What causes DbtExposureDefinitionError?

A model or source referenced in the exposure's depends_on block was renamed or deleted. The owner email or name field is missing (required in dbt 1.3+). The exposure type value is not one of the valid options (dashboard, notebook, analysis, ml, application). The maturity field contains an unsupported value

How do I fix DbtExposureDefinitionError?

Step 1: Run dbt parse to surface the specific validation error for the exposure.. Step 2: Verify all nodes in depends_on exist: use dbt ls --select model_or_source_name.. Step 3: Add the required owner block with name and/or email fields.. Step 4: Set type to one of: dashboard, notebook, analysis, ml, application.. Step 5: Update exposure maturity to low, medium, or high.

Low severitycompilation

Power BI Refresh Error:
DbtExposureDefinitionError

What does this error mean?

A dbt exposure YAML definition is invalid — either a referenced node does not exist, a required field is missing, or the exposure type is unsupported.

Common causes

1A model or source referenced in the exposure's depends_on block was renamed or deleted
2The owner email or name field is missing (required in dbt 1.3+)
3The exposure type value is not one of the valid options (dashboard, notebook, analysis, ml, application)
4The maturity field contains an unsupported value

How to fix it

1Step 1: Run dbt parse to surface the specific validation error for the exposure.
2Step 2: Verify all nodes in depends_on exist: use dbt ls --select model_or_source_name.
3Step 3: Add the required owner block with name and/or email fields.
4Step 4: Set type to one of: dashboard, notebook, analysis, ml, application.
5Step 5: Update exposure maturity to low, medium, or high.

Frequently asked questions

What is the purpose of dbt exposures?

Exposures document how downstream tools (dashboards, notebooks, ML models) use your dbt models. They appear in the dbt DAG and docs site, making data lineage visible from source to consumer.

Do dbt exposures affect model execution or tests?

No — exposures are documentation-only and do not run any SQL or affect how models or tests execute. An invalid exposure only blocks dbt compile and dbt docs generate.