# SnapshotDeleteException: [my_repo:snapshot_2025] cannot delete snapshot - a snapshot is currently in progress

- **ID:** `elasticsearch/snapshot-in-progress-delete-failed`
- **Domain:** elasticsearch
- **Category:** runtime_error
- **Verification:** ai_generated
- **Fix Rate:** 90%

## Root Cause

A delete operation on a snapshot fails because another snapshot in the same repository is currently being created or restored.

## Version Compatibility

| Version | Status | Introduced | Deprecated |
|---------|--------|------------|------------|
| elasticsearch 7.17 | active | — | — |
| elasticsearch 8.11 | active | — | — |
| elasticsearch 8.12 | active | — | — |

## Workarounds

1. **Wait for the in-progress snapshot to complete by monitoring snapshot status: GET _snapshot/my_repo/_all and check for 'IN_PROGRESS' state, then retry the delete.** (95% success)
   ```
   Wait for the in-progress snapshot to complete by monitoring snapshot status: GET _snapshot/my_repo/_all and check for 'IN_PROGRESS' state, then retry the delete.
   ```
2. **Abort the in-progress snapshot if it is stuck: DELETE _snapshot/my_repo/snapshot_in_progress_name (if the snapshot name is known).** (85% success)
   ```
   Abort the in-progress snapshot if it is stuck: DELETE _snapshot/my_repo/snapshot_in_progress_name (if the snapshot name is known).
   ```
3. **Increase snapshot timeout settings to avoid long-running snapshots: PUT _cluster/settings { "transient": { "snapshot.max_concurrent_operations": 1 } } to serialize operations.** (80% success)
   ```
   Increase snapshot timeout settings to avoid long-running snapshots: PUT _cluster/settings { "transient": { "snapshot.max_concurrent_operations": 1 } } to serialize operations.
   ```

## Dead Ends

- **** — Direct file deletion can corrupt the repository metadata, making all snapshots in the repository unusable. (85% fail)
- **** — Restarting may leave the snapshot in an inconsistent state, requiring manual cleanup and potentially losing data. (70% fail)
- **** — Creating a new snapshot while another is in progress can also fail with a ConcurrentSnapshotExecutionException. (65% fail)