{
  "schema_version": 2,
  "id": "develop/reference/errors/common/loading",
  "title": "LOADING error",
  "url": "https://redis.io/docs/latest/develop/reference/errors/common/loading/",
  "summary": "Redis is still loading its data into memory and can't serve the command yet.",
  "tags": [
    "docs",
    "develop",
    "stack",
    "oss",
    "rs",
    "rc",
    "oss",
    "kubernetes",
    "clients"
  ],
  "last_updated": "2026-11-02T15:10:28+01:00",
  "page_type": "content",
  "content_hash": "6ec51c95e98db0dafd1404b34ceb5eec214636537d798d319c4408e4b652983b",
  "sections": [
    {
      "id": "overview",
      "title": "Overview",
      "role": "overview",
      "text": "Redis returns this error while it's loading your data into memory. This happens when the server starts and reads its data files from disk. It can also happen on a replica while it loads a full copy of the data from its primary. Most commands fail until loading finishes.\n\n[code example]\n\nIn redis-py, this error is `BusyLoadingError: Redis is loading the dataset in memory`."
    },
    {
      "id": "example",
      "title": "Example",
      "role": "example",
      "text": "Most commands, including `PING`, return this error while Redis is loading. A few commands, such as `INFO`, still work:\n\n[code example]"
    },
    {
      "id": "how-to-fix-it",
      "title": "How to fix it",
      "role": "content",
      "text": "Wait for loading to finish, and then send the command again. The bigger your dataset is, the longer loading takes. To follow the progress, run [`INFO persistence`](https://redis.io/docs/latest/commands/info). `loading:1` means that Redis is still loading, and `loading_eta_seconds` estimates the time left.\n\nIn your app, treat this error as temporary, and retry the command after a delay. See [Retry with backoff](https://redis.io/docs/latest/develop/clients/error-handling#pattern-3-retry-with-backoff)."
    }
  ],
  "examples": [
    {
      "id": "overview-ex0",
      "language": "plaintext",
      "code": "LOADING Redis is loading the dataset in memory",
      "section_id": "overview"
    },
    {
      "id": "example-ex0",
      "language": "plaintext",
      "code": "> GET mykey\n(error) LOADING Redis is loading the dataset in memory\n> PING\n(error) LOADING Redis is loading the dataset in memory\n> INFO persistence\n# Persistence\nloading:1\n...",
      "section_id": "example"
    }
  ]
}