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"The entity type requires a primary key to be defined" with cross-schema FKs and strongly-typed jsonb mapping #36614

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"The entity type requires a primary key to be defined" with cross-schema FKs and strongly-typed jsonb mapping#36614
Bug
#37287
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AndriySvyryd
Labels
area-model-buildingcustomer-reported
Milestone
Backlog
@aleksvujic

Description

@aleksvujic
aleksvujic
opened on Aug 20, 2025

Bug description

We have a .NET 9 MVC solution with the following NuGet packages installed:

  1. Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore 9.0.8
  2. Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.Relational 9.0.8
  3. Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.Abstractions 9.0.8
  4. Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.Design 9.0.8
  5. Npgsql.EntityFrameworkCore.PostgreSQL 9.0.4

We use PostgreSQL v16 database with 2 schemas - fit3 and reports. There are FKs between the schemas (i.e. a table from reports schema has a FK to a table in fit3 schema).

We use database-first approach, which means that we use dotnet ef dbcontext scaffold command to scaffold PostgreSQL tables into C# classes. Some of the columns are of type jsonb which is then mapped to strongly-typed C# classes with OwnsOne, OwnsMany, etc.

Scaffolder is unable to scaffold cross-schema FK relationships. It outputs the warning below. That's why we model the relationship manually with ForeignKey and ReverseProperty attributes.

For foreign key original_test_result_id_fkey on table reports.processed_test_results, unable to model the end of the foreign key on principal table fit3.test_results. This is usually because the principal table was not included in the selection set.

We modelled the cross-schema relationship manually like this:

// table fit.test_result
public partial class TestResult
{
    [NotMapped]
    public virtual ICollection<ProcessedTestResult> ProcessedTestResults { get; set; }
}
 
// table reports.processed_test_result with a FK to fit.test_result
public partial class ProcessedTestResult
{
    [ForeignKey(nameof(OriginalTestResultId))]
    [InverseProperty(nameof(TestResult.ProcessedTestResults))]
    public virtual TestResult OriginalTestResult { get; set; }
}

We execute this query:

var foo = reportsDbContext.ProcessedTestResults.FirstOrDefault();

It throws the following exception:

System.InvalidOperationException: 'The entity type 'BbCommunication' requires a primary key to be defined. If you intended to use a keyless entity type, call 'HasNoKey' in 'OnModelCreating'. For more information on keyless entity types, see https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=2141943.'

If we comment out ProcessedTestResults in TestResult and OriginalTestResult in ProcessedTestResult, the reportsDbContext.ProcessedTestResults.FirstOrDefault() query finishes successfully.

Why does seemingly unrelated BbCommunication cause an exception here? It's some deep strongly-typed class for a JSON object in fit3.fit_fixtures.custom_config column. How can we make it work?

Relevant code parts

TestResult.partial.cs:

public partial class TestResult
{
    [NotMapped]
    public virtual ICollection<ProcessedTestResult> ProcessedTestResults { get; set; }

    public RuntimeInfo? RuntimeInfoJSON { get; set; }

    public TestOutput? TestOutputJSON { get; set; }
}

ProcessedTestResult.partial.cs:

public partial class ProcessedTestResult
{
    [ForeignKey(nameof(OriginalTestResultId))]
    [InverseProperty(nameof(TestResult.ProcessedTestResults))]
    public virtual TestResult OriginalTestResult { get; set; }
}

FitDbContext.partial.cs:

partial void OnModelCreatingPartial(ModelBuilder modelBuilder)
{
    modelBuilder.Entity<TestResult>(entity =>
    {
        //don't ignore RuntimeInfo, we want to display content exactly as it is stored in the DB - {3CA6957A-8EEF-447E-9A24-6E5CC1ADA123}
        //entity.Ignore(x => x.RuntimeInfo);
        entity.OwnsOne(x => x.RuntimeInfoJSON, t =>
        {
            t.ToJson("runtime_info");
            t.OwnsOne(y => y.Versions, v =>
            {
                v.OwnsOne(z => z.Firmware);
                v.OwnsOne(z => z.SVN);
                v.OwnsOne(z => z.TQSP);
                v.OwnsOne(z => z.WinIdea);
            });
        });

        //don't ignore RuntimeInfo, we want to display content exactly as it is stored in the DB - {3CA6957A-8EEF-447E-9A24-6E5CC1ADA123}
        //entity.Ignore(x => x.TestOutput);
        entity.OwnsOne(x => x.TestOutputJSON, t =>
        {
            t.ToJson("test_output");
            t.OwnsMany(y => y.Measurements, z =>
            {
                z.OwnsMany(w => w.Data);
            });
            t.OwnsMany(y => y.MeasurementVars);
        });
    });

    modelBuilder.Entity<FitFixture>(entity =>
    {
        //should ignore CustomConfig, otherwise:
        //System.ArgumentException: 'An item with the same key has already been added. Key: [custom_config, Column: fit_fixtures.custom_config (jsonb) NonNullable)]'
        //https://github.com/dotnet/efcore/issues/35338
        //{3CA6957A-8EEF-447E-9A24-6E5CC1ADA123}
        entity.Ignore(x => x.CustomConfig);
        entity.OwnsOne(x => x.CustomConfigJSON, cc =>
        {
            cc.ToJson("custom_config");
            cc.OwnsOne(cc_ => cc_.HwSetup, hs =>
            {
                hs.OwnsMany(hs_ => hs_.DebuggerConnections, dc =>
                {
                    dc.OwnsOne(dc_ => dc_.Debugger);
                    dc.OwnsMany(dc_ => dc_.DebuggerNodes, dn =>
                    {
                        dn.OwnsOne(dn_ => dn_.Board, b =>
                        {
                            b.OwnsMany(b_ => b_.SoCs, soc =>
                            {
                                soc.OwnsMany(soc_ => soc_.Cores, core =>
                                {
                                    core.OwnsOne(core_ => core_.CoreBase);
                                });
                            });
                        });
                    });
                });
            });
            cc.OwnsOne(cc_ => cc_.BbCommunication);
        });
    });
}

Program.cs:

private static void ReproduceBug(IServiceProvider sp)
{
    using (var scope = sp.CreateScope())
    {
        var reportsDbContextFactory = scope.ServiceProvider.GetRequiredService<IDbContextFactory<ReportsDBContext>>();
        using var reportsDbContext = reportsDbContextFactory.CreateDbContext();
        var foo = reportsDbContext.ProcessedTestResults.FirstOrDefault(); // exception is thrown
    }
}

Steps to reproduce:

  1. Create an empty PostgreSQL v16 database named EFCoreJson.
  2. Run db.sql script inside EFCoreJson database to create all the tables and relationships between them.
  3. Run the attached solution. Place a breakpoint inside ReproduceBug method in Program.cs. Once var foo = reportsDbContext.ProcessedTestResults.FirstOrDefault(); is executed, an exception is thrown. No SELECT SQL query is logged to the console which indicates that the exception occurs even before the query is acutally executed, perhaps in the stage where EF Core sets up its behind-the-scenes architecture.
  4. If you remove TestResult.ProcessedTestResults and ProcessedTestResult.OriginalTestResult properties (manually configured cross-schema relationship), the query works normally.

Stack traces

An unhandled exception of type 'System.InvalidOperationException' occurred in Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.dll: 'The entity type 'BbCommunication' requires a primary key to be defined. If you intended to use a keyless entity type, call 'HasNoKey' in 'OnModelCreating'. For more information on keyless entity types, see https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=2141943.'
   at Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.Infrastructure.ModelValidator.ValidateNonNullPrimaryKeys(IModel model, IDiagnosticsLogger`1 logger)
   at Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.Infrastructure.ModelValidator.Validate(IModel model, IDiagnosticsLogger`1 logger)
   at Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.Infrastructure.RelationalModelValidator.Validate(IModel model, IDiagnosticsLogger`1 logger)
   at Npgsql.EntityFrameworkCore.PostgreSQL.Infrastructure.Internal.NpgsqlModelValidator.Validate(IModel model, IDiagnosticsLogger`1 logger)
   at Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.Infrastructure.ModelRuntimeInitializer.Initialize(IModel model, Boolean designTime, IDiagnosticsLogger`1 validationLogger)
   at Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.Infrastructure.ModelSource.CreateModel(DbContext context, ModelCreationDependencies modelCreationDependencies, Boolean designTime)
   at Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.Infrastructure.ModelSource.GetModel(DbContext context, ModelCreationDependencies modelCreationDependencies, Boolean designTime)
   at Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.Internal.DbContextServices.CreateModel(Boolean designTime)
   at Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.Internal.DbContextServices.get_Model()
   at Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.Infrastructure.EntityFrameworkServicesBuilder.<>c.<TryAddCoreServices>b__8_4(IServiceProvider p)
   at Microsoft.Extensions.DependencyInjection.ServiceLookup.CallSiteVisitor`2.VisitCallSiteMain(ServiceCallSite callSite, TArgument argument)
   at Microsoft.Extensions.DependencyInjection.ServiceLookup.CallSiteRuntimeResolver.VisitCache(ServiceCallSite callSite, RuntimeResolverContext context, ServiceProviderEngineScope serviceProviderEngine, RuntimeResolverLock lockType)
   at Microsoft.Extensions.DependencyInjection.ServiceLookup.CallSiteRuntimeResolver.VisitScopeCache(ServiceCallSite callSite, RuntimeResolverContext context)
   at Microsoft.Extensions.DependencyInjection.ServiceLookup.CallSiteVisitor`2.VisitCallSite(ServiceCallSite callSite, TArgument argument)
   at Microsoft.Extensions.DependencyInjection.ServiceLookup.CallSiteRuntimeResolver.VisitConstructor(ConstructorCallSite constructorCallSite, RuntimeResolverContext context)
   at Microsoft.Extensions.DependencyInjection.ServiceLookup.CallSiteVisitor`2.VisitCallSiteMain(ServiceCallSite callSite, TArgument argument)
   at Microsoft.Extensions.DependencyInjection.ServiceLookup.CallSiteRuntimeResolver.VisitCache(ServiceCallSite callSite, RuntimeResolverContext context, ServiceProviderEngineScope serviceProviderEngine, RuntimeResolverLock lockType)
   at Microsoft.Extensions.DependencyInjection.ServiceLookup.CallSiteRuntimeResolver.VisitScopeCache(ServiceCallSite callSite, RuntimeResolverContext context)
   at Microsoft.Extensions.DependencyInjection.ServiceLookup.CallSiteVisitor`2.VisitCallSite(ServiceCallSite callSite, TArgument argument)
   at Microsoft.Extensions.DependencyInjection.ServiceLookup.CallSiteRuntimeResolver.VisitConstructor(ConstructorCallSite constructorCallSite, RuntimeResolverContext context)
   at Microsoft.Extensions.DependencyInjection.ServiceLookup.CallSiteVisitor`2.VisitCallSiteMain(ServiceCallSite callSite, TArgument argument)
   at Microsoft.Extensions.DependencyInjection.ServiceLookup.CallSiteRuntimeResolver.VisitCache(ServiceCallSite callSite, RuntimeResolverContext context, ServiceProviderEngineScope serviceProviderEngine, RuntimeResolverLock lockType)
   at Microsoft.Extensions.DependencyInjection.ServiceLookup.CallSiteRuntimeResolver.VisitScopeCache(ServiceCallSite callSite, RuntimeResolverContext context)
   at Microsoft.Extensions.DependencyInjection.ServiceLookup.CallSiteVisitor`2.VisitCallSite(ServiceCallSite callSite, TArgument argument)
   at Microsoft.Extensions.DependencyInjection.ServiceLookup.CallSiteRuntimeResolver.VisitConstructor(ConstructorCallSite constructorCallSite, RuntimeResolverContext context)
   at Microsoft.Extensions.DependencyInjection.ServiceLookup.CallSiteVisitor`2.VisitCallSiteMain(ServiceCallSite callSite, TArgument argument)
   at Microsoft.Extensions.DependencyInjection.ServiceLookup.CallSiteRuntimeResolver.VisitCache(ServiceCallSite callSite, RuntimeResolverContext context, ServiceProviderEngineScope serviceProviderEngine, RuntimeResolverLock lockType)
   at Microsoft.Extensions.DependencyInjection.ServiceLookup.CallSiteRuntimeResolver.VisitScopeCache(ServiceCallSite callSite, RuntimeResolverContext context)
   at Microsoft.Extensions.DependencyInjection.ServiceLookup.CallSiteVisitor`2.VisitCallSite(ServiceCallSite callSite, TArgument argument)
   at Microsoft.Extensions.DependencyInjection.ServiceLookup.CallSiteRuntimeResolver.VisitConstructor(ConstructorCallSite constructorCallSite, RuntimeResolverContext context)
   at Microsoft.Extensions.DependencyInjection.ServiceLookup.CallSiteVisitor`2.VisitCallSiteMain(ServiceCallSite callSite, TArgument argument)
   at Microsoft.Extensions.DependencyInjection.ServiceLookup.CallSiteRuntimeResolver.VisitCache(ServiceCallSite callSite, RuntimeResolverContext context, ServiceProviderEngineScope serviceProviderEngine, RuntimeResolverLock lockType)
   at Microsoft.Extensions.DependencyInjection.ServiceLookup.CallSiteRuntimeResolver.VisitScopeCache(ServiceCallSite callSite, RuntimeResolverContext context)
   at Microsoft.Extensions.DependencyInjection.ServiceLookup.CallSiteVisitor`2.VisitCallSite(ServiceCallSite callSite, TArgument argument)
   at Microsoft.Extensions.DependencyInjection.ServiceLookup.CallSiteRuntimeResolver.VisitConstructor(ConstructorCallSite constructorCallSite, RuntimeResolverContext context)
   at Microsoft.Extensions.DependencyInjection.ServiceLookup.CallSiteVisitor`2.VisitCallSiteMain(ServiceCallSite callSite, TArgument argument)
   at Microsoft.Extensions.DependencyInjection.ServiceLookup.CallSiteRuntimeResolver.VisitCache(ServiceCallSite callSite, RuntimeResolverContext context, ServiceProviderEngineScope serviceProviderEngine, RuntimeResolverLock lockType)
   at Microsoft.Extensions.DependencyInjection.ServiceLookup.CallSiteRuntimeResolver.VisitScopeCache(ServiceCallSite callSite, RuntimeResolverContext context)
   at Microsoft.Extensions.DependencyInjection.ServiceLookup.CallSiteVisitor`2.VisitCallSite(ServiceCallSite callSite, TArgument argument)
   at Microsoft.Extensions.DependencyInjection.ServiceLookup.CallSiteRuntimeResolver.Resolve(ServiceCallSite callSite, ServiceProviderEngineScope scope)
   at Microsoft.Extensions.DependencyInjection.ServiceLookup.DynamicServiceProviderEngine.<>c__DisplayClass2_0.<RealizeService>b__0(ServiceProviderEngineScope scope)
   at Microsoft.Extensions.DependencyInjection.ServiceProvider.GetService(ServiceIdentifier serviceIdentifier, ServiceProviderEngineScope serviceProviderEngineScope)
   at Microsoft.Extensions.DependencyInjection.ServiceLookup.ServiceProviderEngineScope.GetService(Type serviceType)
   at Microsoft.Extensions.DependencyInjection.ServiceProviderServiceExtensions.GetRequiredService(IServiceProvider provider, Type serviceType)
   at Microsoft.Extensions.DependencyInjection.ServiceProviderServiceExtensions.GetRequiredService[T](IServiceProvider provider)
   at Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.DbContext.get_DbContextDependencies()
   at Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.DbContext.get_ContextServices()
   at Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.DbContext.get_Model()
   at Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.Internal.InternalDbSet`1.get_EntityType()
   at Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.Internal.InternalDbSet`1.CheckState()
   at Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.Internal.InternalDbSet`1.get_EntityQueryable()
   at Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.Internal.InternalDbSet`1.System.Linq.IQueryable.get_Provider()
   at System.Linq.Queryable.FirstOrDefault[TSource](IQueryable`1 source)
   at EFCoreJson.Web.Program.ReproduceBug(IServiceProvider sp) in C:\Play\EFCoreJson\EFCoreJson.Web\Program.cs:line 50
   at EFCoreJson.Web.Program.Main(String[] args) in C:\Play\EFCoreJson\EFCoreJson.Web\Program.cs:line 20

EF Core version

9.0.8

Database provider

Npgsql.EntityFrameworkCore.PostgreSQL

Target framework

.NET 9.0

Operating system

Windows 11

IDE

Visual Studio Professional 2022 17.14.9

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