MySQL error 1187 is thrown when the server cannot rebuild a table’s index during ALTER TABLE, RESTORE, or LOAD DATA, usually due to file corruption, insufficient space, or incompatible storage-engine settings.
MySQL Error 1187: ER_INDEX_REBUILD occurs when the server cannot rebuild the index of a dumped table, often during ALTER TABLE or IMPORT in InnoDB. Check disk space, table files, and run OPTIMIZE or ALTER TABLE ... FORCE to recreate indexes.
Failed rebuilding the index of dumped table '%s'
MySQL raises error 1187 with the message “Failed rebuilding the index of dumped table '%s'” when it tries to recreate a table’s indexes and the process fails. The problem usually appears while importing a dump, restoring from backup, or executing an ALTER TABLE that touches keys.
The server halts the operation to prevent further damage because an unusable or partial index can cause inconsistent query results.
Fixing the root cause quickly restores data integrity and keeps writes and reads stable.
Corrupted .ibd or .frm files stop the storage engine from reading page headers needed to rebuild indexes.
MySQL aborts the operation and throws error 1187.
Low disk or tmpdir space leaves no room for the storage engine to copy index pages into temporary files, so the rebuild step fails mid-way.
Version mismatches between the dump source and target server can introduce incompatible index metadata, blocking rebuilds during import.
Misconfigured innodb_file_per_table or disabled foreign_key_checks settings can clash with dump statements that expect different defaults.
Start with a full backup.
Run CHECK TABLE tbl FOR UPGRADE to confirm corruption and read the exact failing index. If the table is small enough, CREATE TABLE new_tbl LIKE tbl and INSERT … SELECT to copy data, then rename tables.
When corruption is minor, OPTIMIZE TABLE tbl forces an in-place rebuild of all secondary indexes.
Use ALTER TABLE tbl FORCE for MySQL 8.0+ where OPTIMIZE delegates to InnoDB.
If disk space is low, free space in the data directory and tmpdir, or configure innodb_tmpdir to a larger mount.
Then retry the ALTER or import.
When importing a dump, add the --skip-add-drop-table flag and rerun mysql < dump.sql so table structures are created fresh before inserts.
Dump import fails on staging but not on production - staging often has smaller disks; expand the volume or move tmpdir to a larger drive.
ALTER TABLE ADD COLUMN … fails with 1187 after a crash - run mysqlbackup --backup-dir to take a hot copy, then DROP the corrupted secondary index and recreate it.
Point-in-time restore fails on replicas - stop replication, restore the specific table from physical backup, and run SET GLOBAL innodb_force_recovery = 1 temporarily if corruption blocks reads.
Monitor free space on data and temp volumes with Prometheus or CloudWatch and alert at 80 percent usage.
Enable innodb_checksum_algorithm = crc32 and run CHECKSUM TABLE weekly to detect early page corruption.
Use mysqldump --single-transaction --set-gtid-purged=OFF to generate consistent dumps without locking that can bloat temp storage.
Error 1114: HY000 “The table is full” triggers for the same low-disk conditions; freeing space or moving tmpdir resolves both 1114 and 1187.
Error 1034: HY000 “Incorrect key file for table” overlaps with index rebuild failures; rebuilding with OPTIMIZE TABLE eliminates both errors.
Error 1423: HY000 “Field of view _tbl_ is of unknown type” can appear after a failed rebuild; re-import schema first, then data.
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OPTIMIZE TABLE recreates the entire table and its indexes in a clean temporary copy, bypassing corrupt pages that prevent a normal rebuild.
No. Ignoring the error leaves indexes in an unknown state, causing slow queries and potentially incorrect results.
Plan for at least the size of the table plus 10 percent in the data directory and tmpdir to allow for temporary copy files.
Galaxy’s editor highlights failed ALTER or IMPORT statements, suggests OPTIMIZE TABLE fixes, and tracks query history so you can roll back to a known good DDL quickly.
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