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42P01: relation does not exist

Why Postgres says a table doesn't exist when you can see it, and how to fix it on SupaHost. Covers the wrong database, search_path, schema-qualified names and mixed-case names.

What you see

ERROR:  42P01: relation "recipes" does not exist
LINE 1: select * from recipes

You see this in Studio's SQL editor, in psql, in a migration, or inside a database function or trigger. When a function you call through the Data API (supabase.rpc()) hits it, the API returns HTTP 404 with "code": "42P01". When supabase.from('recipes') names a table the API doesn't know, you get PGRST205 ("Could not find the table ... in the schema cache") instead. That case is covered in PostgREST not seeing new tables.

Why it happens

Postgres looks up an unqualified name like recipes in the schemas on the current search_path, inside the database you're connected to. The error means none of them has a table by that exact name. The usual causes:

  • You're in the wrong database. Each SupaHost project is its own database on the instance's Postgres server.
  • The schema isn't on the search path. This is common in functions declared with set search_path = '', and in triggers on auth.users, which run as supabase_auth_admin and don't search public.
  • The name has capitals. A table created as "Recipes" must be quoted forever. Unquoted names are folded to lower case.
  • The table was never created. The migration that makes it failed or rolled back, or it ran on a different project or branch.

How to fix it

  1. Check where your session is:

    select current_database(), current_user, current_setting('search_path');

  2. Find the table, whatever its schema or case:

    select n.nspname as schema, c.relname as name, c.relkind as kind
from pg_class c
join pg_namespace n on n.oid = c.relnamespace
where c.relname ilike '%recipe%';

  3. If it's in another schema, qualify the name: select * from public.recipes;. In functions with an empty search path, qualify every table, view and function:

    create or replace function public.recipe_count(p_author uuid)
returns bigint
language sql
stable
set search_path = ''
as $$
  select count(*) from public.recipes where author_id = p_author;
$$;

  4. If the name has capitals, quote it (select * from "Recipes";) or rename it to snake_case. See camelCase table or column names not working.

  5. If the table really is missing, re-run the migration that creates it and check the result for errors.

On SupaHost

  • Project databases are named p_ plus the project name with hyphens turned into underscores. Project app-one lives in p_app_one. If your tunnel connection string ends in /postgres, you're in the instance's own postgres database, which holds none of your tables. Copy the string from Dashboard → your project → Connect tab → Database → Show connection string.
  • Studio is opened per project, so the SQL editor always points at that project's database. Check the project name in the URL if you have several open.
  • The MCP get_advisors tool flags functions with a mutable search path (function_search_path_mutable). The fix is set search_path = '', but after that every name inside the function must be schema-qualified, or you get this error.
  • A sign-up trigger that inserts into profiles without public. fails like this. Supabase Auth then reports Database error saving new user.

Updated 11 November 2026 · View as Markdown · Something wrong or missing? Tell us