Thread

1. Issue during partition drop

   veem v <veema0000@gmail.com> — 2026-04-30T02:37:21Z

   Hi,
   We have the Aurora Postgres database. And for a table with PK-FK
   relationships, we have been running into issues while dropping partitions
   using partman. We have planned to detach and drop the partitions but end up
   with the below error , so wanted to understand, if this is expected
   behaviour and how to handle it?
   
   ERROR:  cannot drop table <table_name>_p20250202 because other objects
   depend on it
   CONTEXT: SQL statement "DROP TABLE <table_name>_p20250202"
   PL/pgSQL function
   drop_partition_time(text,interval,boolean,boolean,text,timestamp with time
   zone) line 250 at EXECUTE
   PL/pgSQL function partman.run_maintenance(text,boolean,boolean) line 336 at
   assignment
   DETAIL: constraint <constraint_name>_fkey on table <table_name> depends on
   table <table_name>_p20250202
   
   Regards
   Veem
   

2. Re: Issue during partition drop

   Ron Johnson <ronljohnsonjr@gmail.com> — 2026-04-30T03:39:03Z

   On Wed, Apr 29, 2026 at 10:37 PM veem v <veema0000@gmail.com> wrote:
   
   > Hi,
   > We have the Aurora Postgres database. And for a table with PK-FK
   > relationships, we have been running into issues while dropping partitions
   > using partman. We have planned to detach and drop the partitions but end up
   > with the below error , so wanted to understand, if this is expected
   > behaviour
   >
   
   Absolutely.
   
   
   > and how to handle it?
   >
   > ERROR:  cannot drop table <table_name>_p20250202 because other objects
   > depend on it
   > CONTEXT: SQL statement "DROP TABLE <table_name>_p20250202"
   > PL/pgSQL function
   > drop_partition_time(text,interval,boolean,boolean,text,timestamp with time
   > zone) line 250 at EXECUTE
   > PL/pgSQL function partman.run_maintenance(text,boolean,boolean) line 336
   > at assignment
   > DETAIL: constraint <constraint_name>_fkey on table <table_name> depends on
   > table <table_name>_p20250202
   >
   
   Whoever designed your database determined that "orphaned child" records are
   a bad thing.  <constraint_name>_fkey ensures that every "child" record has
   a "parent" record.
   
   If PG allows you to drop <table_name>_p20250202, then there will be
   "orphaned children" in your database, but the FK means you don't want
   orphaned children.
   
   In order to drop <table_name>_p20250202, you must first "dispose of" (aka
   DELETE) the child records that depend on records in
   <table_name>_p20250202.  If <constraint_name>_fkey points to a table that
   is partitioned the same way that <table_name>_p20250202 is partitioned,
   then *maybe* you can DETACH and then DROP that table full of child records.
   
   Only then can you drop <table_name>_p20250202.
   
   -- 
   Death to <Redacted>, and butter sauce.
   Don't boil me, I'm still alive.
   <Redacted> lobster!