# Bracket Order Error

**URL:** <https://forum.alpaca.markets/t/bracket-order-error/1584>\
**Category:** Alpaca Account Troubleshooting\
**Created:** [May 25, 2020, 5:42pm UTC](https://forum.alpaca.markets/t/bracket-order-error/1584 "2020-05-25T17:42:45Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![CatsMeow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f9ae1b/32.png) [@CatsMeow](https://forum.alpaca.markets/u/CatsMeow)\
**Post date:** [May 25, 2020, 5:42pm UTC](https://forum.alpaca.markets/t/bracket-order-error/1584/1 "2020-05-25T17:42:45Z")

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Hello!

I am trying to submit a bracket order with the parent order being $300 and the take-profit order being $300.10, and I am getting this error back ‘take-price limit must not be less than base price \* 1.001’}.

Is there any way around this?

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**Author:** ![nad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ed8c4c/32.png) [@nad](https://forum.alpaca.markets/u/nad)\
**Post date:** [July 7, 2020, 3:47pm UTC](https://forum.alpaca.markets/t/bracket-order-error/1584/2 "2020-07-07T15:47:58Z")

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I am also seeing occasionally this error, I made several tests and it seems it is not very consistent.  
Any issues with bracket orders?

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**Author:** ![JoeM](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/0ea827/32.png) [@JoeM](https://forum.alpaca.markets/u/JoeM)\
**Post date:** [August 20, 2020, 4:50pm UTC](https://forum.alpaca.markets/t/bracket-order-error/1584/3 "2020-08-20T16:50:37Z")

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Hello,

I am having the same issue and quite frankly want to pull my hair out over the issue. I have been trying to calculate the base price and cannot figure out how Alpaca does it. It seems to be different each time.

For example, I am trying to place bracket orders with a rather tight take profit and stop loss and get this error each and every time.

Any help is appreciated.

Thanks,  
Joe

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**Author:** ![CatsMeow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f9ae1b/32.png) [@CatsMeow](https://forum.alpaca.markets/u/CatsMeow)\
**Post date:** [August 20, 2020, 6:59pm UTC](https://forum.alpaca.markets/t/bracket-order-error/1584/4 "2020-08-20T18:59:03Z")

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@nad @JoeM

This drove me crazy and it took me a while to figure out a workaround. One way to get around this is to first make a simple buy order. Then follow it up with a oco order.

It can be tricky depending upon whether you are doing a limit or market for you simple buy order.

If it’s a market order, then right after you make the market order, you’ll have to pull that recent order and see if it filled, if so then use the average fill price + whatever you want as a variable for the limit price of you oco order.

Hopefully, that makes sense. It’s unfortunate that it’s not straight forward as it should be, but there are a few ways to work around this.

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**Author:** ![JoeM](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/0ea827/32.png) [@JoeM](https://forum.alpaca.markets/u/JoeM)\
**Post date:** [August 20, 2020, 7:33pm UTC](https://forum.alpaca.markets/t/bracket-order-error/1584/5 "2020-08-20T19:33:25Z")

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@CatsMeow

Thanks, yeah that makes sense. Unfortunately, I am placing a stop order to initiate my trade. So looks like I will have to pull the recent order and check if it’s filled then place the OCO, as you stated.

There should be an easier way but at least you found a workaround. Hopefully, Alpaca implements some sort of solution in the near future.

Thanks for the help!  
Joe
