Azure PostgreSQL Lesson Learned #13: Major Version Upgrade Failure Due to HypoPG Extension
Co-authored with angesalsaa Case Overview We investigated a customer case where a Major Version Upgrade (MVU) from PostgreSQL 11 to 17 on Azure Database for PostgreSQL Flexible Server consistently failed during the pre-check phase. The upgrade was triggered through the Azure Portal, but the process was blocked due to the presence of the HypoPG extension installed across multiple databases. Symptoms: How the Failure Appears When attempting a Major Version Upgrade in Azure Portal, customers typically encounter: Immediate failure during pre-check validation. Portal error indicating failed at pre-check. Upgrade does not proceed beyond validation. This is expected behavior because Azure validates extension compatibility before performing any in-place upgrade. Root Cause: HypoPG Extension Blocks MVU Azure Database for PostgreSQL Flexible Server supports only a specific list of extensions during major version upgrades. HypoPG is not part of the allow-listed extensions for MVU. If your source server contains HypoPG in any database, the upgrade will fail. Step-by-Step Troubleshooting & Resolution Guide STEP 1 — Audit All Extensions on the Server Azure PostgreSQL does not allow cross-database queries, so you must inspect each database individually. Option A: Check Extensions in Current Database SELECT current_database() AS database_name, extname AS extension_name, extversion AS version FROM pg_extension; 👉 In our case, HypoPG appeared in 4 databases, causing the pre-check failure. STEP 2 — Enable HypoPG Temporarily in Azure Portal Before removing the extension, we had to re-enable HypoPG in Server Parameters because it was previously disabled at Azure Portal level as customer disabled as precaution step but removing part was not enough here: Azure Portal → Server → Server Parameters → azure.extensions → Add hypopg STEP 3 — Remove HypoPG Extension from All Databases Once enabled the extension, remove the extension from each affected database using following command: DROP EXTENSION hypopg CASCADE; ⚠️ CASCADE will drop dependent objects verify impact before execution. After running this command on all affected databases, HypoPG was successfully removed. STEP 4 — Validate Allowed Extensions In Azure Portal: Server → Server Parameters → azure.extensions Ensure only supported extensions are listed. Remove unsupported entries. Make sure hypopg is removed STEP 5 — Re-Run MVU With HypoPG removed and supported extensions validated: Server was in Ready state. Trigger MVU again via Portal: Portal → Server → Overview → Upgrade → Select PostgreSQL 17 Upgrade completed successfully. a { text-decoration: none; color: #464feb; } tr th, tr td { border: 1px solid #e6e6e6; } tr th { background-color: #f5f5f5; } Final Outcome After removing HypoPG and validating the server parameters: MVU completed without errors. Server upgraded from PostgreSQL 11 to 17. Best Practices to Avoid Future Upgrade Failures Audit Extensions Regularly — Especially before major version upgrades. Limit Extensions via azure.extensions — Only enable what you actively use. Clean Up Deprecated Extensions — Remove unused or legacy extensions early. Align with Azure’s Supported Extension List — Check official documentation. Automate Extension Validation — Prevent last-minute surprises. Helpful References Major Version Upgrades | Microsoft Learn
