Home › Troubleshooting › Memory backend connection refused

Last verified: 2026-06-11

Memory backend connection refused

A Hermes error and how to fix it. The exact message, why it happens, and the steps that resolve it.

Hermes 
Hermes: failed to connect to memory backend
Error: ECONNREFUSED 127.0.0.1:5432
Fix:

Hermes 1.2+ requires an explicit memory backend. For Postgres/Redis, check that the server is running and the connection string in hermes.toml is correct. For SQLite (default), ensure the data directory is writable:

hermes doctor          # full diagnostic
hermes memory backend  # shows active backend
chmod u+rwx ~/.hermes  # fix SQLite perms

Guide: Hermes memory

Still stuck?

See the full cross-platform troubleshooting index, the Hermes hub, or the command reference. Paste your error into the search box on the index to find related fixes.