What causes "Please implement the prunable method on your model." in laravel/framework?

Implement prunable() on the model returning an Eloquent Builder, e.g. public function prunable() { return static::where('created_at', ' subYear()); }.

laravel/framework · error · LogicException

Please implement the prunable method on your model.

Error message

Please implement the prunable method on your model.

What it means

The MassPrunable trait ships a default prunable() that throws, signaling the developer must override it on their model to declare which records are prunable. MassPrunable.pruneAll() calls prunable() to obtain the base query; without an override there is nothing to prune and the trait refuses to run. This is the trait's contract enforcement mechanism.

Solutions

Implement prunable() on the model returning an Eloquent Builder, e.g. public function prunable() { return static::where('created_at', '<=', now()->subYear()); }.
Confirm you used MassPrunable (bulk delete) intentionally; the plain Prunable trait also requires this method and deletes row by row.
Re-run php artisan model:prune after adding the method.

Example fix

// before
class LogEntry extends Model
{
    use MassPrunable;
}

// after
class LogEntry extends Model
{
    use MassPrunable;

    public function prunable()
    {
        return static::where('created_at', '<=', now()->subMonth());
    }
}

Defensive patterns

Strategy: validation

Validate before calling

// Before scheduling model:prune, verify the trait contract is satisfied
$reflection = new \ReflectionMethod($modelClass, 'prunable');
if ($reflection->getDeclaringClass()->getName() === \Illuminate\Database\Eloquent\MassPrunable::class) {
    throw new \RuntimeException("{$modelClass} uses MassPrunable without overriding prunable()");
}

Type guard

function overridesPrunable(string $modelClass): bool {
    $r = new \ReflectionMethod($modelClass, 'prunable');
    return $r->getDeclaringClass()->getName() !== \Illuminate\Database\Eloquent\MassPrunable::class;
}

Prevention

Always add a prunable() method whenever you add 'use MassPrunable;'.
Add a CI/static-analysis rule or a boot-time assertion that any model using the trait overrides prunable().
Run 'php artisan model:prune --pretend' to exercise the code path before scheduling it.

When it happens

Trigger: Adding 'use MassPrunable;' to a model and calling Model::pruneAll() without defining a prunable() method that returns a Builder.

Common situations: Setting up the prunable:console command for the first time; forgetting to implement prunable() after adopting the trait; copying a model skeleton that omits the method.

Related errors

AI-assisted analysis of laravel/framework@e0f6eb3518 (2026-08-11). Data as JSON: /api/errors/39861b2b28dc9c41. Report an issue: GitHub.

Appendix: source

Thrown at src/Illuminate/Database/Eloquent/MassPrunable.php:50

            if ($count > 0) {
                event(new ModelsPruned(static::class, $total));
            }
        } while ($count > 0);

        return $total;
    }

    /**
     * Get the prunable model query.
     *
     * @return \Illuminate\Database\Eloquent\Builder<static>
     *
     * @throws \LogicException
     */
    public function prunable()
    {
        throw new LogicException('Please implement the prunable method on your model.');
    }
}

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