hibernate/hibernate-orm · error · QueryException

Can't emulate json_exists(... true on error) on SQL Server

Error message

Can't emulate json_exists(... true on error) on SQL Server

What it means

Error "Can't emulate json_exists(... true on error) on SQL Server" thrown in hibernate/hibernate-orm.

Source

Thrown at hibernate-core/src/main/java/org/hibernate/dialect/function/json/SQLServerJsonExistsFunction.java:37

 * SQL Server json_exists function.
 */
public class SQLServerJsonExistsFunction extends JsonExistsFunction {

	private final boolean supportsExtendedJson;

	public SQLServerJsonExistsFunction(boolean supportsExtendedJson, TypeConfiguration typeConfiguration) {
		super( typeConfiguration, true, false );
		this.supportsExtendedJson = supportsExtendedJson;
	}

	@Override
	protected void render(
			SqlAppender sqlAppender,
			JsonExistsArguments arguments,
			ReturnableType<?> returnType,
			SqlAstTranslator<?> walker) {
		if ( arguments.errorBehavior() == JsonExistsErrorBehavior.TRUE ) {
			throw new QueryException( "Can't emulate json_exists(... true on error) on SQL Server" );
		}
		if ( supportsExtendedJson ) {
			if ( arguments.errorBehavior() == JsonExistsErrorBehavior.ERROR ) {
				sqlAppender.append( '(' );
			}
			sqlAppender.appendSql( "json_path_exists(" );
			arguments.jsonDocument().accept( walker );
			sqlAppender.appendSql( ',' );
			final JsonPathPassingClause passingClause = arguments.passingClause();
			if ( passingClause != null ) {
				JsonPathHelper.appendInlinedJsonPathIncludingPassingClause(
						sqlAppender,
						"",
						arguments.jsonPath(),
						passingClause,
						walker
				);
			}

View on GitHub (pinned to fad1729dce)

Solutions

1. Remove the TRUE ON ERROR clause for SQL Server.

When it happens

Trigger: Triggered when the application calls a Hibernate dialect feature that the configured database dialect cannot provide: Can't emulate json_exists(... true on error) on SQL Server.

Common situations: Common when running against a database whose dialect lacks this capability, when a mapping or HQL/Criteria query requests unsupported functionality, or when the wrong dialect is configured for the database in use. Error: Can't emulate json_exists(... true on error) on SQL Server.

AI-assisted analysis of hibernate/hibernate-orm@fad1729dce (2026-08-22). Data as JSON: /api/errors/cc815f8d2a9da276. Report an issue: GitHub.