What causes CrossProjectRefNotFound?

The upstream project is not listed under 'projects' in the dependencies.yml file of the consuming project. The upstream model's access level is set to 'protected' (the default), preventing cross-project references. The dbt Cloud environment for the consuming project is not connected to the upstream project's metadata service. The upstream model was renamed or deleted without updating consuming project refs

How do I fix CrossProjectRefNotFound?

Step 1: Confirm the upstream project is listed in the consuming project's dependencies.yml under the 'projects' key.. Step 2: In the upstream project, set the referenced model's access to 'public' in the model's YAML configuration.. Step 3: In dbt Cloud, ensure both projects are connected — the consuming project environment must be linked to the upstream project's production environment.. Step 4: Verify the upstream model name in the ref() call matches exactly, including any version suffix if versioned models are used.. Step 5: Run 'dbt compile' in the consuming project to confirm the cross-project ref resolves before scheduling a run.

High severitycompilation

Power BI Refresh Error:
CrossProjectRefNotFound

What does this error mean?

A dbt Mesh project referenced a model from an upstream project using the cross-project ref syntax, but the upstream model could not be resolved because the project dependency is not configured or the model does not exist.

Common causes

1The upstream project is not listed under 'projects' in the dependencies.yml file of the consuming project
2The upstream model's access level is set to 'protected' (the default), preventing cross-project references
3The dbt Cloud environment for the consuming project is not connected to the upstream project's metadata service
4The upstream model was renamed or deleted without updating consuming project refs

How to fix it

1Step 1: Confirm the upstream project is listed in the consuming project's dependencies.yml under the 'projects' key.
2Step 2: In the upstream project, set the referenced model's access to 'public' in the model's YAML configuration.
3Step 3: In dbt Cloud, ensure both projects are connected — the consuming project environment must be linked to the upstream project's production environment.
4Step 4: Verify the upstream model name in the ref() call matches exactly, including any version suffix if versioned models are used.
5Step 5: Run 'dbt compile' in the consuming project to confirm the cross-project ref resolves before scheduling a run.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between a 'protected' and a 'public' model in dbt Mesh?

A protected model (the default) can be referenced only within the same dbt project or when the project is installed as a package. A public model can be referenced by any project in the dbt Mesh. Setting access: public in the model's YAML config enables cross-project refs.

Do I need dbt Cloud Enterprise to use cross-project refs?

Cross-project refs via the dbt Cloud metadata service require dbt Cloud Enterprise. In dbt Core, cross-project references can be approximated by installing upstream projects as packages, which uses a different resolution mechanism.