How to fix Error 12814 on Windows Server 2025 / Windows 11

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Troubleshooting Guide: SQL Server Error 12814 – Metadata Collation Mismatch

Why This Error Happens

Error 12814 occurs when a database, replicated object, or contained database references a table, column, or object name whose binary resolution depends on collation, and the collation configured on the target instance or database differs from the collation on the source or current metadata context. This is common during cross-database queries, replication setup, database migration, or restoring a database between servers with different default collations. Since collation affects how characters are sorted and compared, SQL Server cannot guarantee the object name resolves to the same underlying object on both ends, so it blocks the operation to prevent data corruption or incorrect object binding.

Step-by-Step Resolution Guide

Step 1: Identify the Collation Mismatch

  • Run SELECT name, collation_name FROM sys.databases; on both the source and target instances to compare collation settings.
  • Check the server-level collation using SELECT SERVERPROPERTY('Collation'); on both Windows Server 2025 / Windows 11 SQL instances involved.
  • Note the exact object named in the error message (the %.*ls placeholders will show the real object and collation names in your actual error output).

Step 2: Align Database or Column-Level Collation

  • Alter the specific column collation to match using: ALTER TABLE dbo.YourTable ALTER COLUMN YourColumn VARCHAR(50) COLLATE SQL_Latin1_General_CP1_CI_AS;
  • If the mismatch is database-wide, modify the database default collation (note: this does not retroactively change existing column collations): ALTER DATABASE YourDatabase COLLATE SQL_Latin1_General_CP1_CI_AS;
  • For contained databases, verify collation consistency under Database Properties > Options > Collation in SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS) 21.

Step 3: Rebuild or Recreate Affected Objects

  • If the object (view, stored procedure, or synonym) was created under the old collation context, drop and recreate it after the collation change is applied.
  • Use sp_helptext 'YourObjectName' to extract the original definition before dropping it, then redeploy the script.
  • Refresh any linked server metadata using EXEC sp_refreshsqlmodule 'YourObjectName'; to force SQL Server to re-resolve references.

Step 4: Update Linked Servers and Replication Configurations

  • If the error surfaces during replication, open Replication Monitor and verify the Publisher and Subscriber collation settings match under Publication Properties > Articles.
  • For linked servers, run EXEC sp_serveroption 'YourLinkedServer', 'collation compatible', 'true'; only if collations are confirmed identical; otherwise, set to 'false' to force safe runtime comparisons.
  • Restart the SQL Server service via services.msc or Restart-Service MSSQLSERVER in PowerShell (run as Administrator) to clear cached metadata plans.

Alternative or Verification Steps

  • Re-run the original query, replication job, or restore operation that triggered Error 12814 and confirm it completes without the collation resolution error in the SQL Server Error Log (Management > SQL Server Logs in SSMS).
  • If the error persists, use DBCC FREEPROCCACHE; to clear the plan cache and eliminate stale execution plans that may still reference the old collation metadata, then retry the operation.