no_active_sql_transaction there is no transaction in progress — 25P01

Symptoms

A command that requires an open transaction (e.g. COMMIT, ROLLBACK, or ROLLBACK TO SAVEPOINT) was issued with no transaction in progress. PostgreSQL raises SQLSTATE 25P01 (no_active_sql_transaction). Often this appears as a warning for a stray COMMIT/ROLLBACK.

• A transaction-control command ran with no open transaction.
• Common with a stray COMMIT/ROLLBACK in autocommit mode.
• There is nothing to commit or roll back.

What the server log shows

WARNING:  there is no transaction in progress

Why PostgreSQL raises this — what the manual says

the COMMIT reference (Description):

“COMMIT commits the current transaction.”

Transaction-control statements operate on an active transaction. With none open (autocommit), there is nothing to act on, so PostgreSQL reports 25P01 (a warning for stray COMMIT/ROLLBACK; an error for statements that strictly require a transaction).

Common causes

• A stray COMMIT/ROLLBACK with no matching BEGIN.
• Double-committing a transaction.
• Autocommit mode where each statement already commits.

How to fix it

1. Pair transaction control with an explicit BEGIN.
2. Remove redundant COMMIT/ROLLBACK calls.
3. Track transaction state in the application to avoid stray controls.

Related & next steps

• SQLSTATE 25P01 — No Active SQL Transaction (full reference)
• Message: current transaction is aborted
• Glossary: Transaction

Reference: PostgreSQL 18 — COMMIT.