The invalid_cursor_state error occurs when you attempt to FETCH, MOVE, UPDATE, or CLOSE a PostgreSQL cursor that is not currently open or correctly positioned.
invalid_cursor_state occurs when you act on a PostgreSQL cursor that is closed, never opened, or already exhausted. Open the cursor with DECLARE, keep it within the same transaction, and reference it only while it is valid to resolve the error.
invalid_cursor_state (SQLSTATE 24000)
The PostgreSQL error invalid_cursor_state (SQLSTATE 24000) fires when a client issues a cursor command while the server believes the cursor is closed or improperly positioned. Typical offenders are FETCH, MOVE, UPDATE CURRENT OF, or CLOSE statements.
The error halts the transaction and must be resolved before subsequent SQL can run.
Fixing it ensures that batch processing, pagination, and other cursor-based logic stay reliable and performant.
Error message: ERROR: 24000: cursor "mycursor" is not open
PostgreSQL expects a cursor to be opened with DECLARE inside a still-running transaction block.
If code tries to use the cursor after the block ends, or before DECLARE, the server raises invalid_cursor_state.
Issuing FETCH after the cursor has read all rows also puts the cursor in a closed state, triggering the error on the next access.
Nesting DECLARE and FETCH inside PL/pgSQL while mismanaging BEGIN END blocks can implicitly close a cursor, leaving later statements with an invalid handle.
Confirm that DECLARE executes before any FETCH or MOVE.
Keep all cursor operations inside one BEGIN COMMIT block so PostgreSQL does not dispose of the portal prematurely.
If you need the cursor across function calls, use WITH HOLD in the DECLARE statement.
This flag keeps the cursor open after COMMIT, preventing invalid_cursor_state in later sessions.
Always CLOSE the cursor explicitly after the final FETCH to release server memory and avoid reusing a stale name.
Loop pagination - OPEN the cursor, loop through FETCH NEXT n ROWS, then CLOSE when no rows return. Do not attempt one more FETCH after the loop.
PL/pgSQL functions - Use DECLARE cursor_name CURSOR FOR query; inside the same function.
Return results before the function exits so the cursor remains valid.
Client libraries - Verify that the driver calls BEGIN before DECLARE and does not auto-commit between cursor commands.
Wrap cursor logic in a single transaction and disable auto-commit on the client. Give each cursor a unique name to prevent collisions.
Add WITH HOLD only when cross-transaction access is truly required.
Monitor server logs for repeated 24000 errors and refactor code to use set-based SQL where possible.
Galaxy’s SQL editor highlights transaction boundaries and warns if a cursor reference occurs outside the correct scope, helping you prevent invalid_cursor_state during development.
SQLSTATE 34000 invalid_cursor_name - The cursor name never existed or is spelled incorrectly; declare it first.
SQLSTATE 25P02 in_failed_sql_transaction - Follows invalid_cursor_state if subsequent queries run inside the aborted transaction; issue ROLLBACK before retrying.
.
Yes. PostgreSQL marks the current transaction as failed. Issue ROLLBACK before further commands.
No. Declare a new cursor instead. Names can be reused after the previous cursor is closed.
WITH HOLD stores data on disk if the transaction commits, adding overhead. Use it only when necessary.
Galaxy surfaces transaction scope visually and warns when a cursor might be referenced outside its lifetime, catching the problem early.
.avif)
.avif){kind=logo}
