# 'mssql' isn't an available database backend or couldn't be imported. **URL:** \ **Category:** Mystery Errors\ **Created:** [May 26, 2026, 8:57am UTC](https://forum.djangoproject.com/t/mssql-isnt-an-available-database-backend-or-couldnt-be-imported/45188 "2026-05-26T08:57:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 1\ **Showing post:** 2
**Author:** ![F2Andy](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/forum.djangoproject.com/f2andy/32/29160_2.png) [@F2Andy](https://forum.djangoproject.com/u/F2Andy)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2026, 12:49pm UTC](https://forum.djangoproject.com/t/mssql-isnt-an-available-database-backend-or-couldnt-be-imported/45188/2 "2026-05-26T12:49:14Z")
Oh, well this is embarassing. The solution was here all the time: > [@'mssql' (also tried 'sql\_server.pyodbc) isn't an available database backend or couldn't be imported](https://forum.djangoproject.com/t/mssql-also-tried-sql-server-pyodbc-isnt-an-available-database-backend-or-couldnt-be-imported/24808/5): > > I had this exact same issue and there is NOTHING online that fixed it until I finally, FINALLY, discovered the source of the issue on my own. I don’t know if this is the same problem everyone with this issue is running into, but I have not seen a SINGLE mention of it in any online discussion, package documentation, or thread ANYWHERE. The cause of this issue? (for me at least): At some poin the naming convention of the top-level folder that gets installed by the ‘mssql’ package was changed. Y… Something somewhere is expecting MsSql in settings.DATABASES rather than mssql. --- _[View the full topic](https://forum.djangoproject.com/t/mssql-isnt-an-available-database-backend-or-couldnt-be-imported/45188)._