# Troubleshooting (Prisma ORM v6) (/docs/orm/v6/prisma-migrate/workflows/troubleshooting)

Troubleshooting issues with Prisma Migrate in a development environment.

Location: ORM > v6 > Prisma Migrate > Workflows > Troubleshooting

This guide describes how to resolve issues with Prisma Migrate in a development environment, which often involves resetting your database. For production-focused troubleshooting, see:

- [Production troubleshooting](/guides/prisma-migrate-v6-workflows-patching-and-hotfixing)
- [Patching / hotfixing production databases](/guides/prisma-migrate-v6-workflows-patching-and-hotfixing)

> \[!WARNING]
> This guide **does not apply for MongoDB**.

> Instead of `migrate dev`, [`db push`](/guides/prisma-migrate-v6-workflows-prototyping-your-schema) is used for [MongoDB](/guides/core-concepts-v6-overview-databases-mongodb).

## Handling migration history conflicts

A migration history conflict occurs when there are discrepancies between the \*_migrations folder in the file system_\* and the **`_prisma_migrations` table in the database**.

#### Causes of migration history conflict in a development environment

- A migration that has already been applied is later modified
- A migration that has already been applied is missing from the file system

In a development environment, switching between feature branches can result in a history conflict because the `_prisma_migrations` table contains migrations from `branch-1`, and switching to `branch-2` might cause some of those migrations to disappear.

> **Note**: You should [never purposefully delete or edit a migration](/guides/prisma-migrate-v6-understanding-prisma-migrate-migration-histories#do-not-edit-or-delete-migrations-that-have-been-applied), as this might result in discrepancies between development and production.

#### Fixing a migration history conflict in a development environment

If Prisma Migrate detects a migration history conflict when you run `prisma migrate dev`, the CLI will ask to reset the database and reapply the migration history.

## Schema drift

Database schema drift occurs when your database schema is out of sync with your migration history - the database schema has 'drifted away' from the source of truth.

#### Causes of schema drift in a development environment

Schema drift can occur if:

- The database schema was changed _without_ using migrations - for example, by using [`prisma db push`](/guides/reference-6-v6-reference-prisma-cli-reference#db-push) or manually changing the database schema.

> **Note**: The [shadow database](/guides/prisma-migrate-v6-understanding-prisma-migrate-shadow-database) is required to detect schema drift, and can therefore only be done in a development environment.

#### Fixing schema drift in a development environment

If you made manual changes to the database that you do not want to keep, or can replicate in the Prisma schema:

1. Reset your database:

#### bun

```bash
bunx prisma migrate reset
```

#### pnpm

```bash
pnpm prisma migrate reset
```

#### yarn

```bash
yarn prisma migrate reset
```

#### npm

```bash
npx prisma migrate reset
```

2. Replicate the changes in the Prisma schema and generate a new migration:

#### bun

```bash
bunx prisma migrate dev
```

#### pnpm

```bash
pnpm prisma migrate dev
```

#### yarn

```bash
yarn prisma migrate dev
```

#### npm

```bash
npx prisma migrate dev
```

If you made manual changes to the database that you want to keep, you can:

1. Introspect the database:

#### bun

```bash
bunx prisma db pull
```

#### pnpm

```bash
pnpm prisma db pull
```

#### yarn

```bash
yarn prisma db pull
```

#### npm

```bash
npx prisma db pull
```

Prisma will update your schema with the changes made directly in the database.

2. Generate a new migration to include the introspected changes in your migration history:

#### bun

```bash
bunx prisma migrate dev --name introspected_change
```

#### pnpm

```bash
pnpm prisma migrate dev --name introspected_change
```

#### yarn

```bash
yarn prisma migrate dev --name introspected_change
```

#### npm

```bash
npx prisma migrate dev --name introspected_change
```

Prisma Migrate will prompt you to reset, then applies all existing migrations and a new migration based on the introspected changes. Your database and migration history are now in sync, including your manual changes.

## Failed migrations

#### Causes of failed migrations in a development environment

A migration might fail if:

- You [modify a migration before running it](/guides/prisma-migrate-v6-workflows-customizing-migrations) and introduce a syntax error
- You add a mandatory (`NOT NULL`) column to a table that already has data
- The migration process stopped unexpectedly
- The database shut down in the middle of the migration process

Each migration in the `_prisma_migrations` table has a `logs` column that stores the error.

#### Fixing failed migrations in a development environment

The most direct way to handle a failed migration in a development environment is to address the root cause and reset the database. For example:

- If you introduced a SQL syntax error by manually editing the database, update the `migration.sql` file that failed and reset the database:

  ```bash
  prisma migrate reset
  ```

- If you introduced a change in the Prisma schema that cannot be applied to a database with data (for example, a mandatory column in a table with data):
  1. Delete the `migration.sql` file.

  2. Modify the schema - for example, add a default value to the mandatory field.

  3. Migrate:

     ```bash
     prisma migrate dev
     ```

     Prisma Migrate will prompt you to reset the database and re-apply all migrations.

- If something interrupted the migration process, reset the database:

  ```bash
  prisma migrate reset
  ```

## Prisma Migrate and PgBouncer

You might see the following error if you attempt to run Prisma Migrate commands in an environment that uses PgBouncer for connection pooling:

```bash
Error: undefined: Database error
Error querying the database: db error: ERROR: prepared statement "s0" already exists
```

See [Prisma Migrate and PgBouncer workaround](/guides/prisma-client-v6-setup-and-configuration-databases-connections-pgbouncer) for further information and a workaround.

## Related pages

- [`Baselining a database`](/guides/prisma-migrate-v6-workflows-baselining): How to initialize a migration history for an existing database that contains important data.
- [`Customizing migrations`](/guides/prisma-migrate-v6-workflows-customizing-migrations): How to edit a migration file before applying it to avoid data loss in production.
- [`Data migrations`](/guides/prisma-migrate-v6-workflows-data-migration): How to migrate data using Prisma ORM with the expand and contract pattern.
- [`Development and production`](/guides/prisma-migrate-v6-workflows-development-and-production): Development and production
- [`Generating down migrations`](/guides/prisma-migrate-v6-workflows-generating-down-migrations): How to generate down migrations

## Related pages

- [Authentication & Tools](./authentication-tools-index.md)
- [Build](./build-index.md)
- [Changelog](../changelog.md)
- [Concepts](./concepts-index.md)
- [Console commands](./console-commands-index.md)
- [Contract Authoring](./contract-authoring-index.md)
- [Core Concepts](./core-concepts-index.md)
- [Data Modeling](./data-modeling-index.md)
- [Database](./database-index.md)
- [DB commands](./db-commands-index.md)

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