PostgreSQL: idle-in-transaction timeout
FATAL: terminating connection due to idle-in-transaction timeoutYour session opened a transaction and then sat idle longer than idle_in_transaction_session_timeout, so Postgres closed it. Commit or roll back promptly, and do not hold a transaction open across slow work.
By Kevin Piacentini, Software Engineer & Founder of FluentDBWhat this error means
An open transaction that sits idle holds locks and blocks vacuum. To prevent that, Postgres can close sessions that stay idle inside a transaction beyond a configured timeout, which raises this error on the client.
It usually means the app ran BEGIN, then did something slow such as a network call or waiting on user input, without committing.
How to fix it
A transaction is held open too long
Commit or roll back as soon as the work is done. Do not keep a transaction open across I/O or user think-time.
The timeout is too aggressive for a legitimate job
Raise it for that session only.
SET idle_in_transaction_session_timeout = '60s';An ORM leaves transactions open
Make sure the ORM commits or rolls back and returns connections to the pool promptly.
How to avoid it next time
- Keep transactions short and do slow work outside them.
- Add reconnect logic so a closed session recovers cleanly.
Frequently asked questions
Why does Postgres kill idle transactions?
An idle-in-transaction session holds locks and prevents vacuum from cleaning up, which harms the whole server. The timeout bounds that damage.
What sets this off with an ORM?
A transaction opened and left open across a slow operation. Make sure the ORM commits or rolls back promptly.
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Part of the PostgreSQL error reference. Last reviewed 2026-07-31.