<p>MySQL error 1357 appears when you try to DROP or ALTER a stored procedure, function, trigger, or event while already inside another stored routine.</p>
<p>MySQL Error 1357: ER_SP_NO_DROP_SP means the server blocked a DROP or ALTER command because it ran from inside another stored routine. Exit the caller routine and run the DDL in its own session or wrap the change in dynamic SQL executed with PREPARE to resolve the issue.</p>
Can't drop or alter a %s from within another stored
MySQL raises error 1357 with the symbol ER_SP_NO_DROP_SP and message "Can't drop or alter a %s from within another stored routine" when Data Definition Language (DDL) targeting a routine executes inside another routine.
The error surfaces during nested routine execution: for example, a stored procedure attempts to DROP or ALTER another procedure, function, trigger, or event. MySQL forbids this pattern to maintain transactional safety and metadata consistency.
Ignoring the error blocks deployment scripts, migration pipelines, and automated maintenance jobs. Clearing the issue ensures reliable versioning of database logic and uninterrupted CI/CD flows.
The root cause is executing DDL for a stored routine while the server context is already inside another routine. MySQL prevents such recursion to avoid deadlocks and inconsistent object caches.
Move the DROP or ALTER statement outside the caller routine, or use dynamic SQL with PREPARE and EXECUTE so the command runs in a separate, top-level context.
Deployment scripts, versioned migrations, and self-modifying procedures often trigger the error. Reorganize code to call administrative scripts after routine execution or leverage Galaxy's script runner to separate DDL from business logic.
Keep DDL changes in standalone migration files, adopt a version-controlled deployment pipeline, and lint procedures to block nested DDL during code review.
Errors 1336, 1422, and 1442 relate to invalid routine operations, each requiring context-specific fixes explained later in this article.
Calling DROP PROCEDURE or ALTER PROCEDURE within an executing procedure triggers the error immediately.
Events that rotate or rebuild other routines fail when they attempt DDL during their own execution.
Migration tools that wrap multiple changes in a single procedure may inadvertently nest DDL and produce error 1357.
Raised when an invalid statement appears within a stored routine, such as COMMIT in a trigger.
Occurs when SIGNAL uses an invalid SQLSTATE value; unlike 1357, it relates to error-handling syntax.
Appears when a trigger tries to modify the table it monitors, reflecting similar contextual restrictions.
Not directly. MySQL blocks nested DDL with error 1357. Use dynamic SQL or run the DROP outside the routine.
Yes. All supported MySQL versions disallow dropping or altering routines from within another routine to protect metadata integrity.
No. SQL modes influence syntax and validation but do not override core server restrictions like nested routine DDL.
Galaxy's linting and migration templates keep DDL separate from procedural code, reducing the chance of writing nested DDL that triggers error 1357.
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