psql: could not connect to server: Connection refused

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• 11 Sep, 2025
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psql: could not connect to server: Connection refused

Error

psql: could not connect to server: Connection refused

PostgreSQL Connection Refused – Error Explained

One of the most frustrating issues for DBAs and developers is the PostgreSQL connection refused error. The full message usually looks like this:

psql: could not connect to server: Connection refused
Is the server running on host "localhost" and accepting
TCP/IP connections on port 5432?

Common Causes of PostgreSQL Connection Refused Error

The PostgreSQL connection refused problem can occur due to:

• PostgreSQL service is not running

• Wrong port number (default is 5432)

• Firewall blocking the connection

• TCP/IP connections not enabled in postgresql.conf

• Host not allowed in pg_hba.conf

Solution:

1. Check if PostgreSQL service is running

sudo systemctl status postgresql
sudo systemctl start postgresql

netstat -nlt | grep 5432

If PostgreSQL is listening on another port, update your connection string.

3. Restart the PostgreSQL server

sudo systemctl restart postgresql

4. Enable TCP/IP connections

Edit postgresql.conf and ensure:

listen_addresses = '*'

host    all   all   0.0.0.0/0   md5

Then reload PostgreSQL:

sudo systemctl reload postgresql

6. Check firewall settings

Allow traffic on port 5432:

sudo ufw allow 5432/tcp

7. Test connection manually

psql -h localhost -U username -d dbname