MySQL throws error 1326 when a stored procedure tries to fetch from or close a cursor that has not been opened first.
MySQL Error 1326: ER_SP_CURSOR_NOT_OPEN appears when a stored procedure fetches or closes a cursor before calling OPEN. Declare the cursor, call OPEN, then FETCH/CLOSE in the correct order to resolve the issue.
Cursor is not open
MySQL raises runtime error 1326 (SQLSTATE 24000) when a stored procedure references a cursor that is not in the OPEN state. The engine blocks any FETCH or CLOSE operation on an unopened cursor and halts the procedure.
This failure commonly stops data processing mid-transaction, making rapid remediation important for data integrity and application stability.
The condition surfaces inside stored procedures, functions, or triggers that define a cursor with DECLARE but omit the OPEN step before FETCH, reach FETCH after the cursor is implicitly closed, or execute CLOSE twice.
Developers most often meet the error during loop constructs, nested cursor logic, or after refactoring procedural code without realigning OPEN statements.
Leaving the bug unresolved can roll back transactions, skip rows, or mask deeper logic flaws. Production jobs depending on cursors may silently fail, delaying ETL pipelines or corrupting aggregated results.
Addressing the root cause ensures predictable control flow, easier debugging, and smoother CI/CD deployments.
Primary triggers include missing OPEN commands, premature CLOSE inside conditional branches, scope leakage where the cursor goes out of context, and exception handlers that bypass OPEN.
Version mismatches or privilege issues rarely cause 1326, but insufficient DECLARE DELIMITER practices can hide misplaced OPEN statements.
Validate the cursor lifecycle: DECLARE, OPEN, FETCH, and CLOSE in that order. Insert explicit OPEN before the first FETCH and surround the logic with HANDLERs to catch exceptions.
Refactor loops to guarantee OPEN execution, even when conditional blocks are skipped. Unit-test each procedure path with SET @debug flags or Galaxy's integrated runner.
In FOR loops, ensure OPEN appears immediately after DECLARE. For nested cursors, use unique names and separate OPEN statements. When exception handlers CLOSE cursors, re-OPEN them in a retry block.
Galaxy users can rely on real-time linting that highlights FETCH lines referencing unopened cursors, preventing commits that trigger 1326 in production.
Follow the cursor life-cycle pattern, keep OPEN inside the same BEGIN…END block as FETCH, and always add a NOT FOUND handler to CLOSE the cursor gracefully.
Automate unit tests in CI, and enable Galaxy's AI copilot to scan procedures for OPEN-FETCH mismatches before merge.
Error 1324 ER_SP_CURSOR_ALREADY_OPEN occurs when OPEN is called twice; ensure OPEN runs once per cursor instance. Error 1327 ER_SP_CURSOR_NOT_FOUND arises when FETCH uses an undefined cursor; verify DECLARE spelling.
All three errors are resolved by strict cursor-state tracking and consistent naming conventions.
Developer forgets to open the cursor after DECLARE but before the first FETCH.
Logic branch bypasses the OPEN statement, leading to a later FETCH on an unopened cursor.
Cursor is closed inside a loop or exception handler and later referenced again.
Cursor declared in an inner block is accessed from an outer block where it is not open.
Occurs when OPEN is executed twice on the same cursor. Remove extra OPEN or CLOSE first.
Raised when FETCH references a cursor name that was never declared. Verify spelling and scope.
Happens when CLOSE is issued on an already closed cursor. Track cursor state and add guards.
No. The error stops execution immediately, so rows after the failure are never processed. Fix the cursor flow.
Yes. The cursor state machine is identical. Only the wording of diagnostic messages changes slightly.
Galaxys SQL editor highlights unopened cursor usage and suggests adding an OPEN statement, preventing commits with 1326 violations.
No. Cursor errors belong to procedural flow control and are unaffected by sql_mode settings.
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