Can't Synchronize User Directory due to duplicate membership entry

Platform Notice: Data Center Only - This article only applies to Atlassian apps on the Data Center platform.

Note that this KB was created for the Data Center version of the product. Data Center KBs for non-Data-Center-specific features may also work for Server versions of the product, however they have not been tested. Support for Server* products ended on February 15th 2024. If you are running a Server product, you can visit the Atlassian Server end of support announcement to review your migration options.

*Except Fisheye and Crucible

Symptoms

Syncing the user directory fails and the following appears in the atlassian-confluence.log:

2013-07-11 11:54:09,052 ERROR [scheduler_Worker-7] [atlassian.crowd.directory.DbCachingDirectoryPoller] pollChanges Error occurred while refreshing the cache for directory [ 9601026 ]. org.springframework.dao.DataIntegrityViolationException: Hibernate operation: could not insert: [com.atlassian.crowd.embedded.hibernate2.HibernateMembership#13533267]; SQL []; Duplicate entry '9666569-12910594' for key 'cwd_unique_user_membership'; nested exception is com.mysql.jdbc.exceptions.jdbc4.MySQLIntegrityConstraintViolationException: Duplicate entry '9666569-12910594' for key 'cwd_unique_user_membership' at org.springframework.jdbc.support.SQLStateSQLExceptionTranslator.doTranslate(SQLStateSQLExceptionTranslator.java:100) at org.springframework.jdbc.support.AbstractFallbackSQLExceptionTranslator.translate(AbstractFallbackSQLExceptionTranslator.java:72) at org.springframework.orm.hibernate.HibernateTransactionManager.convertJdbcAccessException(HibernateTransactionManager.java:619) at org.springframework.orm.hibernate.HibernateTransactionManager.convertHibernateAccessException(HibernateTransactionManager.java:605) at org.springframework.orm.hibernate.HibernateTransactionManager.doCommit(HibernateTransactionManager.java:518)

Workaround

To resolve this problem, create a Directory with the same information as your current Directory, disable the old one, and synchronize the new one. The error should disappear.

Updated on September 25, 2025

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