Cycle detection when detecting value converter types over foreign keys throws InvalidOperationException

[zlepper]

Bug description

I have ended up with a rather complex/annoying set of relationships between 2 types (See the attached code).

I have tried reducing it further, but that doesn't seem possible without causing the issue to disappear.

If I explicitly set the ProviderClrType annotation on the WorkspaceId property, when the issue stops occuring.

If I don't use the multi-column (foreign)keys, then the issue does not occur.

The issue still occurs when specifying all the columns to be int rather than Guid. (Setting ProviderClrType still works to 'fix' the issue.)

The issue seems to occur on all versions between EFCore 8.0.0 up to and including EFCore version 11.0.0-preview.3.26207.106. (I only have dotnet 11 preview 3 available in my package manager, not preview 4 yet, so I have not tested preview 4).

The issue seems to occur no matter the database provider. I have tested "InMemory", "Sqlite" and "Postgres".

Your code

using Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore;
using Microsoft.Extensions.Logging;

await using var context = new ReproContext();
await context.Database.EnsureDeletedAsync();
await context.Database.EnsureCreatedAsync();

public class ReproContext : DbContext
{
    public DbSet<ChatMessage> Messages => Set<ChatMessage>();
    public DbSet<ChatSession> Sessions => Set<ChatSession>();

    protected override void OnConfiguring(DbContextOptionsBuilder optionsBuilder) =>
        optionsBuilder
            .UseInMemoryDatabase("Repro")
            .LogTo(Console.WriteLine, LogLevel.Information)
            .EnableSensitiveDataLogging();

    protected override void OnModelCreating(ModelBuilder modelBuilder)
    {
        modelBuilder.Entity<ChatSession>(session =>
        {
            // session.Property(s => s.WorkspaceId).HasAnnotation(CoreAnnotationNames.ProviderClrType, typeof(Guid));
            session.HasKey(s => new { s.WorkspaceId, s.Id });

            session
                .HasOne(s => s.ParentMessage)
                .WithMany(m => m.ChildChatSessions)
                .HasForeignKey(s => new { s.WorkspaceId, s.ParentMessageId })
                .HasPrincipalKey(m => new {m.WorkspaceId, m.Id})
                .IsRequired(false)
                .OnDelete(DeleteBehavior.Restrict);
            
            session
                .HasOne(s => s.ParentSession)
                .WithMany(s => s.ChildSessions)
                .HasForeignKey(s => new { s.WorkspaceId, s.ParentSessionId })
                .HasPrincipalKey(s => new {s.WorkspaceId, s.Id})
                .IsRequired(false)
                .OnDelete(DeleteBehavior.Restrict);
        });

        modelBuilder.Entity<ChatMessage>(message =>
        {
            // message.Property(s => s.WorkspaceId).HasAnnotation(CoreAnnotationNames.ProviderClrType, typeof(Guid));
            message.HasKey(m => new { m.WorkspaceId, m.Id });

            message
                .HasOne(m => m.Session)
                .WithMany(s => s.Messages)
                .HasForeignKey(m => new { m.WorkspaceId, m.SessionId })
                .HasPrincipalKey(s => new { s.WorkspaceId, s.Id })
                .OnDelete(DeleteBehavior.Restrict);

            message
                .HasOne(m => m.PreviousMessage)
                .WithMany(m => m.FollowingMessages)
                .HasForeignKey(m => new { m.WorkspaceId, m.PreviousMessageId })
                .HasPrincipalKey(m => new { m.WorkspaceId, m.Id })
                .OnDelete(DeleteBehavior.Restrict);
        });
    }
}

public class ChatMessage
{
    public Guid WorkspaceId { get; set; }
    public Guid Id { get; set; }

    public Guid SessionId { get; set; }
    public ChatSession Session { get; set; } = null!;

    public Guid? PreviousMessageId { get; set; }
    public ChatMessage? PreviousMessage { get; set; }
    
    public ICollection<ChatMessage> FollowingMessages { get; set; } = null!;

    public ICollection<ChatSession> ChildChatSessions { get; set; } = null!;
}

public class ChatSession
{
    public Guid WorkspaceId { get; set; }

    public Guid Id { get; set; }

    public Guid? ParentMessageId { get; set; }
    public ChatMessage? ParentMessage { get; set; }

    public Guid? ParentSessionId { get; set; }
    public ChatSession? ParentSession { get; set; }

    public ICollection<ChatSession> ChildSessions { get; set; } = null!;

    public ICollection<ChatMessage> Messages { get; set; } = [];
}

Stack traces

Unhandled exception. System.InvalidOperationException: A relationship cycle involving the property 'ChatMessage.WorkspaceId' was detected. This prevents Entity Framework from determining the correct configuration. Review the foreign keys defined on the property and the corresponding principal property and either remove one of them or specify 'ValueConverter' explicitly on one of the properties.
   at Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.Metadata.Internal.Property.GetConversion(Boolean throwOnValueConverterConflict, Boolean throwOnProviderClrTypeConflict)
   at Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.Metadata.Internal.Property.GetValueConverter()
   at Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.Storage.TypeMappingInfo..ctor(IReadOnlyList`1 principals, Nullable`1 fallbackUnicode, Nullable`1 fallbackSize, Nullable`1 fallbackPrecision, Nullable`1 fallbackScale)
   at Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.Storage.TypeMappingSource.FindMapping(IProperty property)
   at Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.Metadata.Conventions.ElementMappingConvention.<ProcessModelFinalizing>g__Validate|4_0(IConventionTypeBase typeBase)
   at Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.Metadata.Conventions.ElementMappingConvention.ProcessModelFinalizing(IConventionModelBuilder modelBuilder, IConventionContext`1 context)
   at Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.Metadata.Conventions.Internal.ConventionDispatcher.ImmediateConventionScope.OnModelFinalizing(IConventionModelBuilder modelBuilder)
   at Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.Metadata.Conventions.Internal.ConventionDispatcher.OnModelFinalizing(IConventionModelBuilder modelBuilder)
   at Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.Metadata.Internal.Model.FinalizeModel()
   at Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.Infrastructure.ModelRuntimeInitializer.Initialize(IModel model, Boolean designTime, IDiagnosticsLogger`1 validationLogger)
   at Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.Infrastructure.ModelSource.CreateModel(DbContext context, ModelCreationDependencies modelCreationDependencies, Boolean designTime)
   at Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.Infrastructure.ModelSource.GetModel(DbContext context, ModelCreationDependencies modelCreationDependencies, Boolean designTime)
   at Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.Internal.DbContextServices.CreateModel(Boolean designTime)
   at Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.Internal.DbContextServices.get_Model()
   at Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.Infrastructure.EntityFrameworkServicesBuilder.<>c.<TryAddCoreServices>b__8_4(IServiceProvider p)
   at Microsoft.Extensions.DependencyInjection.ServiceLookup.CallSiteRuntimeResolver.VisitFactory(FactoryCallSite factoryCallSite, RuntimeResolverContext context)
   at Microsoft.Extensions.DependencyInjection.ServiceLookup.CallSiteVisitor`2.VisitCallSiteMain(ServiceCallSite callSite, TArgument argument)
   at Microsoft.Extensions.DependencyInjection.ServiceLookup.CallSiteRuntimeResolver.VisitCache(ServiceCallSite callSite, RuntimeResolverContext context, ServiceProviderEngineScope serviceProviderEngine, RuntimeResolverLock lockType)
   at Microsoft.Extensions.DependencyInjection.ServiceLookup.CallSiteRuntimeResolver.VisitScopeCache(ServiceCallSite callSite, RuntimeResolverContext context)
   at Microsoft.Extensions.DependencyInjection.ServiceLookup.CallSiteVisitor`2.VisitCallSite(ServiceCallSite callSite, TArgument argument)
   at Microsoft.Extensions.DependencyInjection.ServiceLookup.CallSiteRuntimeResolver.VisitConstructor(ConstructorCallSite constructorCallSite, RuntimeResolverContext context)
   at Microsoft.Extensions.DependencyInjection.ServiceLookup.CallSiteVisitor`2.VisitCallSiteMain(ServiceCallSite callSite, TArgument argument)
   at Microsoft.Extensions.DependencyInjection.ServiceLookup.CallSiteRuntimeResolver.VisitCache(ServiceCallSite callSite, RuntimeResolverContext context, ServiceProviderEngineScope serviceProviderEngine, RuntimeResolverLock lockType)
   at Microsoft.Extensions.DependencyInjection.ServiceLookup.CallSiteRuntimeResolver.VisitScopeCache(ServiceCallSite callSite, RuntimeResolverContext context)
   at Microsoft.Extensions.DependencyInjection.ServiceLookup.CallSiteVisitor`2.VisitCallSite(ServiceCallSite callSite, TArgument argument)
   at Microsoft.Extensions.DependencyInjection.ServiceLookup.CallSiteRuntimeResolver.VisitConstructor(ConstructorCallSite constructorCallSite, RuntimeResolverContext context)
   at Microsoft.Extensions.DependencyInjection.ServiceLookup.CallSiteVisitor`2.VisitCallSiteMain(ServiceCallSite callSite, TArgument argument)
   at Microsoft.Extensions.DependencyInjection.ServiceLookup.CallSiteRuntimeResolver.VisitCache(ServiceCallSite callSite, RuntimeResolverContext context, ServiceProviderEngineScope serviceProviderEngine, RuntimeResolverLock lockType)
   at Microsoft.Extensions.DependencyInjection.ServiceLookup.CallSiteRuntimeResolver.VisitScopeCache(ServiceCallSite callSite, RuntimeResolverContext context)
   at Microsoft.Extensions.DependencyInjection.ServiceLookup.CallSiteVisitor`2.VisitCallSite(ServiceCallSite callSite, TArgument argument)
   at Microsoft.Extensions.DependencyInjection.ServiceLookup.CallSiteRuntimeResolver.VisitConstructor(ConstructorCallSite constructorCallSite, RuntimeResolverContext context)
   at Microsoft.Extensions.DependencyInjection.ServiceLookup.CallSiteVisitor`2.VisitCallSiteMain(ServiceCallSite callSite, TArgument argument)
   at Microsoft.Extensions.DependencyInjection.ServiceLookup.CallSiteRuntimeResolver.VisitCache(ServiceCallSite callSite, RuntimeResolverContext context, ServiceProviderEngineScope serviceProviderEngine, RuntimeResolverLock lockType)
   at Microsoft.Extensions.DependencyInjection.ServiceLookup.CallSiteRuntimeResolver.VisitScopeCache(ServiceCallSite callSite, RuntimeResolverContext context)
   at Microsoft.Extensions.DependencyInjection.ServiceLookup.CallSiteVisitor`2.VisitCallSite(ServiceCallSite callSite, TArgument argument)
   at Microsoft.Extensions.DependencyInjection.ServiceLookup.CallSiteRuntimeResolver.VisitConstructor(ConstructorCallSite constructorCallSite, RuntimeResolverContext context)
   at Microsoft.Extensions.DependencyInjection.ServiceLookup.CallSiteVisitor`2.VisitCallSiteMain(ServiceCallSite callSite, TArgument argument)
   at Microsoft.Extensions.DependencyInjection.ServiceLookup.CallSiteRuntimeResolver.VisitCache(ServiceCallSite callSite, RuntimeResolverContext context, ServiceProviderEngineScope serviceProviderEngine, RuntimeResolverLock lockType)
   at Microsoft.Extensions.DependencyInjection.ServiceLookup.CallSiteRuntimeResolver.VisitScopeCache(ServiceCallSite callSite, RuntimeResolverContext context)
   at Microsoft.Extensions.DependencyInjection.ServiceLookup.CallSiteVisitor`2.VisitCallSite(ServiceCallSite callSite, TArgument argument)
   at Microsoft.Extensions.DependencyInjection.ServiceLookup.CallSiteRuntimeResolver.VisitConstructor(ConstructorCallSite constructorCallSite, RuntimeResolverContext context)
   at Microsoft.Extensions.DependencyInjection.ServiceLookup.CallSiteVisitor`2.VisitCallSiteMain(ServiceCallSite callSite, TArgument argument)
   at Microsoft.Extensions.DependencyInjection.ServiceLookup.CallSiteRuntimeResolver.VisitCache(ServiceCallSite callSite, RuntimeResolverContext context, ServiceProviderEngineScope serviceProviderEngine, RuntimeResolverLock lockType)
   at Microsoft.Extensions.DependencyInjection.ServiceLookup.CallSiteRuntimeResolver.VisitScopeCache(ServiceCallSite callSite, RuntimeResolverContext context)
   at Microsoft.Extensions.DependencyInjection.ServiceLookup.CallSiteVisitor`2.VisitCallSite(ServiceCallSite callSite, TArgument argument)
   at Microsoft.Extensions.DependencyInjection.ServiceLookup.CallSiteRuntimeResolver.Resolve(ServiceCallSite callSite, ServiceProviderEngineScope scope)
   at Microsoft.Extensions.DependencyInjection.ServiceLookup.DynamicServiceProviderEngine.<>c__DisplayClass2_0.<RealizeService>b__0(ServiceProviderEngineScope scope)
   at Microsoft.Extensions.DependencyInjection.ServiceProvider.GetService(ServiceIdentifier serviceIdentifier, ServiceProviderEngineScope serviceProviderEngineScope)
   at Microsoft.Extensions.DependencyInjection.ServiceLookup.ServiceProviderEngineScope.GetService(Type serviceType)
   at Microsoft.Extensions.DependencyInjection.ServiceProviderServiceExtensions.GetRequiredService(IServiceProvider provider, Type serviceType)
   at Microsoft.Extensions.DependencyInjection.ServiceProviderServiceExtensions.GetRequiredService[T](IServiceProvider provider)
   at Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.DbContext.get_DbContextDependencies()
   at Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.DbContext.get_ContextServices()
   at Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.DbContext.get_InternalServiceProvider()
   at Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.DbContext.Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.Infrastructure.IInfrastructure<System.IServiceProvider>.get_Instance()
   at Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.Infrastructure.Internal.InfrastructureExtensions.GetService(IInfrastructure`1 accessor, Type serviceType)
   at Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.Infrastructure.Internal.InfrastructureExtensions.GetService[TService](IInfrastructure`1 accessor)
   at Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.Infrastructure.AccessorExtensions.GetService[TService](IInfrastructure`1 accessor)
   at Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.Infrastructure.DatabaseFacade.get_Dependencies()
   at Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.Infrastructure.DatabaseFacade.EnsureDeletedAsync(CancellationToken cancellationToken)
   at Program.<Main>$(String[] args) in /home/rasmus/projects/EfCoreReproduction/EfCoreReproduction/Program.cs:line 9
   at Program.<Main>$(String[] args) in /home/rasmus/projects/EfCoreReproduction/EfCoreReproduction/Program.cs:line 10
   at Program.<Main>(String[] args)

Verbose output

EF Core version

10.0.8

Database provider

Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.InMemory, Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.Sqlite, Npgsql.EntityFrameworkCore.PostgreSQL

Target framework

.net 10

Operating system

Nixos

IDE

Commandline

[MihuBot]

I'm a bot. Here is a possible related and/or duplicate issue (I may be wrong):

• Inconsistent behavior related to relationship cycle #32422

[zlepper]

I'm a bot. Here is a possible related and/or duplicate issue (I may be wrong):

• Inconsistent behavior related to relationship cycle #32422

(I have seen the bot notice, but i'm going to reply anyway)

Yup, except that is supposedly fixed in EF 8.0.2. Considering that the model is allowed to be build if I specify one of the provider types explicitly, makes me believe that the circular detection is still wrong. There is a circle here, that much is true, but it's like the detection isn't able to detect that it gets back to itself, and then just keeps looping over-and-over for some reason.

[zlepper]

Fun bonus error. When i specify either ProviderClrType or an explicit conversion (As per #32422), then I can run the code. And I can generate a single migration. After I have generated a single migration, then I cannot generate a new migration apparently, due to the same error, but also not really the same error:

rasmus@rhdh-work-desktop ~/p/E/EfCoreReproduction [1]> dotnet dotnet-ef migrations add NewMig1
Build started...
Build succeeded.
warn: 5/20/2026 11:13:12.709 CoreEventId.SensitiveDataLoggingEnabledWarning[10400] (Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.Infrastructure) 
      Sensitive data logging is enabled. Log entries and exception messages may include sensitive application data; this mode should only be enabled during development.
Done. To undo this action, use 'ef migrations remove'
rasmus@rhdh-work-desktop ~/p/E/EfCoreReproduction> dotnet dotnet-ef migrations add NewMig2
Build started...
Build succeeded.
warn: 5/20/2026 11:14:08.036 CoreEventId.SensitiveDataLoggingEnabledWarning[10400] (Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.Infrastructure) 
      Sensitive data logging is enabled. Log entries and exception messages may include sensitive application data; this mode should only be enabled during development.
System.InvalidOperationException: A relationship cycle involving the property 'ChatMessage (Dictionary<string, object>).WorkspaceId' was detected. This prevents Entity Framework from determining the correct configuration. Review the foreign keys defined on the property and the corresponding principal property and either remove one of them or specify 'ValueConverter' explicitly on one of the properties.
   at Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.Metadata.Internal.Property.GetConversion(Boolean throwOnValueConverterConflict, Boolean throwOnProviderClrTypeConflict)
   at Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.Metadata.Internal.Property.GetValueConverter()
   at Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.Storage.TypeMappingInfo..ctor(IReadOnlyList`1 principals, Nullable`1 fallbackUnicode, Nullable`1 fallbackSize, Nullable`1 fallbackPrecision, Nullable`1 fallbackScale)
   at Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.Storage.RelationalTypeMappingInfo..ctor(IReadOnlyList`1 principals, String storeTypeName, String storeTypeNameBase, Nullable`1 fallbackUnicode, Nullable`1 fallbackFixedLength, Nullable`1 fallbackSize, Nullable`1 fallbackPrecision, Nullable`1 fallbackScale)
   at Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.Storage.RelationalTypeMappingSource.FindMapping(IProperty property)
   at Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.Metadata.Internal.Property.<>c.<get_TypeMapping>b__96_0(IProperty property)
   at Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.Internal.NonCapturingLazyInitializer.EnsureInitialized[TParam,TValue](TValue& target, TParam param, Func`2 valueFactory)
   at Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.Metadata.Internal.Property.get_TypeMapping()
   at Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.Metadata.Internal.Property.Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.Metadata.IReadOnlyProperty.FindTypeMapping()
   at Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.RelationalPropertyExtensions.FindRelationalTypeMapping(IReadOnlyProperty property)
   at Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.RelationalPropertyExtensions.GetColumnType(IReadOnlyProperty property)
   at Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.RelationalPropertyExtensions.GetColumnType(IProperty property)
   at Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.Metadata.Internal.RelationalModel.CreateDefaultColumnMapping(ITypeBase typeBase, ITypeBase mappedType, TableBase defaultTable, TableMappingBase`1 tableMapping, Boolean isTph, Boolean isTpc, IRelationalTypeMappingSource relationalTypeMappingSource)
   at Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.Metadata.Internal.RelationalModel.AddDefaultMappings(RelationalModel databaseModel, IEntityType entityType, IRelationalTypeMappingSource relationalTypeMappingSource)
   at Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.Metadata.Internal.RelationalModel.Create(IModel model, IRelationalAnnotationProvider relationalAnnotationProvider, IRelationalTypeMappingSource relationalTypeMappingSource, Boolean designTime)
   at Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.Infrastructure.RelationalModelRuntimeInitializer.<>c__DisplayClass4_0.<InitializeModel>b__0()
   at Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.RelationalModelExtensions.<>c.<GetRelationalModel>b__4_0(Func`1 f)
   at Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.Infrastructure.AnnotatableBase.<>c__30`2.<GetOrAddRuntimeAnnotationValue>b__30_0(String n, ValueTuple`3 t)
   at System.Collections.Concurrent.ConcurrentDictionary`2.GetOrAdd[TArg](TKey key, Func`3 valueFactory, TArg factoryArgument)
   at Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.Infrastructure.AnnotatableBase.GetOrAddRuntimeAnnotationValue[TValue,TArg](String name, Func`2 valueFactory, TArg factoryArgument)
   at Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.RelationalModelExtensions.GetRelationalModel(IModel model)
   at Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.Migrations.Design.MigrationsScaffolder.ScaffoldMigration(String migrationName, String rootNamespace, String subNamespace, String language, Boolean dryRun)
   at Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.Design.Internal.MigrationsOperations.AddMigration(String name, String outputDir, String contextType, String namespace, Boolean dryRun)
   at Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.Design.OperationExecutor.AddMigrationImpl(String name, String outputDir, String contextType, String namespace, Boolean dryRun)
   at Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.Design.OperationExecutor.AddMigration.<>c__DisplayClass0_0.<.ctor>b__0()
   at Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.Design.OperationExecutor.OperationBase.<>c__DisplayClass3_0`1.<Execute>b__0()
   at Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.Design.OperationExecutor.OperationBase.Execute(Action action)
A relationship cycle involving the property 'ChatMessage (Dictionary<string, object>).WorkspaceId' was detected. This prevents Entity Framework from determining the correct configuration. Review the foreign keys defined on the property and the corresponding principal property and either remove one of them or specify 'ValueConverter' explicitly on one of the properties.                

That I have no clue how to get around yet :)

[AndriySvyryd]

Try specifying a no-op conversion on all types (also in the migration snapshot):

.Property("WorkspaceId").HasConversion<Guid>();

This model shape is generally not supported by EF, so even if this allows you to get migrations working it might still fail on SaveChanges