diff --git a/db/sql/SqlDb.go b/db/sql/SqlDb.go
index 32224787b..a1fd7dfa5 100644
--- a/db/sql/SqlDb.go
+++ b/db/sql/SqlDb.go
@@ -51,6 +51,9 @@ var (
 // validateMutationResult checks the success of the update query
 func validateMutationResult(res sql.Result, err error) error {
 	if err != nil {
+		if strings.Contains(err.Error(), "foreign key") {
+			err = db.ErrInvalidOperation
+		}
 		return err
 	}