PostgreSQL Authentication Failed on Docker Compose Deployment - "provided database credentials for postgres are not valid"

[Bioshini2112]

Describe your question

Here's a description for a GitHub discussion:

---

Title: PostgreSQL Authentication Failed on Docker Compose Deployment - "provided database credentials for postgres are not valid"

Description:

I'm encountering a PostgreSQL authentication error when deploying Langfuse using Docker Compose. The Langfuse web container fails to start with the following error:

Invalid `prisma.user.findUnique()` invocation: Authentication failed against database server, the provided database credentials for `postgres` are not valid. Please make sure to provide valid database credentials for the database server at the configured address.

My Configuration:

langfuse:
  image: langfuse/langfuse:latest
  depends_on:
    - postgres
    - redis
    - clickhouse
  ports:
    - "3000:3000"
  environment:
    DATABASE_URL: postgres://langfuse:langfuse@postgres:5432/langfuse
    NEXTAUTH_SECRET: e0131.....
    NEXTAUTH_URL: http://3.***.**.**:3000
    SALT: 5d9...
    ENCRYPTION_KEY: dca8d48....
    # ... other environment variables

What I've Tried:

• Verified the DATABASE_URL format matches the documentation
• Confirmed PostgreSQL container is running
• Checked that the credentials in DATABASE_URL match the PostgreSQL environment variables

Questions:

1. Is this related to PostgreSQL user creation timing during container startup?
2. Could this be caused by persisted PostgreSQL volumes from a previous deployment?
3. Do I need to configure the postgres service with specific environment variables for user creation?
4. Should I be using DIRECT_URL in addition to DATABASE_URL?

Environment:

• Langfuse version: latest (v3)
• Deployment method: Docker Compose
• PostgreSQL version: [your version]
• Fresh deployment or migrating from v2?

Langfuse Cloud or Self-Hosted?

Self-Hosted

If Self-Hosted

langfuse latest

If Langfuse Cloud

No response

SDK and integration versions

No response

Pre-Submission Checklist

• I have checked for existing issues/discussions and consulted Langfuse AI.

[inkeep-ai-assistant[bot]]

Your PostgreSQL authentication error suggests the database credentials in your DATABASE_URL don't match what's configured in your PostgreSQL container. Here are the key points to resolve this:

Database URL Format

Your DATABASE_URL format appears correct. According to the documentation, you can provide the connection string as:(1)

DATABASE_URL="postgresql://postgres:postgres@lf-postgres:5432/langfuse"

Or use individual components:(1)

• DATABASE_HOST
• DATABASE_USERNAME
• DATABASE_PASSWORD
• DATABASE_NAME

Common Issues

1. Credential Mismatch: Ensure your PostgreSQL container is configured with the same username (langfuse) and password (langfuse) that you're using in DATABASE_URL. The default Langfuse setup uses postgres:postgres.(2)

2. Persisted Volumes: If you have volumes from a previous deployment with different credentials, PostgreSQL will retain the old credentials. Remove the volumes and recreate them.(2)

3. Database Security: Make sure your database is secure and avoid using default credentials in production environments, as this can lead to security breaches.(2)

Recommended Configuration

For Docker Compose, set your PostgreSQL service environment variables to match your DATABASE_URL:

postgres:
  environment:
    POSTGRES_USER: langfuse
    POSTGRES_PASSWORD: langfuse
    POSTGRES_DB: langfuse

Then your Langfuse DATABASE_URL should be:(1)

DATABASE_URL: postgresql://langfuse:langfuse@postgres:5432/langfuse

Additional Configuration

You may also want to set DIRECT_URL if you're using connection pooling on DATABASE_URL or need a different user for migrations.(1)

If issues persist after verifying credentials and removing old volumes, double-check that your PostgreSQL container is fully initialized before Langfuse attempts to connect.

📚 Sources:

1. Environment Variables
2. Error: Required database environment variables are not set. Provide a postgres url for DATABASE_URL.

---

Have another question? Just tag @inkeep.

[jannikmaierhoefer]

Hi @Bioshini2112, was inkeep able to help you here?