Azure Database for PostgreSQL Flexible Server stuck in 'Starting' status

Alessandro Vernile 20 Reputation points
2026-06-24T08:37:12.7033333+00:00

Following a manual stop operation, the server has been stuck in a 'Starting' status. I am unable to perform any management operations, and the Azure Portal Resource Health displays an "Unknown (Unplanned)" status.

Troubleshooting already performed:

I have attempted to restart/stop/start the server via Azure CLI. Every attempt fails with the following error: (ServerBusyWithOtherOperation) Cannot perform 'Restart' server operation because server is busy processing other operation.

I have run a deep investigation using the Observability Agent, which confirms that there is no workload saturation and no application-level errors. This clearly indicates an infrastructure-level provisioning stall.

Support concerns: When attempting to open a formal support ticket, the Azure portal directs me to purchase a paid support plan. However, since this is a clear infrastructure-level failure (as confirmed by the "Unknown" health state and the inability to process system commands), it is not appropriate to charge for technical support. This is a platform-side issue that prevents the service from functioning as expected.

Since I cannot resolve this via the portal or CLI, how can I force a reset of the provisioning process or get this instance back to a 'Ready' state without being forced into a paid support plan for a platform fault?

Azure Database for PostgreSQL
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  1. Alex Burlachenko 23,250 Reputation points MVP Volunteer Moderator
    2026-06-24T14:48:12.4633333+00:00

    Alessandro Vernile hi, thx for sharing urs issue here at Q&A portal,

    the server is stuck in a control-plane operation, not a PostgreSQL workload issue. ServerBusyWithOtherOperation means the PostgreSQL RP still thinks a start/stop operation is running. Once it’s stuck there, portal CLI retries usually won’t clear it bc every new command hits the same lock.

    There isn’t a safe customer-side ‘force reset provisioning’ button for Flexible Server. If Resource Health is Unknown (Unplanned) and the server is stuck in Starting, this needs backend cleanup by Azure PostgreSQL support.

    Grab the Activity Log entries for the original stop/start operation and the failed restart attempts. The correlation IDs matter more than screenshots here.

    az monitor activity-log list \

    --resource-id '<server-resource-id>' \

    --offset 24h

    https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/service-health/resource-health-overview

    For support, use Help + support > Create a support request > Service and subscription limits / Service issue if available. Billing/account support is free, but technical support normally depends on plan. That said, for a platform health issue, MS still needs the resource ID, region, UTC time, and correlation IDs to route it.

    My take is don’t keep sending restart/stop commands. It won’t unlock a stuck RP operation and can muddy the logs. Open a support case and ask them to clear/recover the stuck Flexible Server operation from the backend.

    rgds,

    Alex

    &

    If my answer was helpful pls mark it and additional thx if u follow me at Q&A portal

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