[bug] Updating from v24.5 -> v25.09.3 fails with "Cannot migrate account database version 15"

[Dominion5254]

Working CLN node updating from v24.5 -> v25.09.3 fails and lightningd crashes with the below logs:

2026-01-11T21:30:18+01:00 Starting Wait for Bitcoin Start
2026-01-11T21:30:18+01:00 Cleaning old lightning rpc
2026-01-11T21:30:18+01:00 Starting lightningd
2026-01-11T21:30:18+01:00 Waiting for lightning rpc to start…
2026-01-11T21:30:18+01:00 2026-01-11T20:30:18.287Z INFO lightningd: v25.09.3-modded
2026-01-11T21:30:18+01:00 2026-01-11T20:30:18.366Z UNUSUAL plugin-bookkeeper: topic ‘utxo_deposit’ is not a known notification topic
2026-01-11T21:30:18+01:00 2026-01-11T20:30:18.366Z UNUSUAL plugin-bookkeeper: topic ‘utxo_spend’ is not a known notification topic
2026-01-11T21:30:18+01:00 2026-01-11T20:30:18.398Z INFO lightningd: Updating database from version 256 to 277
2026-01-11T21:30:19+01:00 Cannot migrate account database version 15
2026-01-11T21:30:48+01:00 lightningd has stopped, exiting container

I suspect the issue comes from updating over multiple versions as incremental updates have completed without issue in my previous testing.

What options does the user have for recovering their node?

Thanks in advance.

[Schnema1]

Hi.

This should help you.
https://docs.corelightning.org/docs/upgrade

I had to start the node manual without the change in config file.

[Dominion5254]

Are you saying that you had to use the --database-upgrade=true option with lightningd rather than including database-upgrade=true in the config file?

For some additional context, the user in question is running CLN on StartOS. The suggested option is included every time the lightningd daemon is started.

[rustyrussell]

OK, that is ancient! I never expected anyone to try to do that in one hop: the bookkeeper database changed in v24.08.

1. You can migrate to any version from 24.08 to 25.05 inclusive first. Just start it up, then shut it down.
2. OR simply move the bookkeeper database: it'll be in .lightning/bitcoin/accounts.sqlite3. You'll lose your prior bookkeeping data though.

[Dominion5254]

Thanks Rusty. I tested the second option and it worked perfectly.

Cheers