Azure SQL Database Import Failed: "The ImportExport operation with Request Id '05a0cfb0-6b10-4527-8252-197c2c567c5a' failed due to 'Target database is not empty. The import operation can only be performed on an empty database.'."

Question

Azure SQL Database Import Failed: "The ImportExport operation with Request Id '05a0cfb0-6b10-4527-8252-197c2c567c5a' failed due to 'Target database is not empty. The import operation can only be performed on an empty database.'."

Azure Learner Corporate 0

Hi,

I attempted to import from a bacpac file. I did not have any database of the same name in the server, so everything should be empty. However, I keep getting this error whenever I tried to import the database from a bacpac file:

The ImportExport operation with Request Id '...' failed due to 'Target database is not empty. The import operation can only be performed on an empty database.'.

Mahesh Kurva 3,575 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff

2025-04-08T02:41:44.3166667+00:00
Hi Azure Learner Corporate,

Greetings!

As I understand it, the error you're encountering indicates that the target database is not empty.

Here are a few steps you can take to resolve this:

Double-check that the target database is indeed empty. Sometimes, even a newly created database might have some default objects or metadata that can cause this error.

If possible, drop the target database and recreate it to ensure it is completely empty before attempting the import again.

Ensure that the BACPAC file does not contain any user objects like users, roles, or logins that might conflict with the target database.

You can use the sqlpackage command-line tool to import the BACPAC file. This tool provides more control over the import process.

sqlpackage /a:Import /sf:your_bacpac_file.bacpac /tsn:your_server_name.database.windows.net /tdn:your_database_name /tu:your_username /tp:your_password

For more information, please refer the document: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/sql/tools/sqlpackage/sqlpackage-import?view=sql-server-ver16

I hope this information helps. Please do let us know if you have any further queries.
Alberto Morillo 34,651 Reputation points MVP

2025-04-08T02:44:02.17+00:00
Please try the following:

Upload the bacpac to an Azure Storage Account (General Purpose)

In the Azure Portal go to the Azure SQL Database logical server (do not go to an specific database).

Click Import database (or use "Import" on the horizontal toolbar of the server).

Upload or select your .bacpac file (from the Azure Storage).

Enter a new database name that does not already exist.

Proceed with the import.

You can also try the following PowerShell command also. Make sure you’re using a new database name:

New-AzSqlDatabaseImport -ResourceGroupName "TypeTheResourceGroup" ` -ServerName "your-Azure-SQL-server-name" ` -DatabaseName "newdatabasename" ` -StorageKeyType "StorageAccessKey" ` -StorageKey "yourstoragekey" ` -StorageUri "https://yourstorageaccount.blob.core.windows.net/yourcontainer/yourfile.bacpac" ` -AdministratorLogin "youradmin" ` -AdministratorLoginPassword (ConvertTo-SecureString -String "yourpassword" -AsPlainText -Force)
Mahesh Kurva 3,575 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff

2025-04-09T01:21:42.45+00:00

Hi Azure Learner Corporate,

We haven’t heard from you on the last response and was just checking back to see if you have a resolution yet. In case if you have any resolution, please do share that same with the community as it can be helpful to others. Otherwise, will respond with more details and we will try to help.
Mahesh Kurva 3,575 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff

2025-04-10T01:12:58.7766667+00:00

Hi Azure Learner Corporate,

We haven’t heard from you on the last response and was just checking back to see if you have a resolution yet. In case if you have any resolution, please do share that same with the community as it can be helpful to others. Otherwise, will respond with more details and we will try to help.

Please do "UPVOTE" if above suggestion helps.
Narendra Pakkirigari 0 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff

2025-04-22T11:43:01.79+00:00

Hi Azure Learner Corporate,

Greetings!

Import does not support specifying a backup storage redundancy while creating a new database and creates with the default geo-redundant backup storage redundancy. To work around, first create an empty database with desired backup storage redundancy using Azure portal or PowerShell and then import the bacpac into this empty database.

Refer the below document:https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/azure-sql/database/database-import?view=azuresql&tabs=azure-cli#limitations

1 answer

Your answer

Mahesh Kurva 3,575 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff

2025-04-08T02:41:44.3166667+00:00

Hi Azure Learner Corporate,

Greetings!

As I understand it, the error you're encountering indicates that the target database is not empty.

Here are a few steps you can take to resolve this:

Double-check that the target database is indeed empty. Sometimes, even a newly created database might have some default objects or metadata that can cause this error.

If possible, drop the target database and recreate it to ensure it is completely empty before attempting the import again.

Ensure that the BACPAC file does not contain any user objects like users, roles, or logins that might conflict with the target database.

You can use the sqlpackage command-line tool to import the BACPAC file. This tool provides more control over the import process.

sqlpackage /a:Import /sf:your_bacpac_file.bacpac /tsn:your_server_name.database.windows.net /tdn:your_database_name /tu:your_username /tp:your_password

For more information, please refer the document: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/sql/tools/sqlpackage/sqlpackage-import?view=sql-server-ver16

I hope this information helps. Please do let us know if you have any further queries.
Alberto Morillo 34,651 Reputation points MVP

2025-04-08T02:44:02.17+00:00

Please try the following:

Upload the bacpac to an Azure Storage Account (General Purpose)

In the Azure Portal go to the Azure SQL Database logical server (do not go to an specific database).

Click Import database (or use "Import" on the horizontal toolbar of the server).

Upload or select your .bacpac file (from the Azure Storage).

Enter a new database name that does not already exist.

Proceed with the import.

You can also try the following PowerShell command also. Make sure you’re using a new database name:

New-AzSqlDatabaseImport -ResourceGroupName "TypeTheResourceGroup" ` -ServerName "your-Azure-SQL-server-name" ` -DatabaseName "newdatabasename" ` -StorageKeyType "StorageAccessKey" ` -StorageKey "yourstoragekey" ` -StorageUri "https://yourstorageaccount.blob.core.windows.net/yourcontainer/yourfile.bacpac" ` -AdministratorLogin "youradmin" ` -AdministratorLoginPassword (ConvertTo-SecureString -String "yourpassword" -AsPlainText -Force)
Mahesh Kurva 3,575 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff

2025-04-09T01:21:42.45+00:00

Hi Azure Learner Corporate,

We haven’t heard from you on the last response and was just checking back to see if you have a resolution yet. In case if you have any resolution, please do share that same with the community as it can be helpful to others. Otherwise, will respond with more details and we will try to help.
Mahesh Kurva 3,575 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff

2025-04-10T01:12:58.7766667+00:00

Hi Azure Learner Corporate,

We haven’t heard from you on the last response and was just checking back to see if you have a resolution yet. In case if you have any resolution, please do share that same with the community as it can be helpful to others. Otherwise, will respond with more details and we will try to help.

Please do "UPVOTE" if above suggestion helps.
Narendra Pakkirigari 0 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff

2025-04-22T11:43:01.79+00:00

Hi Azure Learner Corporate,

Greetings!

Import does not support specifying a backup storage redundancy while creating a new database and creates with the default geo-redundant backup storage redundancy. To work around, first create an empty database with desired backup storage redundancy using Azure portal or PowerShell and then import the bacpac into this empty database.

Refer the below document:https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/azure-sql/database/database-import?view=azuresql&tabs=azure-cli#limitations

Answer 1

PratikLad 800 Microsoft External Staff

Hi Azure Learner Corporate,

Even though you don’t see a database with the same name, the error suggests that a database with the target name was already created before the import, and that's the issue — BACPAC imports require the database to not exist at all.

Even though you didn't create a database manually, the import process might still hit that error if:

The target database already exists, even if it’s empty.
A database with the same name got created due to a previous failed import.
Or the tool creates the DB first, then attempts to import and fails if anything at all is present.

Open the BACPAC file and review its contents to make sure it only includes the schema and data from the source database. It shouldn't contain user-specific objects like logins, users, roles, or anything else tied to particular accounts.

PratikLad 800 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff

2025-04-23T03:29:32.4833333+00:00

Hi Azure Learner Corporate,

We haven’t heard from you on the last response and was just checking back to see if you have a resolution yet. In case if you have any resolution, please do share that same with the community as it can be helpful to others. Otherwise, will respond with more details and we will try to help.
PratikLad 800 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff

2025-04-24T08:58:52.0933333+00:00

Hi Azure Learner Corporate,

We haven’t heard from you on the last response and was just checking back to see if you have a resolution yet. In case if you have any resolution, please do share that same with the community as it can be helpful to others. Otherwise, will respond with more details and we will try to help.

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Azure SQL Database Import Failed: "The ImportExport operation with Request Id '05a0cfb0-6b10-4527-8252-197c2c567c5a' failed due to 'Target database is not empty. The import operation can only be performed on an empty database.'."

1 answer

Your answer