What causes dbt.exceptions.DependencyNotFound?

A model was deleted or renamed but ref() calls pointing to the old name were not updated. The model exists in a package that is not installed (dbt deps not run after packages.yml change). The model is excluded by a selector or config that prevents it from being visible in the current environment. A source definition was removed from sources.yml but source() calls still reference it. The model filename has a different case than the ref() call (case-sensitive file systems)

How do I fix dbt.exceptions.DependencyNotFound?

Run `dbt ls --select ` to verify the model exists and is resolvable in your project.. If the model was renamed, update all ref(' ') calls to ref(' ') across the project.. Run `dbt deps` to ensure all packages in packages.yml are installed — package models are only available after installation.. Check sources.yml to verify the source and table name exactly match what source() expects.. If the model is in a subdirectory, confirm the model-paths configuration in dbt_project.yml includes that directory.

High severitydbt

Power BI Refresh Error:
dbt.exceptions.DependencyNotFound

What does this error mean?

A model references another model or source via ref() or source() that cannot be found in the current project. dbt cannot build the DAG because a node is missing, which blocks compilation of all models that depend on it.

Common causes

1A model was deleted or renamed but ref() calls pointing to the old name were not updated
2The model exists in a package that is not installed (dbt deps not run after packages.yml change)
3The model is excluded by a selector or config that prevents it from being visible in the current environment
4A source definition was removed from sources.yml but source() calls still reference it
5The model filename has a different case than the ref() call (case-sensitive file systems)

How to fix it

1Run `dbt ls --select <model_name>` to verify the model exists and is resolvable in your project.
2If the model was renamed, update all ref('<old_name>') calls to ref('<new_name>') across the project.
3Run `dbt deps` to ensure all packages in packages.yml are installed — package models are only available after installation.
4Check sources.yml to verify the source and table name exactly match what source() expects.
5If the model is in a subdirectory, confirm the model-paths configuration in dbt_project.yml includes that directory.

Frequently asked questions

Does running `dbt deps` fix a DependencyNotFound error?

Only if the missing model comes from a package — run `dbt deps`. For project-internal models, verify the model exists and the ref() call uses the correct name.

I renamed a model but updated all the ref() calls — why does the error persist?

Check schema.yml files for column-level tests and descriptions referencing the old model name. dbt resolves both ref() calls and schema.yml entries against the node list — a stale schema.yml entry causes the same DependencyNotFound error.

Can a ref() error in one model cause other unrelated models to fail?

Yes — dbt compiles the entire DAG before running, so dependents also fail. Use `dbt ls` to see the full downstream impact before fixing.

Official documentation: https://docs.getdbt.com/guides/debug-errors