How to fix GlobalTableAlreadyExistsException: Global Table with this name already exists in DynamoDB

DynamoDBINTERMEDIATEMEDIUM

This error occurs when attempting to create a DynamoDB global table with a name that already exists in your AWS account. Global tables require unique names within the same AWS account and cannot be duplicated.

What this error means

The GlobalTableAlreadyExistsException is thrown by DynamoDB when you call the CreateGlobalTable API with a table name that has already been used for an existing global table. Global tables create replication relationships between two or more DynamoDB tables with the same table name across different AWS regions. Since global table names must be unique within your AWS account, attempting to create a second global table with the same name will fail. This error is specific to global tables and differs from regular table creation errors. It typically happens when infrastructure-as-code tools like CloudFormation, CDK, or Terraform attempt to create a global table that already exists, or when manual API calls are made without first checking for existing global tables. Note that AWS recommends using Global Tables version 2019.11.21 (Current) rather than the legacy 2017.11.29 version, as the current version provides greater flexibility, higher efficiency, and consumes less write capacity.

How to fix "GlobalTableAlreadyExistsException: Global Table with this name already exists"

1Check if the global table already exists

First, verify whether the global table exists in your AWS account. Use the AWS CLI to list all global tables:

bash

aws dynamodb list-global-tables --region us-east-1

Or check for a specific table:

bash

aws dynamodb describe-global-table --global-table-name YourTableName --region us-east-1

If the table exists and is the one you want to use, skip the creation step and reference the existing table instead.

2Update your infrastructure code to reference the existing table

If the global table already exists and meets your requirements, modify your infrastructure code to reference it instead of creating a new one.

For AWS CDK (TypeScript):

typescript

import * as dynamodb from 'aws-cdk-lib/aws-dynamodb';

// Reference existing global table instead of creating new one
const existingTable = dynamodb.TableV2.fromTableName(
  this,
  'ExistingGlobalTable',
  'YourTableName'
);

For CloudFormation, remove the AWS::DynamoDB::GlobalTable resource and use the table name directly in your application configuration.

3Delete the existing global table if you need to recreate it

If you need to recreate the global table with different settings, delete the existing one first. WARNING: This will delete all data in the table across all regions.

bash

# Delete the global table
aws dynamodb delete-table --table-name YourTableName --region us-east-1

After deletion, wait 2-5 minutes before attempting to recreate the table with the same name. DynamoDB needs time to fully clean up the table and its replicas across regions.

Verify deletion:

bash

aws dynamodb describe-table --table-name YourTableName --region us-east-1
# Should return ResourceNotFoundException when fully deleted

4Check for orphaned replicas in other regions

If you deleted a global table but still get this error, replicas may exist in other regions. Check all regions where the table had replicas:

bash

# Check each region where replicas existed
aws dynamodb describe-table --table-name YourTableName --region us-west-2
aws dynamodb describe-table --table-name YourTableName --region eu-west-1
aws dynamodb describe-table --table-name YourTableName --region ap-southeast-1

If orphaned replicas exist, delete them manually:

bash

aws dynamodb delete-table --table-name YourTableName --region us-west-2
aws dynamodb delete-table --table-name YourTableName --region eu-west-1

Wait a few minutes after deleting all replicas before attempting to recreate the global table.

5Use a different table name

If you cannot delete the existing global table (e.g., it's in use by production systems), choose a different name for your new global table.

Update your infrastructure code with the new name:

typescript

// CDK example
const globalTable = new dynamodb.TableV2(this, 'NewGlobalTable', {
  tableName: 'YourTableName-v2', // Different name
  partitionKey: { name: 'pk', type: dynamodb.AttributeType.STRING },
  replicas: [
    { region: 'us-west-2' },
    { region: 'eu-west-1' },
  ],
});

Remember to update your application code to use the new table name.

6Implement conditional table creation in your infrastructure code

To prevent future occurrences, add logic to check if the table exists before attempting creation.

For AWS CDK, use a custom resource:

typescript

import * as dynamodb from 'aws-cdk-lib/aws-dynamodb';
import * as cr from 'aws-cdk-lib/custom-resources';

// Check if table exists
const checkTable = new cr.AwsCustomResource(this, 'CheckTable', {
  onUpdate: {
    service: 'DynamoDB',
    action: 'describeTable',
    parameters: {
      TableName: 'YourTableName',
    },
    ignoreErrorCodesMatching: 'ResourceNotFoundException',
  },
  policy: cr.AwsCustomResourcePolicy.fromSdkCalls({
    resources: cr.AwsCustomResourcePolicy.ANY_RESOURCE,
  }),
});

// Create table only if it doesn't exist
const tableExists = checkTable.getResponseField('Table.TableName');

For Terraform, use data sources to check existence before creation.

How to fix GlobalTableAlreadyExistsException: Global Table with this name already exists in DynamoDB

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How to fix "GlobalTableAlreadyExistsException: Global Table with this name already exists"

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