We prove prime exponential sums have no better than square root cancellation on average on short intervals, in the sense that x1−y<n≤x∑n<m≤n+y1≤m≤x∑Λ(m)e(αm)2≫ylogy whenever y≪x1/3−ε. This answers a question of Ramaré by proving the lower bound n≤xsupm≤n∑Λ(m)e(αm)≫x1/6−ε.