SQL SERVER – Fix: Error: 15138 – The database principal owns a schema in the database, and cannot be dropped

Today I was performing audit on Database users and I received below error while deleting the invalid login-

The database principal owns a schema in the database, and cannot be dropped. (Microsoft SQL Server, Error: 15138)

Workaround / Resolution / Fix:

Let us assume that user was trying to delete user which is named as ‘pawan’ and it exists in the database ‘SQLOPSDB’.

Now run following script with the context of the database where user belongs.

USE SQLOPSDB;
SELECT s.name
FROM sys.schemas s
WHERE s.principal_id = USER_ID('pawan');

In my query I get following two schemas as a result-

Now let us run following queries where I will take my schema and alter authorization on schema. In my case I have two schemas so I will execute it two times.

ALTER AUTHORIZATION ON SCHEMA::db_denydatareader TO dbo;
ALTER AUTHORIZATION ON SCHEMA::db_denydatawriter TO dbo;

Now if you drop the database owner it will not throw any error.

Below is generic script for resolving the error:

SELECT s.name
FROM sys.schemas s
WHERE s.principal_id = USER_ID('YourUserID');

Now replace the result name in following script:

ALTER AUTHORIZATION ON SCHEMA::YourSchemaName TO dbo;