# Fresh installation - bootstrap failure?

**URL:** <https://community.directus.com/t/fresh-installation-bootstrap-failure/1933>\
**Category:** Help\
**Tags:** api\
**Created:** [February 10, 2026, 3:08pm UTC](https://community.directus.com/t/fresh-installation-bootstrap-failure/1933 "2026-02-10T15:08:52Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![jacobsandersen](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/community.directus.com/jacobsandersen/32/1445_2.png) [@jacobsandersen](https://community.directus.com/u/jacobsandersen)\
**Post date:** [February 10, 2026, 3:08pm UTC](https://community.directus.com/t/fresh-installation-bootstrap-failure/1933/1 "2026-02-10T15:08:52Z")

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Hello all.

Trying to do a fresh install of Directus using Postgres, latest 11.5.x version. I’m installing into Kubernetes, using the docker image.

Everything is fine, except on the initial boot against a clean DB I get an error during migration that I’m not sure how to solve.

I’m copying the log below just in case someone can provide some insight. I’m unable to get past this.

After this happens, subsequent container boot attempts just say "Error: Database is already installed”

Please let me know if there is any extra info I can provide to help solve this.

P.S. it made me select a tag - none seemed relevant, and I cannot create a new one..so, Api it is..

> <https://gist.github.com/jacobsandersen/5f53ed23d1a91c5b6ab32ee8d4b71979>

P.S. Had to put it at the Gist because pasting the log directly ends up trying to tag the directus root user, which apparently new users cannot do.

This platform is kind of hard to use!

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![jacobsandersen](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/community.directus.com/jacobsandersen/32/1445_2.png) [@jacobsandersen](https://community.directus.com/u/jacobsandersen)\
**Post date:** [February 11, 2026, 11:15am UTC](https://community.directus.com/t/fresh-installation-bootstrap-failure/1933/2 "2026-02-11T11:15:20Z")

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This is solved.

Please see my comment for more details if this also happens to you.

> <https://github.com/directus/directus/issues/26625>
>
> \### Describe the Bug
> 
> Trying to do a fresh install of Directus using Postgres 18…, latest 11.5.x version. I’m installing into Kubernetes, using the docker image.
> 
> Everything is fine, except on the initial boot against a clean DB I get an error during migration that I’m not sure how to solve.
> 
> Here is the log I see: https://gist.github.com/jacobsandersen/5f53ed23d1a91c5b6ab32ee8d4b71979
> 
> After this happens, subsequent container boot attempts just say "Error: Database is already installed”
> 
> I've followed the Docker installation guide for this.
> 
> Also made a community post about this, however I'm suspecting that this might be something more technical than a help request, so filing this one. https://community.directus.com/t/fresh-installation-bootstrap-failure/1933
> 
> Apologies for the duplication.
> 
> \### To Reproduce
> 
> Attempt to create a new Directus installation using the following environment variables, targeting Postgres 18 and using Redis 8.4.0:
> 
> \`\`\`
> PUBLIC\_URL: "https://directus.example.org"
> ACCEPT\_TERMS: "true"
> PROJECT\_OWNER: "Jacob Andersen \<my@email.com\>"
> 
> CACHE\_ENABLED: "true"
> CACHE\_STORE: "redis"
> REDIS\_HOST: ""
> REDIS\_PORT: "6379"
> 
> DB\_CLIENT: "pg"
> DB\_HOST: ""
> DB\_PORT: "5432"
> DB\_DATABASE: "directus"
> DB\_SSL: "true"
> DB\_SSL\_\_CA\_FILE: "/certs/ca.crt"
> NODE\_EXTRA\_CA\_CERTS: "/certs/ca.crt"
> 
> EMAIL\_TRANSPORT: "smtp"
> EMAIL\_SMTP\_HOST: "email-smtp.us-west-2.amazonaws.com"
> EMAIL\_SMTP\_PORT: "465"
> EMAIL\_SMTP\_SECURE: "true"
> EMAIL\_FROM: "directus@domain.com"
> 
> STORAGE\_S3\_BUCKET: "directus-files"
> STORAGE\_S3\_ENDPOINT: ""
> 
> WEBSOCKETS\_ENABLED: "true"
> 
> SYNCHRONIZATION\_STORE: "redis"
> \`\`\`
> 
> "secret" env vars also (values removed):
> \`\`\`
> SECRET: ""
> 
> DB\_USER: ""
> DB\_PASSWORD: ""
> 
> REDIS\_PASSWORD: ""
> 
> EMAIL\_SMTP\_USER: ""
> EMAIL\_SMTP\_PASSWORD: "" 
> 
> STORAGE\_S3\_KEY: ""
> STORAGE\_S3\_SECRET: ""
> \`\`\`
> 
> \### Directus Version
> 
> v11.15 (docker)
> 
> \### Hosting Strategy
> 
> Self-Hosted (Docker Image)
> 
> \### Database
> 
> PostgreSQL 18