dotnet/efcore · error · InvalidOperationException

The view ' ' cannot be used for entity type ' ' since it is…

Error message

The view '{view}' cannot be used for entity type '{entityType}' since it is being used for entity type '{otherEntityType}' and there is a relationship between their primary keys in which '{entityType}' is the dependent, but '{entityType}' has a base entity type mapped to a different view. Either map '{otherEntityType}' to a different view, or invert the relationship between '{entityType}' and '{otherEntityType}'.

What it means

View-mapping analog of error 392. Thrown by ValidateSharedViewCompatibility when an entity type mapped to a shared view has a PK-to-PK FK to another sharing type AND has a base entity type mapped to a different view. Splitting an inheritance hierarchy across views while also linking PKs across view-sharers is contradictory, so the validator rejects it.

Solutions

Map one of the types to its own view.
Invert the relationship so the derived type is not the dependent in the PK-FK link.
Resolve the inheritance conflict — flatten the hierarchy or remap the base type to the same view.

Example fix

// before
builder.Entity<Derived>().ToView("CustomerView");
builder.Entity<Derived>().HasOne(d => d.Principal).WithOne().HasForeignKey<Derived>(d => d.Id);
// Derived : Base, Base -> "BaseView"

// after
builder.Entity<Derived>().ToView("DerivedView");

Defensive patterns

Strategy: validation

Validate before calling

foreach (var et in model.GetEntityTypes())
{
    if (et.BaseType == null) continue;
    var viewName = et.GetViewName();
    if (viewName == null) continue;
    var pk = et.FindPrimaryKey();
    if (pk == null) continue;
    foreach (var fk in et.FindForeignKeys(pk.Properties))
    {
        if (fk.PrincipalKey.IsPrimaryKey()
            && !string.Equals(viewName, fk.PrincipalEntityType.GetViewName(), StringComparison.Ordinal))
        {
            Console.WriteLine($"{et.Name} shares view '{viewName}' with PK FK to {fk.PrincipalEntityType.Name} while deriving from {et.BaseType.Name}.");
        }
    }
}

Prevention

Do not split an inheritance hierarchy across views while also linking PKs across view-sharers.
Use ToTable (not ToView) when writes are intended and inheritance is involved.
Validate model in tests after every view-mapping change.

When it happens

Trigger: builder.Entity<A>().ToView("V") and builder.Entity<B>().ToView("V") where B's PK has an FK to A's PK and B derives from a base type mapped to a different view. ValidateSharedViewCompatibility detects mappedType.BaseType != null alongside the linking FK.

Common situations: Query-only view mappings combined with inheritance hierarchies; refactoring TPT to views; mixing ToView and ToTable across an inheritance chain.

Related errors

AI-assisted analysis of dotnet/efcore@3a2006ef56 (2026-08-11). Data as JSON: /api/errors/6aaad067246ad567. Report an issue: GitHub.

Appendix: source

Thrown at src/EFCore.Relational/Infrastructure/RelationalModelValidator.cs:1348

        foreach (var mappedType in mappedTypes)
        {
            if (mappedType.BaseType != null && unvalidatedTypes.Contains(mappedType.BaseType))
            {
                continue;
            }

            if (mappedType.FindPrimaryKey() != null
                && mappedType.FindForeignKeys(mappedType.FindPrimaryKey()!.Properties)
                    .Any(fk => fk.PrincipalKey.IsPrimaryKey()
                        && unvalidatedTypes.Contains(fk.PrincipalEntityType)))
            {
                if (mappedType.BaseType != null)
                {
                    var principalType = mappedType.FindForeignKeys(mappedType.FindPrimaryKey()!.Properties)
                        .First(fk => fk.PrincipalKey.IsPrimaryKey()
                            && unvalidatedTypes.Contains(fk.PrincipalEntityType))
                        .PrincipalEntityType;
                    throw new InvalidOperationException(
                        RelationalStrings.IncompatibleViewDerivedRelationship(
                            storeObject.DisplayName(),
                            mappedType.DisplayName(),
                            principalType.DisplayName()));
                }

                continue;
            }

            if (root != null)
            {
                throw new InvalidOperationException(
                    RelationalStrings.IncompatibleViewNoRelationship(
                        storeObject.DisplayName(),
                        mappedType.DisplayName(),
                        root.DisplayName()));
            }

View on GitHub (pinned to 3a2006ef56)