extension not available PostgreSQL Origin: Data Last updated 12 Oct 2026

ERROR: could not open extension control file ".../postgis.control": No such file or directory

CREATE EXTENSION failed because the extension’s files aren’t installed on the server.

Exact message you may see could not open extension control fileextension is not available
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Seen on: PostgreSQL

Meaning

Extensions like postgis, pgvector or timescaledb need OS packages (or a Docker image that includes them). Managed services only support a listed set.

Common causes

  • Extension package not installed for this PostgreSQL version
  • Plain postgres Docker image without the extension
  • Managed service doesn’t support it

⚡ Quick fix

  1. Install the package (apt install postgresql-16-postgis-3 / postgresql-16-pgvector)
  2. Use an image with the extension (postgis/postgis, pgvector/pgvector)
  3. Check the provider’s supported extensions

Detailed fix by platform

Docker

  1. image: pgvector/pgvector:pg16

How to diagnose

  1. Package — Installed for this major version?
  2. Recent change — Did it start after a deploy, upgrade, or configuration change? Compare with the last working version.

🔧 Still not fixed?

Many errors look alike. If the steps above didn’t solve it, one of these is probably what you’re facing:

Where this error sits

Origin: Data. Errors that are often confused with or caused by this one (click to open):

42883 function — ERROR: function x(text) does not exist — No function matches the given name and argument types (PostgreSQL)42883 functionCall to undefined function — PHP Fatal error: Uncaught Error: Call to undefined function (PHP)Call to undefined fun…could not find driver — PDOException: could not find driver (PHP)could not find drivercreate extension denied — ERROR: permission denied to create extension "x" — Must be superuser to create this extension. (PostgreSQL)create extension deni…GD missing — Fatal error: Uncaught Error: Call to undefined function imagecreatefromjpeg() (PHP)GD missingintl missing — Class "NumberFormatter" not found / The "intl" PHP extension is required (PHP)intl missingITMS-90206 — ITMS-90206: Invalid Bundle. The bundle at 'App.appex' contains disallowed file 'Frameworks' (iOS)ITMS-90206extension…

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