Error 1334 occurs when MySQL cannot complete an ALTER PROCEDURE or ALTER FUNCTION statement because of missing privileges, active locks, or blocking dependencies.
MySQL Error 1334 (ER_SP_CANT_ALTER) happens when the server cannot run ALTER PROCEDURE or ALTER FUNCTION due to privileges, locks, or dependencies. End running sessions, grant ALTER ROUTINE, or remove dependent objects to resolve the error.
Failed to ALTER %s %s
MySQL raises Error 1334 with the message “Failed to ALTER %s %s” when it cannot alter a stored procedure or function. The failure generally stems from permission issues, object locks, or dependencies that prevent the definition from changing.
The error stops deployment scripts and CI pipelines because the requested DDL change never executes. Fixing it quickly keeps releases and migrations on track.
Lack of the ALTER ROUTINE or SUPER privilege blocks routine changes. MySQL must verify that the definer or invoker holds the required rights before rewriting the mysql.proc data dictionary.
Active calls to the routine place metadata locks that make the definition temporarily immutable. Long-running connections in production frequently trigger this situation.
Dependent objects such as triggers, events, or other routines referencing the target routine may also block an ALTER if the change would invalidate those dependencies.
First confirm that your account has ALTER ROUTINE on the routine’s database or global SUPER. Grant the privilege if it is missing, then retry the ALTER statement.
If locks are the issue, identify sessions using SHOW PROCESSLIST or performance_schema metadata_lock_info and terminate or wait for them to finish before re-running the DDL.
When dependencies cause the error, drop or alter the referencing triggers, events, or routines, or adjust your ALTER statement to maintain the signature they expect.
CI/CD pipelines that open an unconditional ALTER PROCEDURE often fail because read-only replica sessions still execute the old version. Schedule the migration during a maintenance window and drain traffic first.
Developers using GUI clients sometimes forget to switch to an account with ALTER ROUTINE. Switching credentials or granting the privilege immediately removes the blocker.
Always test routine changes in staging with realistic traffic to uncover locking issues early. Use performance_schema to measure lock wait times during rehearsal.
Adopt versioned routines. Create a new procedure with a suffixed name, migrate callers, then drop the old one. This blue-green method eliminates in-place ALTER statements.
Galaxy’s dependency explorer shows which objects call a routine before you run ALTER, reducing the risk of runtime surprises.
Error 1419 (ER_SP_NO_DROP_SP): MySQL blocks dropping a routine created by another user without SUPER. Solution - grant right or change definer.
Error 1235 (ER_UNSUPPORTED_PS): Trying to prepare a statement that includes unsupported SQL. Solution - rewrite query or upgrade MySQL.
Error 1064 (ER_PARSE_ERROR): General syntax error in DDL. Solution - correct SQL syntax.
The connected MySQL user does not have ALTER ROUTINE or SUPER, so the server refuses to modify the routine.
One or more sessions are executing the target procedure or function, holding metadata locks that block the ALTER.
Triggers, events, or other routines reference the routine. MySQL cannot guarantee integrity after the change, so it rejects the ALTER.
On replicas, SQL thread metadata locks may hold the routine open while applying relay log events, stopping your manual ALTER.
Occurs when attempting to DROP a routine created by another user without proper privilege. Grant the DROP ROUTINE right or change the routine definer.
Raised when a prepared statement uses unsupported SQL constructs. Rewrite the query or upgrade MySQL to a version that supports it.
Generic SQL syntax error. Review the failing statement for typos, misplaced delimiters, or missing keywords.
No restart is needed. The change is applied instantly once locks clear and privileges are valid.
You cannot bypass metadata locks. End or wait for active sessions, then retry the ALTER.
Routine changes replicate normally if the same privileges exist on replicas. Always deploy privilege grants alongside DDL to replicas.
Galaxy shows privilege gaps and running sessions in its sidebar before executing ALTER statements, letting engineers address blockers proactively.
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