MT5 error 10016: Invalid stops in the request

Measure a buy's stops from the Bid and a sell's from the Ask, the price each one closes at, and keep both at least SYMBOL_TRADE_STOPS_LEVEL points away.

Updated 22 October 2026. Runs in your browser; nothing you type is uploaded.

Return code or words from the message

The number after retcode= in MT5's Experts or Journal tab. 41 codes, as MQL5's reference words them.

10016

TRADE_RETCODE_INVALID_STOPS

Invalid stops in the request

Cause and fix for 10016

What MQL5 says

10016 TRADE_RETCODE_INVALID_STOPS: Invalid stops in the request

From MQL5's table of trade server return codes, read 22 October 2026. An Expert Advisor finds it in MqlTradeResult.retcode; the Experts and Journal tabs print it.

What causes it

The stop-loss or take-profit is on the wrong side, or closer to the price than SYMBOL_TRADE_STOPS_LEVEL points. (SYMBOL_TRADE_FREEZE_LEVEL is a separate distance, inside which orders cannot be changed.)

The fix in MQL5

Measure a buy's stops from the Bid and a sell's from the Ask, the price each one closes at, and keep both at least SYMBOL_TRADE_STOPS_LEVEL points away.

Before

#include <Trade/Trade.mqh>
CTrade trade;

void OpenBuy(const double lots)
  {
   const double bid = SymbolInfoDouble(_Symbol, SYMBOL_BID);
   trade.Buy(lots, _Symbol, 0.0, bid - 5 * _Point, bid + 5 * _Point);   // 5 points: inside the stops level
  }

After

#include <Trade/Trade.mqh>
CTrade trade;

void OpenBuy(const double lots, const int slPoints, const int tpPoints)
  {
   const int    level = (int)SymbolInfoInteger(_Symbol, SYMBOL_TRADE_STOPS_LEVEL);
   const double bid   = SymbolInfoDouble(_Symbol, SYMBOL_BID);
   // a buy closes at the Bid, so its stops are measured from the Bid
   const int sl = MathMax(slPoints, level + 1);
   const int tp = MathMax(tpPoints, level + 1);
   trade.Buy(lots, _Symbol, 0.0, bid - sl * _Point, bid + tp * _Point);
  }

Both compile in MetaEditor 5 with no errors or warnings. Adapt them to your EA; they were not run against a trade server.

Other MT5 errors

Method and privacy

Method: The constant and the description are MQL5's reference table of trade server return codes, read 22 October 2026. The MQL5 code compiles in MetaEditor 5 with no errors or warnings; it is an example to adapt and was not run against a trade server.

Calculations run entirely in your browser — nothing you type is uploaded. Your last numbers stay in this browser so you can pick up where you left off; Forget them clears them. A link with your numbers carries them after the # sign, which browsers do not send to servers, and the page takes them out of the address before any analytics loads. Copy and download actions save your calculation locally. The site may record coarse tool actions under its privacy policy, without inputs, results, file contents or filenames.

Read a whole MT5 EA's source

MTR FullSystemEA (MQL5 source) The full MQL5 source of a production MT5 EA for XAUUSD M5 (hedge-grid and recovery): 21 files, 16,923 lines. $49 once.

Goes deeper

Explore ProEA tools Pine Pro Library: TradingView desks with full Pine v6 source ($49 once)Pine Script v5 to v6 converter Complete Suite: every desk and tool, one payment

Limits and trading risk

These tools calculate from your inputs, supported historical records or explicitly labelled teaching examples. They do not verify a live account, predict future returns or confirm that a broker or prop-firm rule has been met. Missing costs, floating losses and changed market conditions can materially change outcomes. Trading can lose the capital committed to it; check the stated method and your account specifications.

Read the risk disclosure