nginx try_files from proxy'd app, then nginx

Question

I'm attempting to have nginx reverse proxy static files from an application if the application is serving them, else serve them itself. Currently, I have this configuration:

upstream app_server {
    server unix:/tmp/gunicorn.sock fail_timeout=0;
}

server {
    listen          8080;
    server_name     example.com;
    access_log      /var/log/nginx.access.log;
    error_log       /var/log/nginx.error.log;

    keepalive_timeout 5;

    location /static {
        try_files   $uri @proxy_to_app;
        alias       /path/to/__static;
        sendfile    off;
    }

    location / {
        try_files   $uri @proxy_to_app;
    }

    location @proxy_to_app {
        proxy_set_header X-Forwarded-For $proxy_add_x_forwarded_for;
        proxy_set_header Host $http_host;
        proxy_redirect off;

        proxy_pass   http://app_server;
    }
}

This works if the files don't exist in /path/to/__static; it sends the request to the application server. However, if the files also exist in /path/to/__static, nginx serves the files itself.

Reversing the try_files line (try_files @proxy_to_app $uri) fails in both cases. If the client requests /static/css/test.css, the application receives a request for /css/test.css, and it never seems to try /path/to/__static even though the application returns a 404.

Updated to include full configuration.

Solution

location /static/ {
    proxy_set_header X-Forwarded-For $proxy_add_x_forwarded_for;
    proxy_set_header Host $http_host;
    proxy_redirect off;
    proxy_pass   http://app_server;
    proxy_intercept_errors on;
    error_page 404 =200 /local$uri;
}

location /local/static/ {
    internal;
    alias /path/to/__static/;
}

Comments

[rouge8]

The error_page 404 = /local/$uri; line doesn't work. It needs to be changed to error_page 404 =200 /local$uri;.