PostgreSQL invalid_password Error 28P01 Explained and Fixed

What is PostgreSQL error 28P01 invalid_password?

Error 28P01 invalid_password is PostgreSQL’s way of saying the authentication check failed. The server compared the supplied password hash with the stored hash and found no match, so it terminated the connection attempt.

The error is fatal and happens at connection time, so no SQL can run until the credentials are corrected.

Fixing it quickly is crucial because every rejected login blocks automated jobs, applications, and user sessions.

What Causes This Error?

A wrong or outdated password is the primary trigger. This often occurs after a forced password rotation, user rename, or accidental credential change in a secrets manager.

Configuration mismatches also raise 28P01.

Examples include an incorrect user entry in pg_hba.conf, an SSL-only password file, or a mistyped value in the PGPASSWORD environment variable.

How to Fix PostgreSQL error 28P01 invalid_password

First confirm you are connecting with the intended username. Next, reset or re-enter the correct password.

Finally, test the connection with psql or your application.

If the password was lost, use a superuser or the PostgreSQL administrator to create a new password with ALTER ROLE.

-- connect as superuser
ALTER ROLE your_user WITH PASSWORD 'NewStrongP@ssw0rd';


Common Scenarios and Solutions

CI/CD pipeline failures usually stem from an outdated secret. Update the secret store, redeploy, and confirm the hash matches what is stored in pg_authid.

Containerized apps may ship the wrong .pgpass file path.

Mount the correct file or pass the password through environment variables after rotating secrets.

Best Practices to Avoid This Error

Automate password rotation and secret propagation to all environments at once. Store credentials in an encrypted vault rather than hard-coding them.

Enable pgBouncer or another connection pooler with auth_query to centralize authentication and cut down on mismatches.

Related Errors and Solutions

Error 28000 invalid_authorization_specification appears when the user does not exist.

Resolve it by creating the role or fixing the connection string.

Error 28001 password_expired is thrown when password lifetime policies expire. Change the password with ALTER ROLE or GRANT USAGE ON SCHEMA if using external auth.

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