What causes Fabric Copy Activity Error 20705?

The 'validateDataConsistency' property is set to true for a source or sink connector that does not expose file metadata required for validation. A generic pipeline template with consistency validation enabled was applied to an incompatible connector type. The connector being used does not support binary copy mode, which is a prerequisite for data consistency validation

How do I fix Fabric Copy Activity Error 20705?

Step 1: Identify the connector type used as the source or sink in the failing Copy Activity (e.g., a database connector, API-based connector, or custom connector).. Step 2: Cross-reference the connector against Microsoft's supported connectors list for 'validateDataConsistency' to confirm it is not supported.. Step 3: Remove the 'validateDataConsistency' property from the Copy Activity JSON payload or disable it in the activity's advanced settings UI.. Step 4: Save and republish the pipeline, then re-run the Copy Activity to confirm the error is resolved.. Step 5: Implement an alternative consistency check appropriate for your connector type, such as a post-copy row count comparison using a Lookup activity or a stored procedure.

Medium severityconfigurationMicrosoft Fabric →

Power BI Refresh Error:
Fabric Copy Activity Error 20705

What does this error mean?

The 'validateDataConsistency' property has been enabled for a connector or data store that does not support this validation feature. This error indicates that the target connector lacks the metadata capabilities required for consistency checks.

Common causes

1The 'validateDataConsistency' property is set to true for a source or sink connector that does not expose file metadata required for validation
2A generic pipeline template with consistency validation enabled was applied to an incompatible connector type
3The connector being used does not support binary copy mode, which is a prerequisite for data consistency validation

How to fix it

1Step 1: Identify the connector type used as the source or sink in the failing Copy Activity (e.g., a database connector, API-based connector, or custom connector).
2Step 2: Cross-reference the connector against Microsoft's supported connectors list for 'validateDataConsistency' to confirm it is not supported.
3Step 3: Remove the 'validateDataConsistency' property from the Copy Activity JSON payload or disable it in the activity's advanced settings UI.
4Step 4: Save and republish the pipeline, then re-run the Copy Activity to confirm the error is resolved.
5Step 5: Implement an alternative consistency check appropriate for your connector type, such as a post-copy row count comparison using a Lookup activity or a stored procedure.

Frequently asked questions

Which connectors do support 'validateDataConsistency'?

As of current Microsoft documentation, 'validateDataConsistency' is supported only in direct binary copy scenarios involving file-based stores such as Azure Blob Storage and Azure Data Lake Storage Gen2. Database connectors, REST connectors, and most SaaS connectors do not support this property.

Is error 20705 the same as error 20704?

They are closely related but distinct. Error 20704 fires when the copy activity settings (such as using format conversion) are incompatible with consistency validation regardless of connector. Error 20705 fires specifically when the connector itself does not support the validation feature, even if the copy mode would otherwise be valid.