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Subject: BUG #19391: pg_ctl: the PID file "/xxxx/postmaster.pid" is empty
To: pgsql-bugs@lists.postgresql.org
From: PG Bug reporting form <noreply@postgresql.org>
Cc: d.kovalenko@postgrespro.ru
Reply-To: d.kovalenko@postgrespro.ru, pgsql-bugs@lists.postgresql.org
Date: Fri, 30 Jan 2026 15:59:18 +0000
Message-ID: <19391-fb300ee2c6fa87b5@postgresql.org>
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The following bug has been logged on the website:

Bug reference:      19391
Logged by:          Dmitry Kovalenko
Email address:      d.kovalenko@postgrespro.ru
PostgreSQL version: 17.7
Operating system:   Linux
Description:       =20

Hello,

My test framework uses "pg_ctl status ..." to detect a state of Postgres
instance - uninitialized, stopped, running.

Time from time, it returns the error - pg_ctl: the PID file
"/xxxx/postmaster.pid" is empty

https://github.com/postgrespro/testgres/issues/329

I think, postgres and pg_ctl do not should create a such issues.

Thanks&Regards,
Dmitry Kovalenko