SQL / Database

Table doesn't exist (1146)

The query references a table the database can't find.

What it looks like

ERROR 1146 (42S02): Table 'shop.orders' doesn't exist

What does "Table doesn't exist (1146)" mean?

Returned by MySQL when a query names a table it cannot find. The message shows database.table, so it tells you both the table name and the database the connection is actually using.

What causes "Table doesn't exist (1146)"?

• Typo or wrong case in the table name.
• Wrong database/schema selected.
• Migrations not run.

How do I confirm the cause?

1. Compare the database name in the message with the one you expected — the connection may point at the wrong database.
2. Run SHOW TABLES in that database and check the exact spelling and case (on Linux, table names are case-sensitive by default).
3. Check whether the migration that creates the table has been run in this environment.
4. In tests or CI, check the test database was created and migrated — test suites often point at a separate, empty database.

How do I fix "Table doesn't exist (1146)"?

• Check the exact table name and case.
• Confirm you're connected to the right database/schema.
• Run pending migrations.

How do I stop it happening again?

• Run migrations automatically as part of every deploy.
• Use one consistent case for table names, ideally all lowercase.
• Refer to tables through your ORM or a single place in the code rather than retyping names in raw SQL, so a rename cannot miss one.

Got a different error? Paste it into the Explain This Error tool → Identifies the family and the fix — runs locally, nothing uploaded.

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