What causes GET_COMMAND_FAILED?

The file path specified in GET includes a filename rather than a directory path (only a directory is accepted). The local target directory does not exist or the process does not have write permission. GET is being used against an external stage — only internal stages are supported. The file was purged from the stage after a prior COPY INTO with PURGE = TRUE

How do I fix GET_COMMAND_FAILED?

Step 1: Ensure the local path is a directory, not a filename: GET @stage/file.csv file:///tmp/downloads/ (note trailing slash).. Step 2: Confirm the local directory exists and is writable by the process running SnowSQL or the connector.. Step 3: Run LIST @your_stage to verify the file still exists on the stage before downloading.. Step 4: Use an internal stage — GET does not support external stages (S3/ADLS/GCS).

Medium severityexecution

Power BI Refresh Error:
GET_COMMAND_FAILED

What does this error mean?

A Snowflake GET command that downloads a file from an internal stage to a local directory failed, typically because the stage file does not exist, the local directory is not writable, or a filename was incorrectly included in the path.

Common causes

1The file path specified in GET includes a filename rather than a directory path (only a directory is accepted)
2The local target directory does not exist or the process does not have write permission
3GET is being used against an external stage — only internal stages are supported
4The file was purged from the stage after a prior COPY INTO with PURGE = TRUE

How to fix it

1Step 1: Ensure the local path is a directory, not a filename: GET @stage/file.csv file:///tmp/downloads/ (note trailing slash).
2Step 2: Confirm the local directory exists and is writable by the process running SnowSQL or the connector.
3Step 3: Run LIST @your_stage to verify the file still exists on the stage before downloading.
4Step 4: Use an internal stage — GET does not support external stages (S3/ADLS/GCS).

Frequently asked questions

Can GET be used to export query results to a local file?

Not directly — GET only retrieves files that were previously PUT or generated by COPY INTO ... TO STAGE. To export query results, use COPY INTO @stage followed by GET, or use the Snowflake Python Connector's write_pandas helper.

Does GET support compressed files?

Yes — files compressed with gzip, bzip2, or other supported codecs can be downloaded as-is. Specify AUTO_COMPRESS = FALSE in the original PUT or COPY INTO if you want raw uncompressed files.