Install the Latest EF Core Packages

Oct 13, 2025 by wbrum.org 25 views

HealthChecks.UI.PostgreSQL.Storage Fails with System.InvalidOperationException Due to DB Model Has Pending Changes

When working with Entity Framework Core (EF Core) and PostgreSQL as the storage backend, you may encounter issues with pending database model changes. In this article, we will explore a specific scenario where the application crashes upon start due to a System.InvalidOperationException caused by pending DB model changes in timestamps. We will delve into the root cause of the issue, provide a step-by-step guide to reproduce it, and offer a solution to resolve the problem.

The application crashes upon start due to a System.InvalidOperationException caused by pending DB model changes in timestamps. The checked-in model in the Git repository has a timestamp without a timezone, while the generated model has a timestamp with time zone. This discrepancy leads to the error.

Migrations are applied correctly, and the application starts without any issues.

To reproduce this issue, follow these steps:

Use PostgreSQL as Storage on .NET 9: Ensure that you are using .NET 9 as your target framework and PostgreSQL as your storage backend.
Install the Latest EF Core Packages: Install the latest Entity Framework Core packages to ensure you have the latest features and bug fixes.
Create a New Project: Create a new project using the .NET 9 template and add the necessary packages for PostgreSQL and EF Core.
Generate a New Migration: Run the Add-Migration command to generate a new migration.
Apply the Migration: Run the Update-Database command to apply the migration.

Here is a sample code snippet that demonstrates the issue:

public class ApplicationDbContext(DbContextOptions<ApplicationDbContext> options) : IdentityDbContext<ApplicationUser, ApplicationRole, int>(options)
{
    protected override void OnModelCreating(ModelBuilder builder)
    {
        base.OnModelCreating(builder);
        _ = builder.ApplyConfigurationsFromAssembly(typeof(HealthChecks.UI.Data.HealthChecksDb).Assembly);
    }
}

The generated migration using the Add-Migration command will contain the following code:

/// ...
migrationBuilder.CreateTable(
    name: "HealthCheckExecutionHistory",
    columns: table => new
    {
        Id = table.Column<int>(type: "integer", nullable: false)
            .Annotation("Npgsql:ValueGenerationStrategy", NpgsqlValueGenerationStrategy.IdentityByDefaultColumn),
        Name = table.Column<string>(type: "character varying(500)", maxLength: 500, nullable: true),
        Description = table.Column<string>(type: "text", nullable: true),
        Status = table.Column<int>(type: "integer", maxLength: 50, nullable: false),
        On = table.Column<DateTime>(type: "timestamp with time zone", nullable: false), // <-- Here is the difference
        HealthCheckExecutionId = table.Column<int>(type: "integer", nullable: true)
    },
    constraints: table =>
    {
        table.PrimaryKey("PK_HealthCheckExecutionHistory", x => x.Id);
        table.ForeignKey(
            name: "FK_HealthCheckExecutionHistory_HealthCheckExecution_HealthChec~",
            column: x => x.HealthCheckExecutionId,
            principalTable: "HealthCheckExecution",
            principalColumn: "Id");
    });
/// ...

Environment

.NET Core version: .NET 9.0.200 SDK
Healthchecks version: 9.* (floating)
Operative system: Windows
Others:

To resolve this issue, you need to update the migration or the initial model to match the generated model. You can do this by:

Updating the Migration: Update the migration to use the correct timestamp with time zone data type.
Updating the Initial Model: Update the initial model to use the correct timestamp with time zone data type.

Here is an updated migration that uses the correct timestamp with time zone data type:

/// ...
migrationBuilder.CreateTable(
    name: "HealthCheckExecutionHistory",
    columns: table => new
    {
        Id = table.Column<int>(type: "integer", nullable: false)
            .Annotation("Npgsql:ValueGenerationStrategy", NpgsqlValueGenerationStrategy.IdentityByDefaultColumn),
        Name = table.Column<string>(type: "character varying(500)", maxLength: 500, nullable: true),
        Description = table.Column<string>(type: "text", nullable: true),
        Status = table.Column<int>(type: "integer", maxLength: 50, nullable: false),
        On = table.Column<DateTime>(type: "timestamp with time zone", nullable: false),
        HealthCheckExecutionId = table.Column<int>(type: "integer", nullable: true)
    },
    constraints: table =>
    {
        table.PrimaryKey("PK_HealthCheckExecutionHistory", x => x.Id);
        table.ForeignKey(
            name: "FK_HealthCheckExecutionHistory_HealthCheckExecution_HealthChec~",
            column: x => x.HealthCheckExecutionId,
            principalTable: "HealthCheckExecution",
            principalColumn: "Id");
    });
/// ...

By updating the migration or the initial model, you can resolve the System.InvalidOperationException caused by pending DB model changes in timestamps.

In this article, we explored a specific scenario where the application crashes upon start due to a System.InvalidOperationException caused by pending DB model changes in timestamps. We delved into the root cause of the issue, provided a step-by-step guide to reproduce it, and offered a solution to resolve the problem. By updating the migration or the initial model, you can resolve the issue and ensure that your application starts without any issues.
HealthChecks.UI.PostgreSQL.Storage Fails with System.InvalidOperationException Due to DB Model Has Pending Changes: Q&A

In our previous article, we explored a specific scenario where the application crashes upon start due to a System.InvalidOperationException caused by pending DB model changes in timestamps. We delved into the root cause of the issue, provided a step-by-step guide to reproduce it, and offered a solution to resolve the problem. In this Q&A article, we will answer some frequently asked questions related to this issue.

Q: What is the root cause of the issue?

A: The root cause of the issue is the discrepancy between the checked-in model in the Git repository and the generated model. The checked-in model has a timestamp without a timezone, while the generated model has a timestamp with time zone.

Q: Why is the generated model different from the checked-in model?

A: The generated model is different from the checked-in model because of the changes in the PostgreSQL connector for EF Core or .NET itself. The DateTime type is now generated with UTC kind, which requires the timestamp with time zone data type in PostgreSQL.

Q: How can I reproduce the issue?

A: To reproduce the issue, follow these steps:

Use PostgreSQL as storage on .NET 9.
Install the latest EF Core packages.
Create a new project using the .NET 9 template and add the necessary packages for PostgreSQL and EF Core.
Generate a new migration using the Add-Migration command.
Apply the migration using the Update-Database command.

Q: What is the solution to the issue?

A: The solution to the issue is to update the migration or the initial model to match the generated model. You can do this by:

Updating the migration to use the correct timestamp with time zone data type.
Updating the initial model to use the correct timestamp with time zone data type.

Q: How can I update the migration or the initial model?

A: To update the migration or the initial model, follow these steps:

Open the migration file and update the On column to use the correct timestamp with time zone data type.
Save the changes to the migration file.
Run the Update-Database command to apply the updated migration.

Alternatively, you can update the initial model by:

Opening the model file and updating the On property to use the correct timestamp with time zone data type.
Saving the changes to the model file.

Q: What are the benefits of updating the migration or the initial model?

A: Updating the migration or the initial model has several benefits, including:

Resolving the System.InvalidOperationException caused by pending DB model changes in timestamps.
Ensuring that the application starts without any issues.
Preventing future issues related to pending DB model changes.

Q: Are there any other solutions to the issue?

A: Yes, there are other solutions to the issue, including:

Using the DateTimeOffset type instead of DateTime to avoid the issue.
Configuring the PostgreSQL connector to use the timestamp without time zone data type.
Updating the EF Core packages to the latest version.

However, these solutions may have their own set of issues and limitations, and may not be suitable for all scenarios.

In this Q&A article, we answered some frequently asked questions related to the issue of System.InvalidOperationException caused by pending DB model changes in timestamps. We provided a step-by-step guide to reproduce the issue, offered a solution to resolve the problem, and discussed the benefits and limitations of updating the migration or the initial model. By following the steps outlined in this article, you can resolve the issue and ensure that your application starts without any issues.