Test with a clean database

Oct 13, 2025 by wbrum.org 38 views

Description of the bug

Intermittent 'database is locked' errors despite following all troubleshooting steps found on github issues/forums. Very similar behavior to issue #12312, though it does not seem to be caused by library scans. I see an error about the database being locked in the logs, the web ui becomes unresponsive, and memory usage will begin to balloon until the container is stopped. Has been happening for that last couple months, I can't find a correlation to any particular task/action which causes it. Have been dealing with this from version 10.10.3-10.10.6

Reproduction steps

Start Jellyfin
Wait. It has happened 5 minutes after starting the server, or up to 4 days later

What is the current bug behavior?

I see an error about the database being locked in the logs, the web ui becomes unresponsive, and memory usage will begin to balloon until the container is stopped.

What is the expected correct behavior?

No stability issues

Jellyfin Server version

10.10.0+

Specify commit id

No response

Specify unstable release number

No response

Specify version number

No response

Specify the build version

10.10.6

Environment

OS: TrueNAS SCALE 24.10.2
Linux Kernel: 6.6.44
Virtualization: Docker (jellyfin/jellyfin image)
Clients: All
Browser: Firefox 136
FFmpeg Version: 7.0.2
Playback Method: All
Hardware Acceleration: QSV
GPU Model: Arc A770
Plugins: Fanart, InfuseDB, Intro Skipper, Open Subtitles, Playback Reporting, Reports, TMDb box sets
Reverse Proxy: Nginx
Base URL: none
Networking: Bridge
Storage: local

Jellyfin logs

The logs show a series of errors related to the database being locked, including:

Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.DbUpdateException: An error occurred while saving the entity changes. See the inner exception for details.
Microsoft.Data.Sqlite.SqliteException (0x80004005): SQLite Error 5: 'database is locked'.

These errors are accompanied by a series of debug logs that show the database being queried and updated, including:

SELECT EXISTS (...)
UPDATE (...)

The logs also show a series of errors related to the web ui becoming unresponsive, including:

Microsoft.AspNetCore.Mvc.Infrastructure.ControllerActionInvoker: Executed action (...) in 0.9478ms
Microsoft.AspNetCore.Mvc.Infrastructure.ObjectResultExecutor: Executing "OkResult1", writing value of type '...'`

FFmpeg logs

No FFmpeg logs are provided.

Client / Browser logs

No client or browser logs are provided.

Relevant screenshots or videos

No relevant screenshots or videos are provided.

Additional information

I tried setting JELLYFIN_SQLITE__disableSecondLevelCache=true, changed parallel encoding and library scan instances to 1, as well as set trickplay threads to 1. Also tried allocating fewer cores to the container. I am not sure what causes this behavior. There are lots of MediaSegment DB commands as seen in the debug logs, and throughout the debug logs the DB response time can be as high as 10,000ms. This seems incredibly slow on an SSD. I am not sure if the slow DB is caused by Jellyfin having some other error, or if the DB being overwhelmed is causing the unresponsiveness.

System specs

CPU: 64 core Epyc 7702
RAM: 512GB
Storage: RAID 1 WD Ultrastar DC SN200 3.2TB PCIe SSDs

Possible causes

Based on the provided logs and information, it appears that the issue may be related to the database being locked or overwhelmed. Some possible causes of this issue include:

Database corruption: The database may be corrupted, causing the errors and slow response times.
Insufficient resources: The system may not have sufficient resources (e.g. CPU, RAM, storage) to handle the load being placed on it.
Configuration issues: There may be configuration issues with the database or the system that are causing the errors and slow response times.
Plugin or library issues: There may be issues with the plugins or libraries being used by Jellyfin that are causing the errors and slow response times.

Next steps

To further troubleshoot this issue, it may be helpful to:

Check the database logs: Check the database logs to see if there are any errors or issues that may be causing the database to become locked or overwhelmed.
Monitor system resources: Monitor the system resources (e.g. CPU, RAM, storage) to see if there are any issues with the system being able to handle the load being placed on it.
Check configuration files: Check the configuration files to see if there are any issues with the configuration that may be causing the errors and slow response times.
Test with a clean database: Test with a clean database to see if the issue is related to the database or the system.

Potential solutions

Some potential solutions to this issue include:

Upgrading the database: Upgrading the database to a newer version may help to resolve the issue.
Increasing system resources: Increasing the system resources (e.g. CPU, RAM, storage) may help to resolve the issue.
Configuring the system: Configuring the system to use a different database or to use a different configuration may help to resolve the issue.
Disabling plugins or libraries: Disabling plugins or libraries that may be causing the issue may help to resolve the issue.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the issue of the database being locked or overwhelmed is a complex one that may be caused by a variety of factors. To troubleshoot this issue, it may be helpful to check the database logs, monitor system resources, check configuration files, and test with a clean database. Potential solutions to this issue include upgrading the database, increasing system resources, configuring the system, and disabling plugins or libraries.
Q&A: Intermittent 'database is locked', webui/jellyfin becomes unresponsive

Q: What is the issue with my Jellyfin server?

A: Your Jellyfin server is experiencing intermittent 'database is locked' errors, causing the web UI to become unresponsive. This issue has been occurring for several months, and you have tried various troubleshooting steps without success.

Q: What are the symptoms of this issue?

A: The symptoms of this issue include:

The web UI becoming unresponsive
Errors related to the database being locked, including Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.DbUpdateException and Microsoft.Data.Sqlite.SqliteException
Slow database response times, up to 10,000ms
Memory usage increasing until the container is stopped

Q: What are the possible causes of this issue?

A: The possible causes of this issue include:

Database corruption
Insufficient resources (e.g. CPU, RAM, storage)
Configuration issues with the database or the system
Plugin or library issues

Q: How can I troubleshoot this issue?

A: To troubleshoot this issue, you can:

Check the database logs for errors or issues
Monitor system resources to see if there are any issues with the system being able to handle the load being placed on it
Check configuration files to see if there are any issues with the configuration that may be causing the errors and slow response times
Test with a clean database to see if the issue is related to the database or the system

Q: What are some potential solutions to this issue?

A: Some potential solutions to this issue include:

Upgrading the database to a newer version
Increasing system resources (e.g. CPU, RAM, storage)
Configuring the system to use a different database or to use a different configuration
Disabling plugins or libraries that may be causing the issue

Q: Can I prevent this issue from occurring in the future?

A: Yes, you can take steps to prevent this issue from occurring in the future. Some steps you can take include:

Regularly backing up your database
Monitoring system resources to ensure that the system is able to handle the load being placed on it
Keeping your plugins and libraries up to date
Configuring your system to use a different database or to use a different configuration

Q: How can I get help with this issue?

A: If you are experiencing this issue and are unable to resolve it on your own, you can try reaching out to the Jellyfin community for help. You can also try searching online for solutions to this issue, or seeking help from a professional.