dbt-labs/dbt-core · error

owner key in config.meta

Error message

owner key in config.meta

What it means

Assertion "owner key in config.meta" panics when the patched macro's `config.meta` map lacks the "owner" key in test_apply_macro_patches_populates_config_meta_and_docs. It verifies that macro patch metadata is merged into the macro's resolved config.meta.

Source

Thrown at crates/dbt-parser/src/resolve/resolve_macros.rs:949

        apply_macro_patches(
            &mut macros,
            &macro_properties,
            "test_pkg",
            &jinja_env,
            &base_ctx,
            None,
            false,
        )?;

        let patched = macros.get(&unique_id).expect("macro still present");

        // config.meta mirrors the patched meta
        let owner = patched
            .config
            .meta
            .get("owner")
            .expect("owner key in config.meta");
        assert_eq!(owner.as_str(), Some("alice"));

        // config.docs mirrors the patched docs (show: false)
        assert!(
            !patched.config.docs.show,
            "config.docs.show should be false"
        );

        Ok(())
    }

    #[test]
    fn typecheck_macros_isolates_panic_and_still_populates_other_macros() -> FsResult<()> {
        use minijinja::compiler::typecheck::FunctionRegistry;
        use minijinja::machinery::Span as MinijinjaSpan;
        use minijinja::{Argument, DynTypeObject, Environment, Type, UserDefinedFunctionType};

        fn make_macro(unique_id: &str, sql: &str) -> DbtMacro {

View on GitHub (pinned to 0267ce9170)

Solutions

1. Verify the fixture YAML declares `config: meta: owner: alice` under the patched macro.
2. Inspect apply_macro_patches' config-merge step to confirm meta is copied into the macro's config rather than discarded.
3. Dump `patched.config.meta` in the test to see which keys actually landed.

Example fix

// before
macros:
  - name: my_macro
    patches:
// after
macros:
  - name: my_macro
    config:
      meta:
        owner: alice

// validate fixture YAML before running the parser
assert!(yaml["config"]["meta"]["owner"].is_some(), "fixture must set config.meta.owner");

When it happens

Trigger: The YAML fixture for the macro patch omits `config: meta: owner: alice`, or apply_macro_patches drops config.meta during merge, causing `.get("owner")` to return None.

Common situations: Fixture YAML edited so the meta block moved under a wrong key; a serializer/deserializer change (e.g., MetaValue flattening) stops "owner" from round-tripping into config.meta.

Related errors

• macro still present
• when data_type is date, inner must be a TimeConfig
• The `start_paused` option requires the `current_thread` runt
• The `unhandled_panic` option requires the `current_thread` r
• Failed to parse value of `{field}` as integer: {e}

AI-assisted analysis of dbt-labs/dbt-core@0267ce9170 (2026-09-07). Data as JSON: /api/errors/5e2f65e1bfa3a557. Report an issue: GitHub.