DST Cluster Token Guide & Checker

A missing or invalid cluster token is the single most common reason a new DST server refuses to start. This guide walks you through generating, placing, and validating your token — and what to do when it expires.

What is the Cluster Token?

The cluster token is a credential that ties your dedicated server to your Klei account. Without it, the server cannot authenticate with Klei's backend and will silently fail to come online — no error in the main console, just an absent server listing. Every cluster directory needs exactly one cluster_token.txt file at its root.

How to Get Your Token

1

Open the Klei Account Portal

Go to accounts.klei.com/account/game/servers and sign in with the Klei account linked to your DST purchase.

2

Add a New Server

Click Add New Server, give it a name (any name — this is just for your reference in the portal), and click Add.

3

Copy the Token

The portal generates a token string starting with pds-g^. Copy the entire string — it is long (100+ characters).

4

Create cluster_token.txt

Paste the token as the sole content of a file named cluster_token.txt and place it in your cluster root — the same directory as cluster.ini.

# Correct location:
~/.klei/DoNotStarveTogether/MyCluster/cluster_token.txt

# File contents (no quotes, no trailing newline):
pds-g^KU_XXXXXXXXXXXX^XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX...

Token Format Validator

Paste your token below to verify it looks correct. Nothing is sent anywhere — all validation runs in your browser.

Token Expiry

DST cluster tokens expire after approximately 14 days of inactivity. If your server was offline for two weeks and refuses to start again, a stale token is the first thing to check.

Regenerate the token at accounts.klei.com, update cluster_token.txt, and restart both server processes.

Alternative: In-Game Console

If you have DST installed locally, you can generate the token in-game without visiting the portal:

-- Open the developer console with ~ (tilde) and run:
TheNet:GenerateClusterToken()

The token is written to Documents/Klei/DoNotStarveTogether/cluster_token.txt on your local machine. Copy it to your server.

Security Checklist

  • Never commit cluster_token.txt to a git repository.
  • Add cluster_token.txt to your .gitignore.
  • Use a separate token per cluster — don't reuse one token across multiple servers.
  • Revoke and regenerate immediately if the token is exposed publicly.
  • Restrict read access to cluster_token.txt on your server (chmod 600 on Linux).
  • Check for token expiry if the server was offline for more than two weeks.
If your token is leaked (e.g. accidentally committed to a public repository), go to the Klei portal immediately and delete the server entry. The old token is immediately invalidated.
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