Does your sitemap list usable current URLs?
It checks sitemap discovery, responses, URL quality and coverage against the crawl.
What Check Engine measures
The check separates missing or refused sitemap probes, broken declared files, malformed paths, dead entries, refused entries, redirects and noindex pages. A declared file response with HTTP status 400 or above is broken only outside the refusal set. Missing indexable entries are reported when their count exceeds the larger of 3 entries or a 0.15 share of crawled indexable pages. Redirects become medium rather than low when they exceed the larger of 1 entry or half the listed entries. For example, exactly 3 missing entries cannot exceed a threshold that is at least 3 entries.
Saved sitemap files and entries are joined to crawled pages using the current URL and redirect history. Timeouts and connections refused on otherwise answering hosts are guarded against false dead-entry claims.
How to read the result
Broken files are high severity. Missing files and dead entries are medium. Several coverage or indexing problems are low. Unreadable results are notices. Keep the response status beside the reported URL during review.
Why it matters
A sitemap is a list of addresses, so its value depends on the addresses it actually names. Comparing it with measured responses can reveal stale entries without mistaking a temporary refusal for proof that a page no longer exists.
How to fix it
List final public indexable URLs. Remove obsolete, redirected and intentionally excluded entries after checking their purpose. Repair the sitemap generator if malformed paths repeat. Investigate refusals and timeouts before deleting entries, then fetch the file again and compare it with a fresh crawl of the affected pages.
When 'regenerate your sitemap' is wrong
What we found in field audits
Problems in Crawlability & indexing were found on 12 of the 14 sites we audited. These are area totals. Read the field-audit method.
Method note
backend/seo_engine/checks/indexability.py, sitemap, revision 0bb8e8d3.
Common questions
Can exactly three missing sitemap entries trigger the coverage finding?
No. The threshold is at least 3 entries and the count must exceed it. Larger crawls can raise that threshold through the share rule.
Are refused sitemap requests treated as missing files?
No. Missing and refused sitemap probes are separated. An unreadable result is a notice because file presence may remain unknown.
Are broken sitemap files more serious than missing sitemap files?
Yes. Broken files get high severity; missing files get medium. Inspect the saved response before deciding which repair applies.