Paperless-ngx libpq Version issue [solved]

mdornseif · April 15, 2026, 8:15am

What type of hardware are you using: VPS bought online
What YunoHost version are you running: 12.1.39
How are you able to access your server: SSH
Are you in a special context or did you perform specific tweaking on your YunoHost instance ?: some directories are mounted from s3 buckets. I assume this is not the problem.

Describe your issue

Hello and thanks for this great software!

I noticed the paperless-ngx services where not running. There was an error with traceback along the lines of “requires libpq from PostgreSQL 16.0 on the client; version 15.15 available instead”.
I updated system packages via yunohost web admin. Then I tried to update paperless-ngx which failed. I tried again at the command line. Logs appended.

Share relevant logs or error messages

$ sudo yunohost app upgrade paperless-ngx
Info: Now upgrading paperless-ngx…
Info: Creating a safety backup prior to the upgrade
Info: Collecting files to be backed up for paperless-ngx…
Info: Declaring files to be backed up…
Info: /home/yunohost.app/paperless-ngx will not be saved, because ‘BACKUP_CORE_ONLY’ is set.
Info: Backing up the MySQL database…
Info: Backup script completed for paperless-ngx. (YunoHost will then actually copy those files to the archive).
Info: Creating a backup archive from the collected files…
Info: The archive will contain about 1.5GB of data.
Success! Backup created: paperless-ngx-pre-upgrade2
Info: Backup paperless-ngx-pre-upgrade1 was deleted because it is replaced by a newer backup paperless-ngx-pre-upgrade2
Info: Updating sources…
Info: Updating system_user…
Info: Updating install_dir…
Info: Updating data_dir…
Info: Updating permissions…
Info: Updating ports…
Info: Updating apt…
Info: Updating database…
Info: [+…] > Stopping paperless-ngx’s systemd service…
Info: [#++…] > Ensuring downward compatibility…
Info: [###+…] > Upgrading source files…
Info: [####++…] > Upgrading NGINX web server configuration…
Info: [######+…] > Installing Python dependencies…
Info: [#######++…] > Updating configuration…
Info: [#########+…] > Setting up the database…
Warning: Traceback (most recent call last):
Warning: File “/var/www/paperless-ngx/venv/lib/python3.11/site-packages/django/db/backends/base/base.py”, line 279, in ensure_connection
Warning: self.connect()
Warning: File “/var/www/paperless-ngx/venv/lib/python3.11/site-packages/django/utils/asyncio.py”, line 26, in inner
Warning: return func(*args, **kwargs)
Warning: ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Warning: File “/var/www/paperless-ngx/venv/lib/python3.11/site-packages/django/db/backends/base/base.py”, line 256, in connect
Warning: self.connection = self.get_new_connection(conn_params)
Warning: ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Warning: File “/var/www/paperless-ngx/venv/lib/python3.11/site-packages/django/utils/asyncio.py”, line 26, in inner
Warning: return func(*args, **kwargs)
Warning: ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Warning: File “/var/www/paperless-ngx/venv/lib/python3.11/site-packages/django/db/backends/postgresql/base.py”, line 332, in get_new_connection
Warning: connection = self.Database.connect(**conn_params)
Warning: ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Warning: File “/var/www/paperless-ngx/venv/lib/python3.11/site-packages/psycopg/connection.py”, line 131, in connect
Warning: and rv.pgconn.used_gssapi
Warning: ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Warning: File “psycopg_c/pq/pgconn.pyx”, line 224, in psycopg_c.pq.PGconn.used_gssapi.get
Warning: File “psycopg_c/pq/pgconn.pyx”, line 38, in psycopg_c.pq._check_supported
Warning: psycopg.NotSupportedError: PQconnectionUsedGSSAPI requires libpq from PostgreSQL 16.0 on the client; version 15.15 available instead
Warning: The above exception was the direct cause of the following exception:
Warning: Traceback (most recent call last):
Warning: File “/var/www/paperless-ngx/src/manage.py”, line 10, in
Warning: execute_from_command_line(sys.argv)
Warning: File “/var/www/paperless-ngx/venv/lib/python3.11/site-packages/django/core/management/init.py”, line 442, in execute_from_command_line
Warning: utility.execute()
Warning: File “/var/www/paperless-ngx/venv/lib/python3.11/site-packages/django/core/management/init.py”, line 436, in execute
Warning: self.fetch_command(subcommand).run_from_argv(self.argv)
Warning: File “/var/www/paperless-ngx/venv/lib/python3.11/site-packages/django/core/management/base.py”, line 416, in run_from_argv
Warning: self.execute(*args, **cmd_options)
Warning: File “/var/www/paperless-ngx/venv/lib/python3.11/site-packages/django/core/management/base.py”, line 457, in execute
Warning: self.check(**check_kwargs)
Warning: File “/var/www/paperless-ngx/venv/lib/python3.11/site-packages/django/core/management/base.py”, line 492, in check
Warning: all_issues = checks.run_checks(
Warning: ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Warning: File “/var/www/paperless-ngx/venv/lib/python3.11/site-packages/django/core/checks/registry.py”, line 89, in run_checks
Warning: new_errors = check(app_configs=app_configs, databases=databases)
Warning: ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Warning: File “/var/www/paperless-ngx/src/paperless/checks.py”, line 206, in audit_log_check
Warning: all_tables = db_conn.introspection.table_names()
Warning: ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Warning: File “/var/www/paperless-ngx/venv/lib/python3.11/site-packages/django/db/backends/base/introspection.py”, line 56, in table_names
Warning: with self.connection.cursor() as cursor:
Warning: ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Warning: File “/var/www/paperless-ngx/venv/lib/python3.11/site-packages/django/utils/asyncio.py”, line 26, in inner
Warning: return func(*args, **kwargs)
Warning: ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Warning: File “/var/www/paperless-ngx/venv/lib/python3.11/site-packages/django/db/backends/base/base.py”, line 320, in cursor
Warning: return self._cursor()
Warning: ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Warning: File “/var/www/paperless-ngx/venv/lib/python3.11/site-packages/django/db/backends/base/base.py”, line 296, in _cursor
Warning: self.ensure_connection()
Warning: File “/var/www/paperless-ngx/venv/lib/python3.11/site-packages/django/utils/asyncio.py”, line 26, in inner
Warning: return func(*args, **kwargs)
Warning: ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Warning: File “/var/www/paperless-ngx/venv/lib/python3.11/site-packages/django/db/backends/base/base.py”, line 278, in ensure_connection
Warning: with self.wrap_database_errors:
Warning: File “/var/www/paperless-ngx/venv/lib/python3.11/site-packages/django/db/utils.py”, line 91, in exit
Warning: raise dj_exc_value.with_traceback(traceback) from exc_value
Warning: File “/var/www/paperless-ngx/venv/lib/python3.11/site-packages/django/db/backends/base/base.py”, line 279, in ensure_connection
Warning: self.connect()
Warning: File “/var/www/paperless-ngx/venv/lib/python3.11/site-packages/django/utils/asyncio.py”, line 26, in inner
Warning: return func(*args, **kwargs)
Warning: ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Warning: File “/var/www/paperless-ngx/venv/lib/python3.11/site-packages/django/db/backends/base/base.py”, line 256, in connect
Warning: self.connection = self.get_new_connection(conn_params)
Warning: ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Warning: File “/var/www/paperless-ngx/venv/lib/python3.11/site-packages/django/utils/asyncio.py”, line 26, in inner
Warning: return func(*args, **kwargs)
Warning: ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Warning: File “/var/www/paperless-ngx/venv/lib/python3.11/site-packages/django/db/backends/postgresql/base.py”, line 332, in get_new_connection
Warning: connection = self.Database.connect(**conn_params)
Warning: ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Warning: File “/var/www/paperless-ngx/venv/lib/python3.11/site-packages/psycopg/connection.py”, line 131, in connect
Warning: and rv.pgconn.used_gssapi
Warning: ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Warning: File “psycopg_c/pq/pgconn.pyx”, line 224, in psycopg_c.pq.PGconn.used_gssapi.get
Warning: File “psycopg_c/pq/pgconn.pyx”, line 38, in psycopg_c.pq._check_supported
Warning: django.db.utils.NotSupportedError: PQconnectionUsedGSSAPI requires libpq from PostgreSQL 16.0 on the client; version 15.15 available instead
Error: Failed to upgrade paperless-ngx: An error occurred inside the app upgrade script
Info: The operation ‘Upgrade the ‘paperless-ngx’ app’ could not be completed. Please share the full log of this operation using the command ‘yunohost log share 20260415-075143-app_upgrade-paperless-ngx’ to get help
Warning: Here’s an extract of the logs before the crash. It might help debugging the error:
Info: WARNING - self.connect()
Info: WARNING - File “/var/www/paperless-ngx/venv/lib/python3.11/site-packages/django/utils/asyncio.py”, line 26, in inner
Info: WARNING - return func(*args, **kwargs)
Info: WARNING - ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Info: WARNING - File “/var/www/paperless-ngx/venv/lib/python3.11/site-packages/django/db/backends/base/base.py”, line 256, in connect
Info: WARNING - self.connection = self.get_new_connection(conn_params)
Info: WARNING - ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Info: WARNING - File “/var/www/paperless-ngx/venv/lib/python3.11/site-packages/django/utils/asyncio.py”, line 26, in inner
Info: WARNING - return func(*args, **kwargs)
Info: WARNING - ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Info: WARNING - File “/var/www/paperless-ngx/venv/lib/python3.11/site-packages/django/db/backends/postgresql/base.py”, line 332, in get_new_connection
Info: WARNING - connection = self.Database.connect(**conn_params)
Info: WARNING - ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Info: WARNING - File “/var/www/paperless-ngx/venv/lib/python3.11/site-packages/psycopg/connection.py”, line 131, in connect
Info: WARNING - and rv.pgconn.used_gssapi
Info: WARNING - ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Info: WARNING - File “psycopg_c/pq/pgconn.pyx”, line 224, in psycopg_c.pq.PGconn.used_gssapi.get
Info: WARNING - File “psycopg_c/pq/pgconn.pyx”, line 38, in psycopg_c.pq._check_supported
Info: WARNING - django.db.utils.NotSupportedError: PQconnectionUsedGSSAPI requires libpq from PostgreSQL 16.0 on the client; version 15.15 available instead
Info: DEBUG - + ynh_exit_properly
Warning: Upgrade failed … attempting to restore the safety backup (Yunohost first need to remove the app for this) …
Info: Removing paperless-ngx…
Info: [####################] > Removal of paperless-ngx completed
Info: Deprovisioning database…
Info: Deprovisioning apt…
Info: Deprovisioning ports…
Info: Deprovisioning permissions…
Info: Deprovisioning data_dir…
Info: Deprovisioning install_dir…
Info: Deprovisioning system_user…
Info: Deprovisioning sources…
Success! paperless-ngx uninstalled
Info: Preparing archive for restoration…
Info: Restoring paperless-ngx…
Info: Provisioning sources…
Info: Provisioning system_user…
Info: Provisioning install_dir…
Info: Provisioning data_dir…
Info: Provisioning permissions…
Info: Provisioning ports…
Info: Provisioning apt…
Info: Provisioning database…
Info: [+…] > Loading additionnal settings…
Info: [#++…] > Restoring the app main directory…
Info: [###+…] > Restoring the data directory…
Info: Skipping /home/yunohost.app/paperless-ngx which doesn’t exists in the archive, probably because restoring from a safety-backup-before-upgrade

mdornseif · April 15, 2026, 8:31am

I forgot to mention: “The archive will contain about 1.5GB of data.” seems awfully much to me.

–max

mdornseif · April 15, 2026, 8:34am

And in case the mounting is suspected:

$ mount
...
garage:paperless-in on /home/yunohost.app/paperless-ngx/consume type fuse.rclone (rw,nosuid,nodev,relatime,user_id=0,group_id=0,allow_other,_netdev)
garage:musik-sortiert on /home/yunohost.multimedia/share/musikSortiert type fuse.rclone (rw,nosuid,nodev,relatime,user_id=0,group_id=0,allow_other,_netdev)
garage:paperless-media on /home/yunohost.app/paperless-ngx/media type fuse.rclone (rw,nosuid,nodev,relatime,user_id=0,group_id=0,allow_other,_netdev)
garage:archivebox on /home/yunohost.app/archivebox/archive type fuse.rclone (rw,nosuid,nodev,relatime,user_id=0,group_id=0,allow_other,_netdev)
garage:bilder-immich on /home/yunohost.app/immich type fuse.rclone (rw,nosuid,nodev,relatime,user_id=0,group_id=0,allow_other,_netdev)

paperless-media is 2.2 GB in size. Garage is not the yunohost service garage.

mdornseif · April 21, 2026, 5:10am

So far installing older Versions did not seem to help:

% sudo yunohost app upgrade paperless-ngx -u https://github.com/YunoHost-Apps/paperless-ngx_ynh/tree/4c0a1e2ec82968aafaec98b938580fcf554ce0ff` --no-safety-backup --continue-on-failure`

still fails.

mdornseif · April 27, 2026, 9:13am

It seems the whhel was linked to a stalle Postgress library.

So I rebuild:

$ sudo yunohost app shell paperless-ngx

$ paperless-ngx@emil:~/src$ /var/www/paperless-ngx/venv/bin/pip install --force-reinstall --no-binary --no-cache-dir :all: psycopg==3.2.12 psycopg-c==3.2.12

did the job.