prestodb/presto · error · UnknownTableTypeException

Not a Hive table:

Error message

Not a Hive table: 

What it means

getTableMetadata throws UnknownTableTypeException (message "Not a Hive table: ...") when the metastore table is detected as an Iceberg or Delta Lake table, since those must be accessed through their own connectors. A missing table or virtual view throws TableNotFoundException instead.

Source

Thrown at presto-hive/src/main/java/com/facebook/presto/hive/HiveMetadata.java:703

        Optional<Table> table = metastore.getTable(metastoreContext, hiveTableHandle);
        return getTableMetadata(table, hiveTableHandle.getSchemaTableName(), metastoreContext, session);
    }

    private ConnectorTableMetadata getTableMetadata(ConnectorSession session, SchemaTableName tableName)
    {
        MetastoreContext metastoreContext = getMetastoreContext(session);
        Optional<Table> table = metastore.getTable(metastoreContext, tableName.getSchemaName(), tableName.getTableName());
        return getTableMetadata(table, tableName, metastoreContext, session);
    }

    private ConnectorTableMetadata getTableMetadata(Optional<Table> table, SchemaTableName tableName, MetastoreContext metastoreContext, ConnectorSession session)
    {
        if (!table.isPresent() || table.get().getTableType().equals(VIRTUAL_VIEW)) {
            throw new TableNotFoundException(tableName);
        }

        if (isIcebergTable(table.get()) || isDeltaLakeTable(table.get())) {
            throw new UnknownTableTypeException("Not a Hive table: " + tableName);
        }

        List<TableConstraint<String>> tableConstraints = metastore.getTableConstraints(metastoreContext, tableName.getSchemaName(), tableName.getTableName());
        List<String> notNullColumns = tableConstraints.stream()
                .filter(NotNullConstraint.class::isInstance)
                .map(constraint -> constraint.getColumns().stream()
                        .findFirst()
                        .orElseThrow(() -> new PrestoException(HIVE_METASTORE_ERROR, format("NOT NULL constraint found with no column in table %s", tableName.getTableName()))))
                .collect(toImmutableList());
        Function<HiveColumnHandle, ColumnMetadata> metadataGetter = columnMetadataGetter(table.get(), typeManager, metastoreContext.getColumnConverter(), notNullColumns);
        ImmutableList.Builder<ColumnMetadata> columns = ImmutableList.builder();
        Map<String, ColumnHandle> columnNameToHandleAssignments = new HashMap<>();
        for (HiveColumnHandle columnHandle : hiveColumnHandles(table.get())) {
            columns.add(metadataGetter.apply(columnHandle));
            columnNameToHandleAssignments.put(columnHandle.getName(), columnHandle);
        }

        // External location property

View on GitHub (pinned to 55bb57d202)

Solutions

1. Register and query the table through the Iceberg or Delta Lake connector/catalog instead
2. Verify the table's format (input/output format properties) and recreate as a true Hive table if Hive access is required
3. Check your catalog configuration in etc/catalog/*.properties to route the table to the correct connector

Example fix

-- before: querying iceberg table via hive catalog
SELECT * FROM hive.default.iceberg_tbl;
-- after
SELECT * FROM iceberg.default.iceberg_tbl;

Table t = metastore.getTable(...);
if (t == null || VIRTUAL_VIEW.equals(t.getTableType())) {
    throw new IllegalStateException("table missing or is a view");
}
if (isIcebergTable(t) || isDeltaLakeTable(t)) {
    throw new IllegalStateException("Use the iceberg/delta catalog for " + tableName);
}

try {
    // hive catalog query
} catch (UnknownTableTypeException e) {
    // retry against iceberg/delta catalog
}

When it happens

Trigger: Querying or resolving metadata for a table that exists in the metastore but was created as an Iceberg or Delta Lake table while connected through the Hive connector.

Common situations: Catalog misconfiguration (pointing the Hive connector at Iceberg/Delta tables); after migrating a table's format without updating the catalog; environments where table format is mixed within one metastore database.

Related errors

• Not an Iceberg table: ${getSchemaTableName()}
• Expected all parameters to be named type, but got %s
• NOT_FOUND
• GENERIC_INTERNAL_ERROR
• HIVE_INVALID_ENCRYPTION_METADATA

AI-assisted analysis of prestodb/presto@55bb57d202 (2026-09-04). Data as JSON: /api/errors/1a171ae45643f99e. Report an issue: GitHub.