QuerySyntaxException: Unexpected token: FROM

Q: Add the SELECT clause

When to use: Use this if you wrote 'FROM User' instead of 'SELECT u FROM User'.. Unlike SQL, JPQL strictly requires the SELECT clause. 'FROM User' is invalid; it must be 'SELECT u FROM User u'.

Q: Check for typos in Entity names

When to use: Use this if your SELECT is present but the error persists.. JPQL uses Java class names, not table names. Ensure 'User' matches the exact class name, not the table name 'users'.

Q: Validate named queries at startup

When to use: Use this to catch syntax errors before runtime.. If you use @NamedQuery, Hibernate validates them at startup. For @Query, ensure you don't have native SQL syntax mixed with JPQL.

🔴 The Error You're Seeing

Confirm this matches your console output. If it does, you're in the right place.

ERROR LOG

2026-03-01 19:15:20.000 ERROR 8842 --- [           main] o.s.boot.SpringApplication               : Application run failed

org.hibernate.hql.internal.ast.QuerySyntaxException: Unexpected token: FROM [FROM User u WHERE u.active = true]

⚡ Quick Fix Works 80% of the time

Add the SELECT clause to your JPQL query.

@Query("SELECT u FROM User u WHERE u.active = true")
List<User> findActiveUsers();

🧠 Why this Happens

Tap to expand the deep technical explanation

Hibernate's JPQL parser read your query string and found a grammatical error. In JPQL, you cannot omit the 'SELECT' clause (unlike some SQL dialects), and using SQL keywords incorrectly will trigger this exception.

The HITEC City Parking Spot Analogy:

It is like writing a sentence without a subject. 'Went to the store' makes sense in casual speech, but a strict grammar parser (Hibernate) rejects it because it lacks 'I' (the SELECT).

🔁 How to Reproduce Confirm this is your error

Write a JPQL query that starts with FROM and has no SELECT clause (for example 'FROM User u'), then call the repository method. Hibernate throws QuerySyntaxException: Unexpected token: FROM.

🛠️ Solutions (3 Ways to Fix)

Solution 1✓ Most common cause

Add the SELECT clause

👉 Use this if you wrote 'FROM User' instead of 'SELECT u FROM User'.

Unlike SQL, JPQL strictly requires the SELECT clause. 'FROM User' is invalid; it must be 'SELECT u FROM User u'.

// Bad
@Query("FROM User u")

// Good
@Query("SELECT u FROM User u")

Solution 2

Check for typos in Entity names

👉 Use this if your SELECT is present but the error persists.

JPQL uses Java class names, not table names. Ensure 'User' matches the exact class name, not the table name 'users'.

// Entity: @Entity public class UserEntity

// Bad: SELECT u FROM User u
// Good: SELECT u FROM UserEntity u

Solution 3

Validate named queries at startup

👉 Use this to catch syntax errors before runtime.

If you use @NamedQuery, Hibernate validates them at startup. For @Query, ensure you don't have native SQL syntax mixed with JPQL.

@Entity
@NamedQueries({
    @NamedQuery(name = "User.findActive", query = "SELECT u FROM User u WHERE u.active = true")
})
public class User { ... }

📋 Version Notes

Spring Boot 2.x

Uses Hibernate 5 HQL parser.

Spring Boot 3.x

Uses Hibernate 6 HQL parser, slightly different error messages.

🛡️ How to Prevent This Next Time

Always use 'SELECT alias FROM Entity alias'. Use Spring Data JPA derived queries (findByActiveTrue) to avoid writing JPQL entirely.