# Stack is in ROLLBACK_COMPLETE state and can not be updated

**Code:** `ROLLBACK_COMPLETE` · **Category:** AWS · **Seen on:** AWS

The stack’s first creation failed and rolled back; a stack in ROLLBACK_COMPLETE can only be deleted, not updated.

## Meaning

When a new stack fails to create, CloudFormation deletes what it made and leaves the empty stack in ROLLBACK_COMPLETE. You must delete it and create again — after fixing the original failure, which is in the stack events.

## Common causes

- Initial stack creation failed (permissions, name conflicts, invalid properties)
- Re-running deploy against the failed stack

## Quick fix

1. Find the first CREATE_FAILED event for the real reason
2. Delete the stack, fix, deploy again
3. SAM/CDK: deploy will work after deletion

## Detailed fix by platform

### AWS CLI

1. 

```bash
aws cloudformation describe-stack-events --stack-name app --query "StackEvents[?ResourceStatus=='CREATE_FAILED'].[LogicalResourceId,ResourceStatusReason]" --output table
aws cloudformation delete-stack --stack-name app
```


## How to diagnose

1. **Events** — First CREATE_FAILED reason
2. **Status** — describe-stacks

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Source: [WhatIsMyError](https://whatismyerror.com/errors/aws/cloudformation-rollback-complete)