microsoft/semantic-kernel · error · VectorStoreOperationException

Database '{self.database_name}' does not exist.

Error message

Database '{self.database_name}' does not exist.

What it means

When the database does not exist and create_database is False (the default), _get_database_proxy refuses to auto-create it and raises VectorStoreInitializationException. This is a deliberate guard: the store will not silently provision a database unless told to.

Source

Thrown at python/semantic_kernel/connectors/azure_cosmos_db.py:642

        try:
            await self.cosmos_client.get_database_client(self.database_name).read()
            return True
        except CosmosResourceNotFoundError:
            return False
        except Exception as e:
            raise VectorStoreOperationException(
                f"Failed to check if database '{self.database_name}' exists, with message {e}"
            ) from e

    async def _get_database_proxy(self, **kwargs) -> DatabaseProxy:
        """Gets the database proxy."""
        try:
            if await self._does_database_exist():
                return self.cosmos_client.get_database_client(self.database_name)

            if self.create_database:
                return await self.cosmos_client.create_database(self.database_name, **kwargs)
            raise VectorStoreOperationException(f"Database '{self.database_name}' does not exist.")
        except Exception as e:
            raise VectorStoreOperationException(f"Failed to get database proxy for '{id}'.") from e

    async def _get_container_proxy(self, container_name: str, **kwargs) -> ContainerProxy:
        """Gets the container proxy."""
        try:
            database_proxy = await self._get_database_proxy(**kwargs)
            return database_proxy.get_container_client(container_name)
        except Exception as e:
            raise VectorStoreOperationException(f"Failed to get container proxy for '{container_name}'.") from e


# region: NoSQL Collection


@release_candidate
class CosmosNoSqlCollection(
    CosmosNoSqlBase,

View on GitHub (pinned to c028a0c7dc)

Solutions

1. Provision the database in the Azure portal/CLI/SDK before running.
2. Or construct the store with create_database=True to auto-create it.
3. Verify database_name spelling against what exists in the account.

Example fix

// before
store = CosmosNoSqlStore(url=url, key=key, database_name="mydb")
// after
store = CosmosNoSqlStore(url=url, key=key, database_name="mydb", create_database=True)

async def ensure_database(store):
    if not await store._does_database_exist():
        if not store.create_database:
            raise RuntimeError(f"Database '{store.database_name}' missing; pass create_database=True or provision it")

When it happens

Trigger: Raised in _get_database_proxy when _does_database_exist() returns False and self.create_database is falsy. Triggered the first time you access the store/collection against a database name that was never provisioned, with create_database not set.

Common situations: New deployment pointing at a fresh Cosmos account where the database hasn't been created. Typo in database_name. Migrating environments (dev -> prod) without provisioning. Forgetting to pass create_database=True during setup.

Related errors

• The collection name is required, can be passed directly or t
• Failed to create Azure CosmosDB for MongoDB settings.
• The name of the Azure Cosmos DB NoSQL database is missing.
• Distance function '{field.distance_function}' is not support
• Failed to validate Azure Cosmos DB NoSQL settings.

AI-assisted analysis of microsoft/semantic-kernel@c028a0c7dc (2026-08-13). Data as JSON: /api/errors/20c293c9298781c4. Report an issue: GitHub.