# quoted identifiers in unit tests

**URL:** <https://discourse.getdbt.com/t/quoted-identifiers-in-unit-tests/19752>\
**Category:** In-Depth Discussions\
**Tags:** testing, dbt-core\
**Created:** [July 1, 2025, 9:16am UTC](https://discourse.getdbt.com/t/quoted-identifiers-in-unit-tests/19752 "2025-07-01T09:16:15Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![sqlfransie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/43a26b/32.png) [@sqlfransie](https://discourse.getdbt.com/u/sqlfransie)\
**Post date:** [July 1, 2025, 9:16am UTC](https://discourse.getdbt.com/t/quoted-identifiers-in-unit-tests/19752/1 "2025-07-01T09:16:15Z")

</div>

I use dbt in Databricks. I have several spark sql queries using quoted identifiers with special characters. Example column name: `change:DateCreate`.

I encounter a parsing error when referring to this column in the unit test when I include the backticks.  
I encounter a syntax error on the special character ‘:’ when I put the name in double quotes, i.e. “change:DateCreate”.

Yes, I know: best practice is not to use special characters in a column name. But hey, the SQL is valid and now the Unit Test cannot handle it. As a work-around: I will change the column name not to include a special character. I hope my comments trigger a solution, though.