Deadlock SQL Origin: Data Last updated 13 Oct 2026

Deadlock found when trying to get lock; try restarting transaction

Two transactions waited on each other’s locks; the database killed one so the other could continue.

Exact message you may see Deadlock found when trying to get lockdeadlock detectedTransaction was deadlocked
Explore the map of this error Full error map →
Seen on: MySQL PostgreSQL

Meaning

Deadlocks are normal in busy OLTP systems. The database picks a victim and rolls it back (MySQL 1213, PostgreSQL 40P01, SQL Server 1205). Applications should retry the victim transaction — and reduce how often it happens.

Common causes

  • Transactions updating the same rows in different orders
  • Long transactions holding locks
  • Missing indexes causing range/gap locks on many rows
  • Bulk updates competing with OLTP writes

⚡ Quick fix

  1. Retry the transaction (with small backoff) on deadlock errors
  2. Access tables/rows in a consistent order
  3. Keep transactions short
  4. Add indexes so updates lock fewer rows

Detailed fix by platform

MySQL

  1. SHOW ENGINE INNODB STATUS\G → LATEST DETECTED DEADLOCK shows both queries.

PostgreSQL

  1. Enable log_lock_waits and check the server log for the deadlock detail.

How to diagnose

  1. Queries — Which two statements deadlocked?
  2. Order — Do they lock rows in different orders?
  3. Indexes — Are WHERE clauses indexed?

🔧 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):

1062 — MySQL ERROR 1062 (23000): Duplicate entry for key (MySQL)10621213 — MySQL ERROR 1213 (40001): Deadlock found when trying to get lock; try restarting transaction (MySQL)12132006 — MySQL ERROR 2006 (HY000): MySQL server has gone away (MySQL)200625P02 — ERROR: current transaction is aborted, commands ignored until end of transaction block (PostgreSQL)25P0240001 — ERROR: could not serialize access due to concurrent update (PostgreSQL)40001Error acquiring the state lock — Terraform: Error: Error acquiring the state lock — ConditionalCheckFailedException / state blob is already locked (Terraform)Error acquiring the s…Lock wait timeout — Lock wait timeout exceeded; try restarting transaction (MySQL 1205) (SQL)Lock wait timeoutORA-00054 — ORA-00054: resource busy and acquire with NOWAIT specified or timeout expired (SQL)ORA-00054Deadlock

Explore the map of this error Full error map →

🧠 Still stuck? Analyze your error

Paste the full message, response headers or stack trace — we'll detect the platform and point to the most likely cause.

💬 What worked for others

No tips yet — did something else fix this for you?

Share what worked for you

Tips are checked by an editor before they appear. Links are removed.