sequelize/sequelize · error · Error

Using LIMIT in bulkDeleteQuery requires specifying a model o

Error message

Using LIMIT in bulkDeleteQuery requires specifying a model or model definition.

What it means

Error "Using LIMIT in bulkDeleteQuery requires specifying a model or model definition." thrown in sequelize/sequelize.

Source

Thrown at packages/core/src/abstract-dialect/query-generator-typescript.ts:952

  }

  tableExistsQuery(tableName: TableOrModel): string {
    const table = this.extractTableDetails(tableName);

    return `SELECT TABLE_NAME FROM INFORMATION_SCHEMA.TABLES WHERE TABLE_TYPE = 'BASE TABLE' AND TABLE_NAME = ${this.escape(table.tableName)} AND TABLE_SCHEMA = ${this.escape(table.schema)}`;
  }

  bulkDeleteQuery(tableOrModel: TableOrModel, options: BulkDeleteQueryOptions): string {
    const table = this.quoteTable(tableOrModel);
    const modelDefinition = extractModelDefinition(tableOrModel);
    const whereOptions = { ...options, model: modelDefinition };
    const whereFragment = whereOptions.where
      ? this.whereQuery(whereOptions.where, whereOptions)
      : '';

    if (whereOptions.limit && !this.dialect.supports.delete.limit) {
      if (!modelDefinition) {
        throw new Error(
          'Using LIMIT in bulkDeleteQuery requires specifying a model or model definition.',
        );
      }

      const pks = join(
        map(modelDefinition.primaryKeysAttributeNames.values(), attrName =>
          this.quoteIdentifier(modelDefinition.getColumnName(attrName)),
        ),
        ', ',
      );

      const primaryKeys = modelDefinition.primaryKeysAttributeNames.size > 1 ? `(${pks})` : pks;

      return joinSQLFragments([
        `DELETE FROM ${table} WHERE ${primaryKeys} IN (`,
        `SELECT ${pks} FROM ${table}`,
        whereFragment,
        `ORDER BY ${pks}`,

View on GitHub (pinned to 7e1deec499)

Solutions

1. Pass the model (or model definition) in options when calling bulkDelete with a limit, so Sequelize can generate the LIMIT subquery correctly.
2. Remove the limit option if you intend to delete all matching rows.

Example fix

await MyModel.destroy({ where: { status: 'old' }, limit: 100 });

When it happens

Trigger: Calling QueryGenerator#bulkDeleteQuery (or Model.destroy) with a limit but without a model to derive the primary key from.

Common situations: Low-level queryInterface.bulkDelete calls that specify limit without a model.

AI-assisted analysis of sequelize/sequelize@7e1deec499 (2026-08-03). Data as JSON: /data/errors/296300d3cbb9fc2a.json. Report an issue: GitHub.