dbt-labs/dbt-core · error

database is required

Error message

database is required

What it means

Invariant expect in finalize_python_code: the model value is expected to always carry a `database` attribute (Snowflake models always have a database), but the attribute was missing or not a string, so the Python job's target path cannot be built. Indicates the model object passed in is not a properly populated Snowflake model node.

Solutions

1. Ensure the model node has a database set (check profile/target configuration)
2. Verify the model value passed to submit_python_job is a real model node, not a test stub missing `database`
3. Report as an internal bug if the database is genuinely absent in a valid run

When it happens

Trigger: Thrown at crates/dbt-adapter/src/python/snowflake/mod.rs:20 when the library encounters an invalid state.

Common situations: See trigger scenarios.

AI-assisted analysis of dbt-labs/dbt-core@0267ce9170 (2026-09-07). Data as JSON: /api/errors/cc0b7290ed7d931c. Report an issue: GitHub.

Appendix: source

Thrown at crates/dbt-adapter/src/python/snowflake/mod.rs:20

use minijinja::{State, Value};

const DEFAULT_SNOWFLAKE_PYTHON_PACKAGE: &str = "snowflake-snowpark-python";

pub fn finalize_python_code(
    state: &State,
    model: &Value,
    compiled_code: &str,
) -> AdapterResult<String> {
    // Extract config from model
    let config = model
        .get_attr("config")
        .map_err(|e| AdapterError::new(AdapterErrorKind::Internal, e.to_string()))?;

    let database = model
        .get_attr("database")
        .ok()
        .and_then(|v| v.as_str().map(|s| s.to_string()))
        .expect("database is required");
    let schema = model
        .get_attr("schema")
        .ok()
        .and_then(|v| v.as_str().map(|s| s.to_string()))
        .expect("schema is required");
    let alias = model
        .get_attr("alias")
        .ok()
        .and_then(|v| v.as_str().map(|s| s.to_string()))
        .unwrap_or_default();

    // Get python_version from config, default to "3.11"
    let python_version = config
        .get_attr("python_version")
        .ok()
        .and_then(|v| v.as_str().map(|s| s.to_string()))
        .unwrap_or_else(|| "3.11".to_string());

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