Unable to import a database dump: Cannot add or update a child row: a foreign key constraint fails

Kuzma Ivanov

Updated April 12, 2026 03:30

Plesk for Windows Plesk for Linux kb: technical ABT: Group B

Applicable to:

Plesk for Linux
Plesk for Windows

Symptoms

When importing a database dump at Domains > example.com > Databases > Import Dump, the operation fails with one of the following error messages in Plesk:

PLESK_ERROR: Unable to import the example_com dump:
ERROR 1452 (23000) at line 4907226: Cannot add or update a child row: a foreign key constraint fails

PLESK_ERROR: Unable to import the example_com dump:
ERROR 1215 (HY000) at line 15: Cannot add foreign key constraint

PLESK_ERROR: Unable to import the example_com dump:
ERROR 1215 (HY000) at line 15: Cannot delete or update a parent row: a foreign key constraint fails

Cause

Incorrect database design.

Resolution

Apply one of the following solutions.

Disabling foreign key check in the database dump file (any MySQL version)

Open a database dump in a text editor.
Add the line below at the beginning of the file:

CONFIG_TEXT: SET FOREIGN_KEY_CHECKS=0;
Go back to Plesk and restore this dump at Domains > example.com > Databases > Import Dump.

Disabling foreign key check in MySQL (MySQL versions 5.5 and greater)

Connect to your Plesk server via SSH.
Start MySQL:

# plesk db
Temporary disable foreign key checks in MySQL with the command:

MYSQL_LIN: mysql> SET GLOBAL FOREIGN_KEY_CHECKS=0;
Go back to Plesk and restore the database dump at Domains > example.com > Databases > Import Dump.
Enable foreign key checks in MySQL back:

MYSQL_LIN: mysql> SET GLOBAL FOREIGN_KEY_CHECKS=1;
Exit MySQL:

MYSQL_LIN: mysql> exit