:         validationScheme,
+				fallbackScrapeProtocol:   fallbackScrapeProtocol,
 			})
 		)
 		if err != nil {
@@ -480,6 +484,7 @@ func (sp *scrapePool) sync(targets []*Target) {
 		enableCompression        = sp.config.EnableCompression
 		trackTimestampsStaleness = sp.config.TrackTimestampsStaleness
 		mrc                      = sp.config.MetricRelabelConfigs
+		fallbackScrapeProtocol   = sp.config.ScrapeFallbackProtocol.HeaderMediaType()
 		alwaysScrapeClassicHist  = sp.config.AlwaysScrapeClassicHistograms
 	)
 
@@ -523,6 +528,7 @@ func (sp *scrapePool) sync(targets []*Target) {
 				timeout:                  timeout,
 				alwaysScrapeClassicHist:  alwaysScrapeClassicHist,
 				validationScheme:         validationScheme,
+				fallbackScrapeProtocol:   fallbackScrapeProtocol,
 			})
 			if err != nil {
 				l.setForcedError(err)
@@ -885,6 +891,7 @@ type scrapeLoop struct {
 	timeout                  time.Duration
 	alwaysScrapeClassicHist  bool
 	validationScheme         model.ValidationScheme
+	fallbackScrapeProtocol   string
 
 	// Feature flagged options.
 	enableNativeHistogramIngestion bool
@@ -1193,6 +1200,7 @@ func newScrapeLoop(ctx context.Context,
 	metrics *scrapeMetrics,
 	skipOffsetting bool,
 	validationScheme model.ValidationScheme,
+	fallbackScrapeProtocol string,
 ) *scrapeLoop {
 	if l == nil {
 		l = promslog.NewNopLogger()
@@ -1245,6 +1253,7 @@ func newScrapeLoop(ctx context.Context,
 		metrics:                        metrics,
 		skipOffsetting:                 skipOffsetting,
 		validationScheme:               validationScheme,
+		fallbackScrapeProtocol:         fallbackScrapeProtocol,
 	}
 	sl.ctx, sl.cancel = context.WithCancel(ctx)
 
@@ -1537,11 +1546,21 @@ type appendErrors struct {
 }
 
 func (sl *scrapeLoop) append(app storage.Appender, b []byte, contentType string, ts time.Time) (total, added, seriesAdded int, err error) {
-	p, err := textparse.New(b, contentType, sl.alwaysScrapeClassicHist, sl.enableCTZeroIngestion, sl.symbolTable)
+	p, err := textparse.New(b, contentType, sl.fallbackScrapeProtocol, sl.alwaysScrapeClassicHist, sl.enableCTZeroIngestion, sl.symbolTable)
+	if p == nil {
+		sl.l.Error(
+			"Failed to determine correct type of scrape target.",
+			"content_type", contentType,
+			"fallback_media_type", sl.fallbackScrapeProtocol,
+			"err", err,
+		)
+		return
+	}
 	if err != nil {
 		sl.l.Debug(
-			"Invalid content type on scrape, using prometheus parser as fallback.",
+			"Invalid content type on scrape, using fallback setting.",
 			"content_type", contentType,
+			"fallback_media_type", sl.fallbackScrapeProtocol,
 			"err", err,
 		)
 	}

scrape/scrape_test.go

@@ -690,6 +690,7 @@ func newBasicScrapeLoop(t testing.TB, ctx context.Context, scraper scraper, app
 		newTestScrapeMetrics(t),
 		false,
 		model.LegacyValidation,
+		"text/plain",
 	)
 }
 
@@ -833,6 +834,7 @@ func TestScrapeLoopRun(t *testing.T) {
 		scrapeMetrics,
 		false,
 		model.LegacyValidation,
+		"text/plain",
 	)
 
 	// The loop must terminate during the initial offset if the context
@@ -978,6 +980,7 @@ func TestScrapeLoopMetadata(t *testing.T) {
 		scrapeMetrics,
 		false,
 		model.LegacyValidation,
+		"text/plain",
 	)
 	defer cancel()
 
@@ -1526,7 +1529,8 @@ func TestScrapeLoopAppendCacheEntryButErrNotFound(t *testing.T) {
 	fakeRef := storage.SeriesRef(1)
 	expValue := float64(1)
 	metric := []byte(`metric{n="1"} 1`)
-	p, warning := textparse.New(metric, "", false, false, labels.NewSymbolTable())
+	p, warning := textparse.New(metric, "text/plain", "", false, false, labels.NewSymbolTable())
+	require.NotNil(t, p)
 	require.NoError(t, warning)
 
 	var lset labels.Labels