hibernate/hibernate-orm · error · AnnotationException

Both sides of the bidirectional association '" + associatedC

Error message

Both sides of the bidirectional association '" + associatedClass.getEntityName() + "." + mappedByProperty + "' specify 'mappedBy'

What it means

Error "Both sides of the bidirectional association '" + associatedClass.getEntityName() + "." + mappedByProperty + "' specify 'mappedBy'" thrown in hibernate/hibernate-orm.

Source

Thrown at hibernate-core/src/main/java/org/hibernate/boot/model/internal/TableBinder.java:860

			AnnotatedJoinColumns joinColumns,
			SimpleValue value,
			PersistentClass associatedClass,
			String mappedByProperty) {
		final var firstColumn = joinColumns.getJoinColumns().get(0);
		for ( var selectable: mappedByColumns( associatedClass, mappedByProperty ) ) {
			if ( selectable instanceof Column column ) {
				firstColumn.overrideFromReferencedColumnIfNecessary( column );
			}
			firstColumn.linkValueUsingCopy( selectable, value );
		}
	}

	private static List<Selectable> mappedByColumns(PersistentClass associatedClass, String mappedByProperty) {
		final var value = associatedClass.getRecursiveProperty( mappedByProperty ).getValue();
		if ( value instanceof Collection collection ) {
			final var element = collection.getElement();
			if ( element == null ) {
				throw new AnnotationException( "Both sides of the bidirectional association '"
						+ associatedClass.getEntityName() + "." + mappedByProperty + "' specify 'mappedBy'" );
			}
			return element.getSelectables();
		}
		else if ( value instanceof Any any ) {
			return any.getKeyDescriptor().getSelectables();
		}
		else {
			return value.getSelectables();
		}
	}

	public static void linkJoinColumnWithValueOverridingNameIfImplicit(
			PersistentClass referencedEntity,
			Value value,
			AnnotatedJoinColumns joinColumns,
			SimpleValue simpleValue) {
		final var valueColumns = value.getColumns();

View on GitHub (pinned to fad1729dce)

Solutions

1. Remove mappedBy from one side of the bidirectional association so only one side is unowned.

When it happens

Trigger: An association declares 'mappedBy' naming a property that does not exist, has the wrong type, or is not the owning side on the target entity.

Common situations: Bidirectional associations where mappedBy is misspelled, both sides claim ownership, or the target entity was refactored without updating the mapping.

AI-assisted analysis of hibernate/hibernate-orm@fad1729dce (2026-08-22). Data as JSON: /api/errors/3f2924ecbac44eab. Report an issue: GitHub.