PostgreSQL error 57P04 indicates the client tried to connect to, or is still connected to, a database that has been dropped.
PostgreSQL error 57P04 (database_dropped) means the target database no longer exists. Reconnect to an existing database or recreate the dropped database to clear the error.
PostgreSQL Error 57P04
Error 57P04 appears when a PostgreSQL client starts or continues a session against a database that has already been dropped from the cluster. The server responds with SQLSTATE 57P04 and ends the connection.
The error is important because all queries will fail until the client connects to a valid database.
Workflows, CI pipelines, and applications can halt unexpectedly if this state persists.
Dropped databases triggered by maintenance, automated scripts, or accidental commands leave existing connections pointing to a non-existent object. When those sessions attempt any operation, PostgreSQL returns 57P04.
Race conditions occur when one session issues DROP DATABASE ... FORCE while another service is still connecting.
Failovers that restore from a backup without the same database name can also trigger the code.
First confirm the database is missing: connect to a different catalog such as postgres and query pg_database. If the name is gone, decide whether to recreate it or update connection strings.
Recreate the database with CREATE DATABASE, then restore data from a recent backup.
If the database is obsolete, change the application’s connection string to a valid database and redeploy.
CI/CD pipelines sometimes drop temporary databases after tests. Ensure teardown jobs run after all clients disconnect or create uniquely named test databases per run.
In high-availability clusters, promotion of a standby missing the database leads to 57P04.
Replicate the drop on the primary or create the database on the new leader.
Use role-based policies that restrict DROP DATABASE to senior operators. Add confirmation prompts or ticket workflows to production drop commands.
Monitor the pg_database catalog and log_drop_database events.
Automated alerts warn teams before dependent services reconnect.
SQLSTATE 3D000 invalid_catalog_name occurs when connecting to a non-existent database during startup; the fix path mirrors 57P04.
SQLSTATE 42P04 duplicate_database appears when creating a database that already exists; use IF NOT EXISTS or drop first. Understanding these codes helps triage connection issues quickly.
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A superuser or DBA unintentionally executed DROP DATABASE on a live catalog, leaving services pointed to a removed target.
CI environments often drop transient databases after tests. Overlapping job schedules can catch clients mid-connection.
Restoring a cluster to an earlier snapshot that predates the database name removes it from pg_database, triggering 57P04 on reconnect.
The FORCE option terminates active sessions, then drops the catalog.
Subsequent reconnect attempts from killed sessions produce the error.
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Connect to any existing catalog such as postgres and query pg_database for the missing name. An absent row confirms the drop.
Only if a recent backup exists. Recreate the database and restore from physical or logical backups to recover data.
The FORCE option terminates sessions; subsequent reconnects from those clients will raise 57P04 until they target a valid database.
Galaxy’s version-controlled query library surfaces live database names, warns on missing catalogs, and blocks accidental DROP commands through role-based permissions.
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