hibernate/hibernate-orm · error · TransactionException

TransactionManager reported transaction status as unknown

Error message

TransactionManager reported transaction status as unknown

What it means

The adapter maps the JTA Status int to Hibernate's TransactionStatus via StatusTranslator; a null mapping means the TransactionManager reported a status Hibernate cannot translate - typically Status.STATUS_UNKNOWN or an unrecognized value. It is raised from the adapter's status reads (including begin()'s NOT_ACTIVE check) and means the TM cannot tell what state the transaction is in, usually after an internal TM error or while recovery is in progress.

Source

Thrown at hibernate-core/src/main/java/org/hibernate/resource/transaction/backend/jta/internal/JtaTransactionAdapterTransactionManagerImpl.java:91

				transactionManager.rollback();
				JTA_LOGGER.calledTransactionManagerRollback();
			}
			else {
				markRollbackOnly();
			}
		}
		catch (Exception e) {
			throw new TransactionException( "JTA TransactionManager.rollback() failed", e );
		}
	}

	@Override
	@Nonnull
	public TransactionStatus getStatus() {
		try {
			final var status = StatusTranslator.translate( transactionManager.getStatus() );
			if ( status == null ) {
				throw new TransactionException( "TransactionManager reported transaction status as unknown" );
			}
			return status;
		}
		catch (SystemException e) {
			throw new TransactionException( "JTA TransactionManager#getStatus failed", e );
		}
	}

	@Override
	public void markRollbackOnly() {
		try {
			transactionManager.setRollbackOnly();
		}
		catch (SystemException e) {
			throw new TransactionException( "Could not set transaction to rollback only", e );
		}
	}

View on GitHub (pinned to fad1729dce)

Solutions

Check TransactionManager logs - an earlier TM-level error usually explains the unknown status
Let crash recovery finish, or restart the TM, before further transaction work
Upgrade the JTA implementation if it emits non-standard status codes
Avoid transaction operations during application/TM shutdown

Defensive patterns

Strategy: try-catch

Try / catch

catch (TransactionException e) {
    // 'TransactionManager reported transaction status as unknown'
    // Treat the environment as unhealthy: report, stop issuing transaction work
    alertOnTransactionManagerHealth(e);
}

Prevention

Keep the TransactionManager patched and healthy; STATUS_UNKNOWN usually follows an earlier TM error
Do not run transactional work while crash recovery is active
Avoid transaction operations during application shutdown

When it happens

Trigger: TransactionManager.getStatus() returning STATUS_UNKNOWN or an out-of-range/non-standard code, reached via Transaction.getStatus(), begin()'s status check, or the commit/rollback paths that read status.

Common situations: TM internal error or crash recovery in progress; a custom or buggy TransactionManager emitting invalid codes; transaction operations issued during TM/application shutdown.

Related errors

AI-assisted analysis of hibernate/hibernate-orm@fad1729dce (2026-08-22). Data as JSON: /api/errors/0d37b1408ed8ae47. Report an issue: GitHub.