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How to Fix the pg_dump "aborting because of server version mismatch" Error?

Updated on 15 September, 2025

A guide to resolving version mismatch errors when using pg_dump to back up Vultr Managed PostgreSQL clusters

When using pg_dump to back up a Vultr Managed PostgreSQL cluster, you may encounter the following error:

pg_dump: error: aborting because of server version mismatch

This occurs when the version of pg_dump on your local machine does not match the PostgreSQL server version. pg_dump is designed to be compatible with the server version it connects to, and using an older client with a newer server can lead to compatibility issues.

To confirm whether a version mismatch exists, first check the PostgreSQL server version by connecting to your Vultr Managed Database cluster:

console 
$ psql postgres://<username>:<password>@<host>:<port>/<database> -c "SELECT version();"

Next, check the version of your local pg_dump client:

console 
$ pg_dump --version

If the versions do not align, you will need to upgrade your pg_dump client to match the server version before running your backup command.

  • macOS
  • Ubuntu / Debian
  • RHEL / CentOS

  1. Install the matching PostgreSQL client via Homebrew.

    console 
    % brew install postgresql@<version>

  2. Ensure the correct version is in your PATH.

    console 
    % echo 'export PATH="/opt/homebrew/opt/postgresql@<version>/bin:$PATH"' >> ~/.zshrc && source ~/.zshrc

  3. Verify pg_dump version.

    console 
    % pg_dump --version

  1. Install the PostgreSQL client for the desired version.

    console 
    $ sudo apt update && sudo apt install postgresql-client-<version>

  2. Update your PATH to prioritize the new client.

    console 
    $ echo 'export PATH=/usr/lib/postgresql/<version>/bin:$PATH' >> ~/.bashrc && source ~/.bashrc

  3. Verify pg_dump version.

    console 
    $ pg_dump --version

  1. Install the PostgreSQL client for the desired version.

    console 
    $ sudo yum install postgresql<version>

  2. Update your PATH to prioritize the new client.

    console 
    $ echo 'export PATH=/usr/pgsql-<version>/bin:$PATH' >> ~/.bashrc && source ~/.bashrc

  3. Verify pg_dump version.

    console 
    $ pg_dump --version

After ensuring that your local pg_dump client matches the PostgreSQL server version, you can safely run your backup commands without encountering the server version mismatch error. For more detailed information on PostgreSQL version compatibility, refer to the official PostgreSQL release notes.