Thread

BUG #19111: Using EXPLAIN ANALYZE with MERGE causes failed assert

PG Bug reporting form <noreply@postgresql.org> — 2025-11-13T10:04:08Z

The following bug has been logged on the website:

Bug reference:      19111
Logged by:          Oleg Tselebrovskiy
Email address:      o.tselebrovskiy@postgrespro.ru
PostgreSQL version: 17.6
Operating system:   Ubuntu 22.04
Description:        

On PostgreSQL 17+ if you do the following:

-- first psql
  CREATE TABLE target (key int primary key, val text);
  INSERT INTO target VALUES (1, 'setup1');
  CREATE TABLE pa_target (key integer, val text)
   PARTITION BY LIST (key);
  CREATE TABLE part1 (key integer, val text);
  CREATE TABLE part2 (val text, key integer);
  CREATE TABLE part3 (key integer, val text);
  ALTER TABLE pa_target ATTACH PARTITION part1 FOR VALUES IN (1,4);
  ALTER TABLE pa_target ATTACH PARTITION part2 FOR VALUES IN (2,5,6);
  ALTER TABLE pa_target ATTACH PARTITION part3 DEFAULT;
  INSERT INTO pa_target VALUES (1, 'initial');
  INSERT INTO pa_target VALUES (2, 'initial');
  
  BEGIN ISOLATION LEVEL READ COMMITTED;
  MERGE INTO target t
  USING (SELECT 1 as key, 'merge1' as val) s
  ON s.key = t.key
  WHEN NOT MATCHED THEN
  INSERT VALUES (s.key, s.val)
  WHEN MATCHED THEN
  UPDATE set key = t.key + 1, val = t.val || ' updated by ' || s.val;

-- second psql

    BEGIN ISOLATION LEVEL READ COMMITTED;
    EXPLAIN ANALYZE MERGE INTO target t
    USING (SELECT 1 as key, 'merge2a' as val) s
    ON s.key = t.key
    WHEN NOT MATCHED THEN
        INSERT VALUES (s.key, s.val)
    WHEN MATCHED THEN
        UPDATE set key = t.key + 1, val = t.val || ' updated by ' || s.val
    WHEN NOT MATCHED BY SOURCE THEN
        UPDATE set key = t.key + 1, val = t.val || ' source not matched by
merge2a'
    RETURNING merge_action(), t.*;

-- first psql again

  COMMIT;

Then the backend for the second psql crashes. With asserts turned on:

TRAP: failed Assert("skipped_path >= 0"), File: "explain.c", Line: 4732,
PID: 66557
postgres: postgres postgres [local]
EXPLAIN(ExceptionalCondition+0xbb)[0x5cd80c4ea887]
postgres: postgres postgres [local] EXPLAIN(+0x34feb6)[0x5cd80bf13eb6]
postgres: postgres postgres [local] EXPLAIN(+0x349ceb)[0x5cd80bf0dceb]
postgres: postgres postgres [local]
EXPLAIN(ExplainPrintPlan+0x1f5)[0x5cd80bf09804]
postgres: postgres postgres [local]
EXPLAIN(ExplainOnePlan+0x43f)[0x5cd80bf0907d]
postgres: postgres postgres [local]
EXPLAIN(standard_ExplainOneQuery+0x30f)[0x5cd80bf08845]
postgres: postgres postgres [local] EXPLAIN(+0x344530)[0x5cd80bf08530]
postgres: postgres postgres [local]
EXPLAIN(ExplainQuery+0x15e)[0x5cd80bf08198]
postgres: postgres postgres [local]
EXPLAIN(standard_ProcessUtility+0xa8a)[0x5cd80c2ec462]
postgres: postgres postgres [local]
EXPLAIN(ProcessUtility+0x13a)[0x5cd80c2eb9d1]
postgres: postgres postgres [local] EXPLAIN(+0x72628a)[0x5cd80c2ea28a]
postgres: postgres postgres [local] EXPLAIN(+0x725fc7)[0x5cd80c2e9fc7]
postgres: postgres postgres [local] EXPLAIN(PortalRun+0x249)[0x5cd80c2e9890]
postgres: postgres postgres [local] EXPLAIN(+0x71e04c)[0x5cd80c2e204c]
postgres: postgres postgres [local]
EXPLAIN(PostgresMain+0xb43)[0x5cd80c2e7843]
postgres: postgres postgres [local] EXPLAIN(+0x719525)[0x5cd80c2dd525]
postgres: postgres postgres [local]
EXPLAIN(postmaster_child_launch+0x174)[0x5cd80c1d8676]
postgres: postgres postgres [local] EXPLAIN(+0x61b1d7)[0x5cd80c1df1d7]
postgres: postgres postgres [local] EXPLAIN(+0x6186cd)[0x5cd80c1dc6cd]
postgres: postgres postgres [local]
EXPLAIN(PostmasterMain+0x159e)[0x5cd80c1dbf97]
postgres: postgres postgres [local] EXPLAIN(main+0x38c)[0x5cd80c072cca]
/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libc.so.6(+0x29d90)[0x77c287829d90]
/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libc.so.6(__libc_start_main+0x80)[0x77c287829e40]
postgres: postgres postgres [local] EXPLAIN(_start+0x25)[0x5cd80bcaa2c5]