# Can I disable a model and all dependent downstream models?

**URL:** <https://discourse.getdbt.com/t/can-i-disable-a-model-and-all-dependent-downstream-models/19825>\
**Category:** Help\
**Created:** [July 10, 2025, 1:47pm UTC](https://discourse.getdbt.com/t/can-i-disable-a-model-and-all-dependent-downstream-models/19825 "2025-07-10T13:47:49Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![ecerulm](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/user_avatar/discourse.getdbt.com/ecerulm/32/743_2.png) [@ecerulm](https://discourse.getdbt.com/u/ecerulm)\
**Post date:** [July 10, 2025, 1:47pm UTC](https://discourse.getdbt.com/t/can-i-disable-a-model-and-all-dependent-downstream-models/19825/1 "2025-07-10T13:47:49Z")

</div>

Let’s say that I have a model `parent` with the following

```auto
{{ config(
     enabled=(target.name == 'prod'),
) }}

```

I have other model `child` that depend on this model via `ref(xxx)`

Now `dbt ls` complains that

```auto
13:40:18 Encountered an error:
Compilation Error
  'model.xxx.child' depends on 'model.xxx.parent' which is not in the graph!

```

I would like to disable `parent` but also also it’s descendants including transitive ones (in other words `parent+`), it’s there any direct way to do that without having to

- tag each descendant model,
- or add a `config(enabled=(target.name == 'prod '),...` to each descendant

Is there any way, to say “skip” all nodes that depend on disabled nodes transitively?