Incorrect record for the 'postmaster' mailbox exists in /var/spool/postfix/plesk/virtual database

Sergey Senko

Updated January 13, 2026 19:02

kb: bug kb: fixed Plesk for Linux ABT: Group A

Applicable to:

Incorrect record for postmaster@example.com was created in the Postfix /var/spool/postfix/plesk/virtual database after re-enabling mail service:

# postmap -s /var/spool/postfix/plesk/virtual | grep postmaster@example.com
postmaster@example.com postmaster@localhost.localdomain

instead of

# postmap -s /var/spool/postfix/plesk/virtual | grep postmaster@example.com
postmaster@example.com postmaster@example.com

Product issue:

#PPPM-7702 "Disabling and then enabling a domain’s mail service no longer breaks mailboxes with the reserved mail names: postfix, anonymous, drweb, root, and so on."
Fixed in:
- Plesk Obsidian 13 October 2021 (Linux)

Please consider updating your server:

If update is not possible for some reason you may try the following

workaround

if plesk repair mail does not work it can be done manually:

As a workaround, remove the mapping from virtual.db file manually as below:

Connect to the server using SSH

Create a dump of virtual.db file:

# cp /var/spool/postfix/plesk/virtual.db /root/virtual.db_bkp

It is not possible to update the file directly, so dump all the content to the text file:

# cd /root/
# /usr/sbin/postmap -s /var/spool/postfix/plesk/virtual > /root/virtual

Open /root/virtual with any preferable text editor and remove unwanted mappings

# vi /root/virtual

After that create a new mapping file:

# /usr/sbin/postmap /root/virtual

Replace old virtual.db file with the new one:

# mv /root/virtual.db /var/spool/postfix/plesk/virtual.db