<p>MySQL raises ER_EVENT_DROP_FAILED (1541) when it cannot remove a scheduled EVENT object from the mysql.event table.</p>
<p>MySQL Error 1541 ER_EVENT_DROP_FAILED appears when the server fails to drop a scheduled EVENT, usually because of missing privileges, replication locks, or an invalid event name. Confirm the database, grant DROP EVENT privileges, unlock tables, and retry DROP EVENT to resolve the issue.</p>
Failed to drop %s
MySQL throws ER_EVENT_DROP_FAILED (error code 1541, SQLSTATE HY000) when the DROP EVENT statement does not delete the specified event from the mysql.event metadata table.
The failure stops the requested operation and leaves the event definition unchanged, potentially causing unwanted scheduled jobs to continue running.
The error appears during explicit DROP EVENT statements, implicit event drops inside DROP DATABASE, or ALTER EVENT RENAME operations that delete the old event.
It is frequently seen in high-availability setups where replication or backup locks interfere with metadata changes.
Unremoved events can trigger outdated routines, consume resources, and create data drift. Repeated failures may also block deployment scripts and CI pipelines.
Addressing the root cause keeps scheduled tasks predictable and protects production consistency.
Primary culprits include insufficient DROP privilege on the event, missing USE database context, foreign key or metadata locks, and replication filters preventing metadata propagation.
Corrupted rows in mysql.event or a renamed event that no longer matches the stored definition can also trigger error 1541.
First, verify the event exists in the target schema with SHOW EVENTS. Switch to the correct database using USE db_name before running DROP EVENT.
Grant or confirm EVENT and DROP privilege, disable interfering locks, and retry the statement. If corruption persists, delete the row from mysql.event under single-user mode.
In replication, stop SQL_THREAD temporarily to allow metadata change, then restart it after DROP EVENT succeeds.
For privilege issues, run GRANT EVENT, DROP ON db.* TO user; FLUSH PRIVILEGES; and retry.
Always qualify event names with the schema, drop events during maintenance windows, and script IF EXISTS safeguards.
Automate privilege checks in CI, and monitor the mysql.event table for orphaned definitions.
Similar DDL issues include 1537 ER_EVENT_CREATE_FAILED and 1539 ER_EVENT_MODIFY_FAILED. The fixes generally involve privilege audits and lock management.
The connected user lacks DROP EVENT or EVENT privilege on the target schema, preventing metadata deletion.
The DROP EVENT statement refers to an event in another schema while the current database is different, causing lookup failure.
Ongoing replication or backup locks hold metadata, blocking the DROP EVENT operation.
A stale or corrupted record in mysql.event makes the deletion fail even with correct syntax.
Raised when attempting to create an event with a name that already exists.
Occurs when ALTER EVENT cannot update the event definition.
Prevents DDL changes while the server is in read-only mode, often seen with replication.
Yes, the user must hold EVENT privilege and either DROP or ALTER routine privileges on the schema.
Event DDL is auto-committing and cannot roll back; execute outside multi-statement transactions.
Place the server in single-user mode, backup mysql.event, delete the offending row, and run mysql_upgrade.
Galaxy flags privilege gaps before execution, highlights locks, and suggests IF EXISTS syntax, reducing ER_EVENT_DROP_FAILED incidents.
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