apache/superset · error · QueryObjectValidationError

Error in jinja expression in column expression: %(msg)s

Error message

Error in jinja expression in column expression: %(msg)s

What it means

QueryObjectValidationError raised in TableColumn.get_sqla_col (models.py:1214) when Jinja processing of a stored column expression throws SupersetSyntaxErrorException. Columns with a SQL expression (calculated columns) are rendered through the sandboxed template processor before being embedded in the query; template syntax errors, sandbox violations, or undefined variables in that expression surface here with the underlying message.

Source

Thrown at superset/connectors/sqla/models.py:1214

            self.db_engine_spec.engine,
        )

    def get_sqla_col(
        self,
        label: str | None = None,
        template_processor: BaseTemplateProcessor | None = None,
    ) -> Column:
        label = label or self.column_name
        db_engine_spec = self.db_engine_spec
        column_spec = db_engine_spec.get_column_spec(self.type, db_extra=self.db_extra)
        type_ = column_spec.sqla_type if column_spec else None
        if expression := self.expression:
            if template_processor:
                try:
                    expression = template_processor.process_template(expression)
                except SupersetSyntaxErrorException as ex:
                    msg = str(ex)
                    raise QueryObjectValidationError(
                        _(
                            "Error in jinja expression in column expression: %(msg)s",
                            msg=msg,
                        )
                    ) from ex
                if expression != self.expression:
                    # Re-check the rendered expression before embedding it.
                    expression = validate_rendered_expression(
                        expression,
                        self.database,
                        self.table.catalog if self.table else None,
                        self.table.schema if self.table else None,
                    )
            expression = self._validate_stored_expression(expression)
            col = literal_column(expression, type_=type_)
        else:
            col = column(self.column_name, type_=type_)
        col = self.database.make_sqla_column_compatible(col, label)

View on GitHub (pinned to f4587218dd)

Solutions

1. Open the dataset editor, edit the calculated column, and fix the Jinja (use |default guards so it renders with no runtime filter context).
2. Test the same Jinja in Explore's chart with the filters applied to confirm it renders.
3. Check the %(msg)s in the error for the precise Jinja failure (undefined name, syntax, security).
4. For scheduled contexts (reports/alerts), avoid macros that depend on dashboard runtime filters.

Example fix

-- before (calculated column expression)
{{ calc_value(filter_values('region')) }}

-- after
{{ calc_value(filter_values('region') | default(['ALL'], true)) }}

from jinja2.sandbox import SandboxedEnvironment

def expression_renders(expression: str, context: dict | None = None) -> bool:
    try:
        SandboxedEnvironment().from_string(expression).render(context or {})
        return True
    except Exception:
        return False

from superset.exceptions import QueryObjectValidationError

try:
    sqla_col = table_column.get_sqla_col(template_processor=processor)
except QueryObjectValidationError as ex:
    if "column expression" in str(ex):
        log_dataset_issue(dataset_id, ex)
    raise

When it happens

Trigger: A dataset calculated column whose expression contains Jinja ({{ ... }} or {% ... %}) that fails to render at query time — e.g. {{ filter_values('x')[0] }} when no such filter exists, malformed {{, or a blocked construct. Triggered by any chart query selecting that column.

Common situations: Calculated column authored with macros that assume dashboard filters not present in a scheduled report/alert context; typos in Jinja; Jinja sandbox tightened after upgrade rejecting previously allowed filters.

Related errors

• Error in jinja expression in datetime column: %(msg)s
• Error in jinja expression in metric expression: %(msg)s
• Dataset metric not found.
• Error in jinja expression in RLS filters: %(msg)s
• Fetch values predicate failed SQL validation: %(msg)s

AI-assisted analysis of apache/superset@f4587218dd (2026-08-14). Data as JSON: /api/errors/2d80bc5e1aa3e8e0. Report an issue: GitHub.