Fix periodic state advance on insert error

CHANGELOG.md

@@ -11,6 +11,10 @@ and this project adheres to [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/spec/v2.0.0
 
 - Upgrade supported Go versions to 1.26 and 1.27. [PR #1356](https://github.com/riverqueue/river/pull/1356).
 
+### Fixed
+
+- Fixed periodic jobs advancing their durable next run time when job insertion fails. [PR #1359](https://github.com/riverqueue/river/pull/1359).
+
 ## [0.44.1] - 2026-08-21
 
 ### Fixed

internal/maintenance/periodic_job_enqueuer.go

@@ -537,6 +537,7 @@ func (s *PeriodicJobEnqueuer) insertBatch(ctx context.Context, insertParamsMany
 		if _, err := s.Config.Insert(ctx, tx, insertParamsMany); err != nil {
 			s.Logger.ErrorContext(ctx, s.Name+": Error inserting periodic jobs",
 				"error", err.Error(), "num_jobs", len(insertParamsMany))
+			return
 		}
 	}
 

internal/maintenance/periodic_job_enqueuer_test.go

@@ -884,6 +884,38 @@ func TestPeriodicJobEnqueuer(t *testing.T) {
 		require.WithinDuration(t, now.Add(2*time.Hour), svc.periodicJobs[svc.periodicJobIDs["pilot_startup_durable_2h"]].nextRunAt, time.Microsecond)
 	})
 
+	t.Run("InsertErrorDoesNotAdvanceDurableNextRun", func(t *testing.T) {
+		t.Parallel()
+
+		svc, bundle := setup(t)
+
+		svc.Config.Insert = func(ctx context.Context, tx riverdriver.ExecutorTx, insertParams []*rivertype.JobInsertParams) ([]*rivertype.JobInsertResult, error) {
+			return nil, errors.New("insert failed before database write")
+		}
+
+		var periodicJobUpsertManyMockCalled bool
+		bundle.pilotMock.PeriodicJobUpsertManyMock = func(ctx context.Context, exec riverdriver.Executor, params *riverpilot.PeriodicJobUpsertManyParams) ([]*riverpilot.PeriodicJob, error) {
+			periodicJobUpsertManyMockCalled = true
+			return nil, nil
+		}
+
+		now := time.Now().UTC()
+		svc.insertBatch(ctx, []*rivertype.JobInsertParams{{
+			Kind:  "periodic_insert_error",
+			Queue: rivercommon.QueueDefault,
+			State: rivertype.JobStateAvailable,
+		}}, &riverpilot.PeriodicJobUpsertManyParams{
+			Jobs: []*riverpilot.PeriodicJobUpsertParams{{
+				ID:        "periodic_insert_error",
+				NextRunAt: now.Add(time.Minute),
+				UpdatedAt: now,
+			}},
+			Schema: bundle.schema,
+		})
+
+		require.False(t, periodicJobUpsertManyMockCalled)
+	})
+
 	t.Run("InvokesPilotDueDurableJobRunsOnce", func(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Parallel()