# Error when migrating to an external postgres instance

**URL:** <https://meta.discourse.org/t/error-when-migrating-to-an-external-postgres-instance/291992>\
**Category:** Self-hosting\
**Created:** [January 17, 2024, 8:19pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/error-when-migrating-to-an-external-postgres-instance/291992 "2024-01-17T20:19:24Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Showing post:** 2

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**Author:** ![pfaffman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/meta/user_avatar/meta.discourse.org/pfaffman/32/120154_2.png) [@pfaffman](https://meta.discourse.org/u/pfaffman)\
**Post date:** [January 18, 2024, 4:46pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/error-when-migrating-to-an-external-postgres-instance/291992/2 "2024-01-18T16:46:09Z")

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> [@Morpheus636](#):
>
> I ran a backup, then modified app.yml, rebuilt

When you rebuilt did it generate a new blank site? If not, then you’ve got some problem there.

Can you access the database from inside the container with `psql <some switches to point to the database>`)

Inside the container, if you do a `set|grep DB` do you see your ENV variables?

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