What causes "Object not in prerequisite state"?

Calling currval() before nextval() has been executed on that sequence in the current session (most common) Using lastval() when no sequence operation has occurred in the session PDO or ORMs attempting lastInsertId() without a prior INSERT statement generating the ID

Is the "Object not in prerequisite state" error serious?

It is a medium-severity error — more of a blocker than a risk. The steps above resolve it.

How to fix Object not in prerequisite state in PostgreSQL

PostgreSQLINTERMEDIATEMEDIUMUpdated Dec 28, 2025· 177 views

This error occurs when PostgreSQL detects an operation targeting an object (sequence, constraint, index) that is not in the correct state. Most commonly appears when calling currval() or lastval() on a sequence before nextval() has been executed in the current session.

Quick fix

Fixes Object not in prerequisite state

INSERT INTO users (name, email) 
VALUES ($1, $2) 
RETURNING id;

Check your INSERT statement uses RETURNING clause
If using currval(), ensure nextval() was called first
For PDO/PHP frameworks, pass sequence name to lastInsertId()
For CREATE INDEX CONCURRENTLY, run outside transactions

postgresql — error

$INSERT INTO users (name, email) 
VALUES ($1, $2) 
RETURNING id;
Object not in prerequisite state

What this error means

PostgreSQL raises the "Object not in prerequisite state" error (SQLSTATE 55000) when you attempt an operation on a database object that does not meet the necessary prerequisites for that operation. The most common cause is calling currval() or lastval() before the sequence has been initialized with nextval(). However, this error can also occur with constraints that are not deferrable, concurrent index operations within transactions, or materialized view refreshes with the CONCURRENTLY option inside a transaction block.

Typical symptoms

PDO or ORM operations fail with "SQLSTATE[55000]" error
lastval() or currval() calls fail with "not yet defined in this session" message
INSERT statements with lastInsertId() fail in some frameworks like PDO
CREATE INDEX CONCURRENTLY fails with this error
REFRESH MATERIALIZED VIEW CONCURRENTLY fails inside a transaction

Common causes

Calling currval() before nextval() has been executed on that sequence in the current session (most common)
Using lastval() when no sequence operation has occurred in the session
PDO or ORMs attempting lastInsertId() without a prior INSERT statement generating the ID
Running CREATE INDEX CONCURRENTLY within a transaction block
Executing REFRESH MATERIALIZED VIEW CONCURRENTLY inside a transaction
Setting constraints to DEFERRED when they are marked as NOT DEFERRABLE
Framework bugs in Doctrine, Drupal, Phalcon, or other ORMs with auto-increment handling

How to fix "Object not in prerequisite state"

1Check your INSERT statement uses RETURNING clause

The safest and most direct approach is to use INSERT ... RETURNING to get the generated ID directly from the INSERT statement, rather than relying on currval() or lastval():

sql

INSERT INTO users (name, email) 
VALUES ($1, $2) 
RETURNING id;

This approach works in all contexts and avoids the sequence state issue entirely.

2If using currval(), ensure nextval() was called first

If you must use currval() to retrieve a sequence value, you must call nextval() first in the same session:

sql

SELECT nextval('users_id_seq');
SELECT currval('users_id_seq');

Note: This is rarely necessary if you use INSERT ... RETURNING instead.

3For PDO/PHP frameworks, pass sequence name to lastInsertId()

If using PDO with PostgreSQL, pass the sequence name to lastInsertId():

php

$pdo->lastInsertId('table_id_seq');

However, this still relies on currval() internally. Switching to RETURNING is more reliable.

4For CREATE INDEX CONCURRENTLY, run outside transactions

CREATE INDEX CONCURRENTLY must run outside a transaction block:

sql

-- WRONG: Inside transaction
BEGIN;
CREATE INDEX CONCURRENTLY idx_users_email ON users(email);
COMMIT;

-- CORRECT: Top-level statement
CREATE INDEX CONCURRENTLY idx_users_email ON users(email);

5For REFRESH MATERIALIZED VIEW, omit CONCURRENTLY or run separately

If you need to refresh a materialized view, either:

1. Omit CONCURRENTLY if inside a transaction:

sql

BEGIN;
REFRESH MATERIALIZED VIEW my_view;
COMMIT;

2. Or run CONCURRENTLY at top-level:

sql

REFRESH MATERIALIZED VIEW CONCURRENTLY my_view;

6For ORM issues, upgrade or switch to INSERT ... RETURNING

If your framework (Doctrine, Drupal, Phalcon, etc.) is generating the error:

1. Check for a newer version that uses INSERT ... RETURNING
2. Disable auto-increment ID retrieval in the ORM config
3. Use raw SQL with RETURNING instead of the ORM's lastInsertId() method

Many modern ORMs have fixed this issue in recent versions.

Advanced notes

Session Scope: The currval() and lastval() functions are session-scoped. Each database connection has its own sequence state. This is why the error occurs when trying to retrieve a value that was never generated in the current session. Concurrent Operations: CREATE INDEX CONCURRENTLY and REFRESH MATERIALIZED VIEW CONCURRENTLY cannot run inside explicit transactions because they need to commit and allow concurrent table access. Always run these at the top level. Replication and Logical Decoding: This error can also occur in replication contexts when a replica tries to apply changes before all prerequisites are met. Ensure all dependencies are replicated before applying dependent operations.

Frequently asked questions

What does "Object not in prerequisite state" mean?: PostgreSQL raises the "Object not in prerequisite state" error (SQLSTATE 55000) when you attempt an operation on a database object that does not meet the necessary prerequisites for that operation. The most common cause is calling currval() or lastval() before the sequence has been initialized with nextval(). However, this error can also occur with constraints that are not deferrable, concurrent index operations within transactions, or materialized view refreshes with the CONCURRENTLY option inside a transaction block.
How do I fix "Object not in prerequisite state"?: This error occurs when PostgreSQL detects an operation targeting an object (sequence, constraint, index) that is not in the correct state. Most commonly appears when calling currval() or lastval() on a sequence before nextval() has been executed in the current session.
What causes "Object not in prerequisite state"?: Calling currval() before nextval() has been executed on that sequence in the current session (most common) Using lastval() when no sequence operation has occurred in the session PDO or ORMs attempting lastInsertId() without a prior INSERT statement generating the ID
Is the "Object not in prerequisite state" error serious?: It is a medium-severity error — more of a blocker than a risk. The steps above resolve it.