What causes DF-MSSQL-InvalidAuthConfiguration?

SQL authentication is configured but the username or password is missing or wrong. Managed identity authentication is selected but the ADF managed identity has not been added as a user in the SQL database. Service principal authentication is used but the service principal lacks db_datareader or db_datawriter role on the target database. The ADF integration runtime (IR) being used doesn't support the selected auth method (e.g., managed identity requires Azure IR, not self-hosted IR without MSI)

How do I fix DF-MSSQL-InvalidAuthConfiguration?

In ADF Studio, open the SQL linked service and check the 'Authentication type' dropdown — confirm it matches what the server accepts.. If using SQL authentication, update the username and password and click 'Test connection'.. If using managed identity, run: `CREATE USER [your-adf-name] FROM EXTERNAL PROVIDER; ALTER ROLE db_datareader ADD MEMBER [your-adf-name];` in the target database.. If using service principal, confirm the service principal has been granted a SQL role in the database and that the tenant ID and client ID are correct in the linked service.. After updating credentials, click 'Test connection' on the linked service and re-publish before re-running the pipeline.

Medium severitydata source

Power BI Refresh Error:
DF-MSSQL-InvalidAuthConfiguration

What does this error mean?

The authentication method configured in the ADF SQL Server or Azure SQL linked service doesn't match what the server accepts, or the required credentials for that auth type are incomplete. ADF supports SQL authentication, managed identity, and service principal — each has specific requirements that must be met exactly.

Common causes

1SQL authentication is configured but the username or password is missing or wrong
2Managed identity authentication is selected but the ADF managed identity has not been added as a user in the SQL database
3Service principal authentication is used but the service principal lacks db_datareader or db_datawriter role on the target database
4The ADF integration runtime (IR) being used doesn't support the selected auth method (e.g., managed identity requires Azure IR, not self-hosted IR without MSI)

How to fix it

1In ADF Studio, open the SQL linked service and check the 'Authentication type' dropdown — confirm it matches what the server accepts.
2If using SQL authentication, update the username and password and click 'Test connection'.
3If using managed identity, run: `CREATE USER [your-adf-name] FROM EXTERNAL PROVIDER; ALTER ROLE db_datareader ADD MEMBER [your-adf-name];` in the target database.
4If using service principal, confirm the service principal has been granted a SQL role in the database and that the tenant ID and client ID are correct in the linked service.
5After updating credentials, click 'Test connection' on the linked service and re-publish before re-running the pipeline.

Frequently asked questions

Does this error affect all pipeline runs or just the current one?

Depends on the root cause. A persistent misconfiguration fails every run; a transient issue may resolve on retry. Check the run history.

Can this error appear in Azure Data Factory and Microsoft Fabric pipelines?

Yes — the same connector errors appear in both ADF and Fabric Data Factory pipelines.

How do I see the full error detail for an ADF pipeline failure?

In ADF Monitor, click the failed run, then the failed activity. The detail pane shows the error code, message, and sub-error codes.

Will downstream Power BI datasets be affected when an ADF pipeline fails?

Yes — a dataset refreshing after the pipeline will use stale data or fail if the target table was cleared. The Power BI refresh may succeed while serving wrong data.

Official documentation: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/data-factory/data-flow-troubleshoot-guide