---
title: "Receiving a 'Could not parse dbt_project.yml' error in dbt job"
source: dbt Core Documentation
source_url: https://github.com/dbt-labs/docs.getdbt.com
licence: Apache-2.0
domain: data-and-analysis
subdomain: dbt-docs
date_added: 2026-04-25
---

The error message `Could not parse dbt_project.yml: while scanning for...` in your <Constant name="dbt" /> job run or development usually occurs for several reasons:

- There's a parsing failure in a YAML file (such as a tab indentation or Unicode characters).
- Your `dbt_project.yml` file has missing fields or incorrect formatting.
- Your `dbt_project.yml` file doesn't exist in your dbt project repository.

To resolve this issue, consider the following:
- Use an online YAML parser or validator to check for any parsing errors in your YAML file. Some known parsing errors include missing fields, incorrect formatting, or tab indentation.
- Or ensure your `dbt_project.yml` file exists.

Once you've identified the issue, you can fix the error and rerun your <Constant name="dbt" /> job.
