Unexpected NULL `table_name` for schema `{}` in publication

Error message

Unexpected NULL `table_name` for schema `{}` in publication `{}`. This should never happen unless PostgreSQL internals are corrupted.

What it means

Same catalog-integrity guard as its sibling: when reading publication relations, a NULL table_name for a known schema inside a publication is treated as impossible in a healthy PostgreSQL and aborts with this error naming the schema and publication.

Source

Thrown at backend/windmill-trigger-postgres/src/handler.rs:942

    let mut table_to_track: HashMap<String, Relations> = HashMap::new();

    for row in rows {
        let schema_name: Option<String> = row.get("schema_name");
        let table_name: Option<String> = row.get("table_name");
        let columns: Option<Vec<String>> = row.get("columns");
        let where_clause: Option<String> = row.get("where_clause");

        let schema_name = schema_name.ok_or_else::<Error, _>(|| {
            anyhow::anyhow!(
                "Unexpected NULL `schema_name` in publication entry (pubname: `{}`). This should never happen unless PostgreSQL internals are corrupted.",
                publication_name,
            )
            .into()
        })?;

        let table_name = table_name.ok_or_else::<Error, _>(|| {
            anyhow::anyhow!(
                "Unexpected NULL `table_name` for schema `{}` in publication `{}`. This should never happen unless PostgreSQL internals are corrupted.",
                schema_name,
                publication_name,
            )
            .into()
        })?;

        let entry = table_to_track.entry(schema_name.clone());
        let table_to_track_item = TableToTrack::new(table_name, where_clause, columns);

        match entry {
            std::collections::hash_map::Entry::Occupied(mut occupied) => {
                occupied.get_mut().add_new_table(table_to_track_item);
            }
            std::collections::hash_map::Entry::Vacant(vacant) => {
                vacant.insert(Relations::new(schema_name, vec![table_to_track_item]));
            }
        }

View on GitHub (pinned to e474e8803c)

Solutions

Inspect pg_publication_tables directly on the server to confirm what the catalog really contains
Restore catalog integrity (clean backup restore or recovery via support channels)
Test against vanilla PostgreSQL of a supported version to rule out shim/proxy interference
Drop and recreate the publication if only its metadata is corrupted
File a Windmill issue with Postgres version and query output if it reproduces on a healthy DB

Defensive patterns

Strategy: try-catch

Validate before calling

-- detect NULL table names in the publication before use
SELECT pubname, schemaname, tablename
FROM pg_publication_tables
WHERE pubname = 'my_publication' AND tablename IS NULL;
-- must return zero rows

Try / catch

if let Err(e) = get_publication_info(...).await {
    if e.to_string().contains("Unexpected NULL `table_name`") {
        // recreate the publication metadata instead of retrying
        sqlx::query("DROP PUBLICATION my_publication").execute(&mut *tx).await?;
        sqlx::query("CREATE PUBLICATION my_publication FOR TABLE ...").execute(&mut *tx).await?;
    }
    return Err(e.into());
}

Prevention

Recreate the publication if its metadata rows look NULL/corrupt
Compare behavior on vanilla PostgreSQL to rule out server shims
Check the publication after major Postgres version upgrades
Pin to Postgres versions in Windmill's supported matrix

When it happens

Trigger: The publication-info query returns a row where table_name is NULL for the given schema in publication {pubname} — indicating corrupted pg catalog data or a non-standard server answering the query.

Common situations: Corrupted system catalogs after failed upgrades/restores; third-party Postgres-compatible servers (proxies, shims) returning NULL columns; version mismatches between the driver's query assumptions and the server.

Related errors

AI-assisted analysis of windmill-labs/windmill@e474e8803c (2026-09-03). Data as JSON: /api/errors/e8a9587077601491. Report an issue: GitHub.