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GoTrue Returns "Database Error Querying Schema" On Password Auth After Direct Psql Schema Application

A Supabase branch database fails all password authentication attempts with HTTP 500 and error "Database error querying schema" after the public schema was applied via direct psql. The main branch with identical auth schema and data works correctly. Root cause is likely missing privileges or incorrect ownership on auth schema objects (especially auth.schema_migrations) caused by direct psql operations, breaking GoTrue's startup schema introspection.

highConfidence 75%GoTrue

Origin Analysis

Direct psql operations (pg_dump --schema-only piped through psql, manual INSERTs) altered ownership or privileges of objects in the auth schema. The supabase_auth_admin role, used by GoTrue, lacks necessary SELECT privileges or ownership on critical auth tables such as auth.schema_migrations. This causes GoTrue's loadSchema() query to fail, wrapping the PostgreSQL error as "Database error querying schema" and preventing token issuance.

1. Create a Supabase branch from a project with existing auth users. 2. Apply the public schema to the branch via direct psql using pg_dump --schema-only output. 3. Import auth.users rows via INSERT statements (e.g., from CSV export). 4. Create corresponding auth.identities rows with provider='email'. 5. Send POST /auth/v1/token?grant_type=password with valid credentials. 6. Receive HTTP 500: {"code":"unexpected_failure","message":"Database error querying schema"}. 7. Restart the project from Dashboard; error persists.

Fixing Code Block

0x7F 45 4C 46 02 01 01 000x90 12 AB 04 C1 7E 33 08
0xA4 1C 90 3E 77 0B D2 580x11 F6 6A 2C 80 19 DE 44
0x00 00 00 00 03 00 3E 000x01 00 B7 4D 55 90 0C 61
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0xDE C0 DE 01 8B 45 FC 890xC7 5D 20 6F 91 03 E4 78
0x13 37 00 4F 9A 2D E1 700x08 B4 5C 22 71 D0 4A 16
0x48 8D 3D 22 01 00 00 E80x91 FF 0A 63 2E 57 B8 04
0x5A 91 C3 0E 44 70 1B 880x02 6F 39 C4 15 80 ED 27
0xFF 15 40 20 60 00 48 890xC3 90 7A 01 4C 28 B1 56
0x0F 1F 44 00 00 55 48 890xE5 C3 18 6D 92 0B 33 A7

Edge Case Audit

This fix changes ownership and privileges across the entire auth schema. Before running, ensure a full database backup is available. If any custom extensions or services rely on postgres ownership of auth objects, this may break them. Rollback requires restoring original owners and revoking the newly granted privileges. Test thoroughly in a non-production branch before applying to production. Avoid running REASSIGN OWNED BY postgres, as that would affect the entire database and may cause severe disruptions.