Regression from EF Core 8 to 9: MigrationBuilder.DropTable Causes Issues with Subsequent Table Recreation

[meghanmae]

Problem

After upgrading from EF Core 8 to EF Core 9, we encountered a regression where using migrationBuilder.DropTable followed by recreating the same table in a single migration causes issues. The issue seems to be resolved when switching to a raw SQL command (migrationBuilder.Sql("DROP TABLE ...");) to drop the table instead of using migrationBuilder.DropTable.

        protected override void Up(MigrationBuilder migrationBuilder)
        {
            // Assuming table Employees was previously created...

            // DropTable: causes the migration to fail
            migrationBuilder.DropTable(
                name: "Employees");

            // Uncomment this (and comment out DropTable) to run the migration successfully 
            //migrationBuilder.Sql("""
            //    Drop Table Employees;
            //    """);

            // Recreate table
            migrationBuilder.CreateTable(
                name: "Employees",
                columns: table => new
                {
                    EmployeeId = table.Column<int>(type: "int", nullable: false)
                        .Annotation("SqlServer:Identity", "1, 1"),
                    Name = table.Column<string>(type: "nvarchar(max)", nullable: false)
                },
                constraints: table =>
                {
                    table.PrimaryKey("PK_Employees", x => x.EmployeeId);
                });
        }

Exception & stack tack traces

System.Collections.Generic.KeyNotFoundException: 'The given key '(Employees, )' was not present in the dictionary.'

 	[Exception] System.Private.CoreLib.dll!System.ThrowHelper.ThrowKeyNotFoundException<T>(T key)	Unknown
 	[Exception] System.Private.CoreLib.dll!System.Collections.Generic.Dictionary<TKey, TValue>.this[TKey].get(TKey key)	Unknown
 	[Exception] Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.SqlServer.dll!Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.Migrations.SqlServerMigrationsSqlGenerator.RewriteOperations(System.Collections.Generic.IReadOnlyList<Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.Migrations.Operations.MigrationOperation> migrationOperations, Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.Metadata.IModel model, Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.Migrations.MigrationsSqlGenerationOptions options)	Unknown
 	[Exception] Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.SqlServer.dll!Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.Migrations.SqlServerMigrationsSqlGenerator.Generate(System.Collections.Generic.IReadOnlyList<Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.Migrations.Operations.MigrationOperation> operations, Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.Metadata.IModel model, Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.Migrations.MigrationsSqlGenerationOptions options)	Unknown
 	[Exception] Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.Relational.dll!Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.Migrations.Internal.Migrator.GenerateUpSql(Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.Migrations.Migration migration, Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.Migrations.MigrationsSqlGenerationOptions options)	Unknown
 	[Exception] Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.Relational.dll!Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.Migrations.Internal.Migrator.GetMigrationCommandLists.AnonymousMethod__2()	Unknown
 	[Exception] Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.Relational.dll!Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.Migrations.Internal.Migrator.MigrateImplementation(Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.DbContext context, string targetMigration, Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.Migrations.MigrationExecutionState state, bool useTransaction)	Unknown
 	[Exception] Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.Relational.dll!Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.Migrations.Internal.Migrator.Migrate.AnonymousMethod__20_1(Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.DbContext c, (Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.Migrations.Internal.Migrator Migrator, string TargetMigration, Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.Migrations.MigrationExecutionState State, bool UseTransaction) s)	Unknown
 	[Exception] Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.dll!Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.Storage.ExecutionStrategy.Execute.AnonymousMethod__0(Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.DbContext context, TState state)	Unknown
 	[Exception] Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.dll!Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.Storage.ExecutionStrategy.ExecuteImplementation<TState, TResult>(System.Func<Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.DbContext, TState, Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.Storage.ExecutionResult<TResult>> operation, System.Func<Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.DbContext, TState, Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.Storage.ExecutionResult<TResult>> verifySucceeded, TState state)	Unknown
 	[Exception] Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.dll!Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.Storage.ExecutionStrategy.Execute<TState, TResult>(TState state, System.Func<Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.DbContext, TState, TResult> operation, System.Func<Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.DbContext, TState, Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.Storage.ExecutionResult<TResult>> verifySucceeded)	Unknown
 	[Exception] Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.Relational.dll!Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.Migrations.Internal.Migrator.Migrate(string targetMigration)	Unknown
 	[Exception] Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.Relational.dll!Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.RelationalDatabaseFacadeExtensions.Migrate(Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.Infrastructure.DatabaseFacade databaseFacade)	Unknown
>	[Exception] MyApp.Web.dll!Program.<Main>$(string[] args) Line 195	C#

Versions

EF Core version: 9.0.0
Database provider: Microsoft SQL Server (LocalDB)
Target framework: .NET 9.0
Operating system: Windows 11
IDE: Visual Studio 2022 17.12.0

[devedse]

We are running into the same issue on our customer code base. The workaround also works for us.