dgraph-io/dgraph · error

error updating the schema for persistent query, %w

Error message

error updating the schema for persistent query, %w

What it means

upgradePersitentQuery alters the schema to add the sha256 index on <dgraph.graphql.p_query> and the persisted_query type. Failure is wrapped with fmt.Errorf as 'error updating the schema for persistent query, %w'. The alter operation on the Dgraph cluster was rejected or failed.

Source

Thrown at upgrade/change_v21.03.0.go:168

	if err != nil {
		return errors.Wrap(err, "while getting jwt auth token")
	}

	// Get persisted queries.
	queryData := make(map[string][]pquery)
	if err := getQueryResult(dg, queryPersistedQuery_v21_03_0, &queryData); err != nil {
		return errors.Wrap(err, "error querying persisted queries")
	}

	// Update the schema with new indexer for persisted query.
	updatedSchema := `
		<dgraph.graphql.p_query>: string @index(sha256) .
		type <dgraph.graphql.persisted_query> {
			<dgraph.graphql.p_query>
		}
			`
	if err := alterWithClient(dg, &api.Operation{Schema: updatedSchema}); err != nil {
		return fmt.Errorf("error updating the schema for persistent query, %w", err)
	}

	// Reinsert these queries. Note that upsert won't work here as 'dgraph.graphql.p_query' is
	// graphql reserved type.
	header := http.Header{}
	header.Set("X-Dgraph-AccessToken", jwt.AccessJwt)
	header.Set("X-Dgraph-AuthToken", Upgrade.Conf.GetString(authToken))
	graphqlUrl := Upgrade.Conf.GetString(alphaHttp) + "/graphql"
	for _, pquery := range queryData["pquery"] {
		updateSchemaParams := &GraphQLParams{
			Query: pquery.Query,
			Extensions: &schema.RequestExtensions{PersistedQuery: schema.PersistedQuery{
				Sha256Hash: pquery.SHA,
			}},
			Headers: header,
		}

		resp, err := makeGqlRequest(updateSchemaParams, graphqlUrl)

View on GitHub (pinned to 759e242be6)

Solutions

1. Run the upgrade with admin ACL credentials.
2. Ensure the cluster is writable (not in drain/read-only mode).
3. Check Alpha logs for index-build failures and resolve before retrying.
4. Apply the schema change manually via /alter and re-run the upgrade.

curl -s http://localhost:8080/state | jq '.max_leases // empty'; curl -s http://localhost:8080/alter -XPOST -d '{"schema":"<dgraph.graphql.p_query>: string @index(sha256) ."}'

if err := alterWithClient(dg, &api.Operation{Schema: updatedSchema}); err != nil {
	// inspect cause: ACL vs read-only vs index-build failure, then retry
	return fmt.Errorf("error updating the schema for persistent query, %w", err)
}

When it happens

Trigger: alterWithClient(dg, &api.Operation{Schema: updatedSchema}) errors — ACL forbids alter, Alpha read-only, or the index build fails on existing data.

Common situations: ACL creds missing/insufficient; large existing p_query data slowing index build causing timeouts; cluster in drain/read-only mode during upgrade.

Related errors

• error deleting old acl predicates: %w
• error deleting old predicate %s
• error deleting old type %s
• error querying graphql schema
• illegal rune found "%c", expecting {

AI-assisted analysis of dgraph-io/dgraph@759e242be6 (2026-09-01). Data as JSON: /api/errors/f4f9e2813ad60734. Report an issue: GitHub.