Why can't I cancel my orders? (Pending/Frozen/Golden Orders)

This article explains why orders sometimes become frozen (also known as "golden orders") in NinjaTrader and cannot be canceled, modified, or closed, along with the steps to resolve the issue.

What are frozen (golden) orders?

Frozen orders — often called "golden orders" in NinjaTrader — occur when network connectivity problems interrupt the communication between NinjaTrader and your broker's order entry server. When this connection is severed or becomes unstable, commands to cancel, modify, or close positions may not work as intended.

How to unfreeze orders

When orders become frozen, follow these steps in order:

1. In NinjaTrader, disconnect your brokerage connection.
2. Reconnect to the brokerage connection to refresh your pending orders.
3. In most cases, the orders will update and can then be canceled normally.
4. If reconnection doesn't work, log into your broker's website directly and cancel or close the orders/positions from there.

Tradovate accounts: API rate limit

For Tradovate accounts, orders may freeze due to Tradovate's API rate limit of 5,000 requests per hour (80 per minute) for the Tradovate/NinjaTrader connection. When this limit is reached, orders and positions can become stuck.

To avoid hitting the rate limit:

• Do not use trailing stops on Tradovate accounts.
• Avoid making multiple price changes in a short period.

NinjaTrader addressed this issue (tracked as ID NT-14091) in NinjaTrader Desktop version 8.1.4+, which now displays a notification when the limit is reached. However, the underlying problem persists — orders that become stuck due to the rate limit must still be managed through the Tradovate or NinjaTrader website.

Prevention: Use Market Only mode

To reduce the risk of frozen orders, consider using Replikanto's Market Only feature, which copies only executions to follower accounts instead of pending orders.

For a detailed walkthrough, watch this video: Market Only Explained

Critical warning

CRITICAL — If your inquiry involves live orders that cannot be managed through NinjaTrader, contact your broker or evaluation provider immediately to confirm and manage your live orders and positions.

NinjaTrader Brokerage contact

If your trades are with NinjaTrader Brokerage, reach out to the NinjaTrader Brokerage Order Desk:

Email: orders@ninjatrader.com