---
"@context": https://schema.org
"@type": TechArticle
"@id": https://www.twilio.com/docs/api/errors/16027#article
headline: "16027: Participant to be whispered is on hold"
url: https://www.twilio.com/docs/api/errors/16027
inLanguage: en
dateModified: 2026-06-08T11:38:30.000Z
author:
  "@type": Organization
  name: Twilio Developer Education Team
publisher:
  "@type": Organization
  name: Twilio
---

# 16027: Participant to be whispered is on hold

Log Type: APPLICATION

Log Level: ERROR

## Description

This error occurs when you try to add a coaching participant to a conference participant who is currently on hold. A participant on hold is not available to be whispered to until that participant rejoins the active conference.

### Possible causes

* The participant identified in `callSidToCoach` is on hold.
* The participant identified by the TwiML `coach` target is on hold.
* Your application tried to enable coaching before the participant rejoined the active conference.

### Possible solutions

* Take the target participant off hold by updating the participant and setting `hold` to `false` before you add the coach.
* Confirm the `CallSid` you use for coaching belongs to a participant who is still connected to the same active conference.
* Verify that your application is targeting the correct conference and the correct participant before you enable coaching.
* If you use `<Conference>` with the `coach` attribute, make sure the participant you want to whisper to is an active participant and not on hold.

#### Additional resources

* [Conference Participant resource](/docs/voice/api/conference-participant-resource)
* [TwiML `<Conference>`](/docs/voice/twiml/conference)
* [Voice Conference overview](/docs/voice/conference)