Understanding “1305 SAVEPOINT trans2 does not exist”

Have you ever encountered the “1305 SAVEPOINT trans2 does not exist” error in production or while running your Laravel tests?

I have no clue if it’s a common issue, but it can be pretty puzzling, especially when it appears unexpectedly.

The error “1305 SAVEPOINT trans2 does not exist” typically pops up in Laravel applications using MySQL during database transactions.

One of the primary causes of this error is nested transactions (when a transaction is started within another transaction). You may have forgotten to commit or roll back a transaction and started a new one. MySQL doesn’t support nested transactions, which leads to this error.

Potential fixes for “1305 SAVEPOINT trans2 does not exist”

1. Double-check that you’re not actually nesting transactions. For instance, you can start logging all database queries occurring during your tests by using DB::enableQueryLog() and DB::getQueryLog(). In my case, this confirmed there were no nested transactions. So, if you’re in the same boat, step two may be the answer for you.

2. If you’re encountering “1305 SAVEPOINT trans2 does not exist” while running your tests, modifying how the database is managed can be effective. I found success by using the Illuminate\Foundation\Testing\RefreshDatabase trait instead of the Illuminate\Foundation\Testing\LazilyRefreshDatabase trait. Please don’t ask me why; I have no idea. 😅

3. Ensure that all your transactions are properly closed. Sometimes, the error can occur if a transaction is left open. You can use Laravel’s DB::transaction() method to automatically handle committing or rolling back:

   DB::transaction(function () {
       // Your database operations here
   });
   

4. If you’re using MySQL, check your MySQL server configuration. Some users have reported that increasing the max_prepared_stmt_count value in the MySQL configuration can help resolve this issue.

Remember, the root cause can vary depending on your specific setup and code. If these solutions don’t work, it might be worth diving deeper into your database operations or seeking help from the Laravel community.