# Can't load topics
**URL:** https://meta.discourse.org/t/cant-load-topics/163126
**Category:** Support
**Created:** [September 5, 2020, 6:14pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/cant-load-topics/163126 "2020-09-05T18:14:42Z")
**Posts on this page:** 6
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@dylanb](https://meta.discourse.org/u/dylanb)
#### Post date: [September 5, 2020, 6:14pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/cant-load-topics/163126/1 "2020-09-05T18:14:42Z")
I recently upgraded my Discourse and now can not seem to load topics. I just get a spinning circle when trying to load the content.
URL: [forum.umhoops.com](http://forum.umhoops.com)
[This error keeps repeating in the logs](https://pastebin.com/QgbyU51h).
In [safe mode](https://meta.discourse.org/t/53504?silent=true), I get this error when trying to load a topic:
I’ve rebuilt the container multiple times but that doesn’t seem to fix the issue. The issue started when I tried to upgrade through the web interface a received a bootstrap failed error. I then re-built via SSH and it “worked” but won’t load posts.
FWIW, as far as I can tell my initial upgrade failed potentially due to the [Data Explorer](https://meta.discourse.org/t/32566?silent=true). I’m also still on Postgres 10 and not 12. Absolutely stuck with how to get the forum up and running again.
Any suggestions?
---
### Author:  [@dylanb](https://meta.discourse.org/u/dylanb)
#### Post date: [September 5, 2020, 7:37pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/cant-load-topics/163126/2 "2020-09-05T19:37:22Z")
Is there anything that I can do to try to resolve this? Even if it is half baked? Revert to an old version? Any tips are welcome. Frustrated to have my forum broken.
---
### Author:  [@dylanb](https://meta.discourse.org/u/dylanb)
#### Post date: [September 5, 2020, 8:10pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/cant-load-topics/163126/3 "2020-09-05T20:10:25Z")
Appear to have discovered the issue… The Category Lockdown Plugin was breaking the load.
> [@Discourse Category Lockdown](https://meta.discourse.org/t/advertise-activity-in-a-private-category-discourse-category-lockdown/70649):
>
> This plugin allows you to restrict access to topic pages in a category. Topic titles will still show up in topic lists, search, user activity & digest emails. This is a great way to advertise the activity in a “members-only” category, which may charge for access. It IS NOT designed to keep the contents of the category 100% private - if someone is determined enough they will be able to piece together the content from search results. Each category has a couple of new settings in the Security tab…
Unfortunately, I need that plugin to operate properly. Any ideas on a fix? Can I revert to an old version?
---
### Author:  [@Stephen](https://meta.discourse.org/u/Stephen)
#### Post date: [September 5, 2020, 8:12pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/cant-load-topics/163126/4 "2020-09-05T20:12:29Z")
> [@dylanb](#):
>
> Can I revert to an old version?
If you have a backup from an older database version then it’s possible, sure.
If your site relies on certain plugins then building a staging copy of your site to test upgrades is a **must**. Updates will occasionally break stuff, applying upgrades to your live site without any pre-release testing is a recipe for disaster.
If you’re sure the plugin is responsible I would suggest posting in the official topic. AFAIK that plugin isn’t official, but maybe @fzngagan has time to take a look.
---
### Author:  [@dylanb](https://meta.discourse.org/u/dylanb)
#### Post date: [September 5, 2020, 8:14pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/cant-load-topics/163126/5 "2020-09-05T20:14:57Z")
> [@Stephen](#):
>
> If your site relies on certain plugins then building a staging copy of your site to test upgrades is a **must**. Updates will occasionally break stuff, applying upgrades to your live site without any pre-release testing is a recipe for disaster.
Yep. That was definitely my fault. 🤮
---
### Author:  [@Stephen](https://meta.discourse.org/u/Stephen)
#### Post date: [September 5, 2020, 8:16pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/cant-load-topics/163126/6 "2020-09-05T20:16:33Z")
Trust me, you are far from alone on this one. A large proportion of upgrade-related #Support topics are encapsulated by the above.
Sites which blindly update without proper backups could be down for days at a time if they’re waiting on third party plugins to be updated. In many cases it can be avoided with a pared-down copy of your live site in a $5 droplet, which is the cheapest insurance policy I’ve ever heard of…