Underlying Error Privacy...combining of data

[tracktime99]

I searched through the forum for this issue but couldn't find the resolution to this issue.  

I have a semantic model that I built out in desktop that works without any issues.  When I publish to service, I am getting this error: Underlying Error Privacy settings don't allow the combining of data from multiple sources in the same query. \n\r To refresh this dataflow you can either edit the queries or you can allow combining data from multiple sources in the Edit queries Options settings., From a business standpoint, this is a small project and the data from different sources can be seen by the entire team without issue.  

Here's what I validated so far. 

1) All data source credentials have been set to a privacy of public

2) In desktop, I clicked "Always ignore privacy levels"

Any recommendations on what further troubleshooting I can do to pinpoint the issue? Anyone ran into this issue before and solved it?

Thanks,

TC

[v-sdhruv]

Hi @tracktime99 ,
I hope the information provided above assists you in resolving the issue. If you have any additional questions, please feel free to reach out.We would be  happy to help with any further assistance you may need.

Thank You

[VahidDM]

@tracktime99 

This is a pretty common roadblock when moving from Desktop to Service. The key is that Power BI Service enforces privacy checks differently than Desktop. Even if you’ve set everything to Public and ticked “Always ignore privacy levels” locally, the Service doesn’t honor that desktop setting. That’s why you get the “privacy settings don’t allow combining data from multiple sources” error.

Here’s what usually works to resolve it:

1. Configure Privacy at the Dataflow/Dataset Level

• In Power BI Service, go to Settings → Data source credentials for the dataset.

• Make sure every source in your queries has its privacy level explicitly set (Public, Organizational, Private).

• Service sometimes resets these when publishing.

2. Use a Staging Query Approach

If you’re combining sources:

• Stage each source in a separate query first.

• Then reference those staging queries inside one final query.

• This often satisfies the firewall because the combination happens inside the same privacy context.

3. Avoid “Always ignore privacy levels” Reliance

That option only applies in Desktop. In Service, you need to explicitly define and align privacy levels for each connector.

4. Check for Hidden Cross-Source Joins

Sometimes the issue isn’t obvious:

• A parameter, custom function, or reference to another query can trigger cross-source data combination.

• Try isolating the query that fails, then simplify until you find the step combining two sources.

5. Workarounds if Security Is Not a Concern

• If it’s truly safe for your business context, you can reconfigure all sources as Organizational (instead of Public). This sometimes relaxes the firewall rules in Service.

• Or, load both sources into a single gateway/environment (like staging both into a Fabric Lakehouse or Azure SQL), so Power BI sees it as one source.

You can’t fully disable the firewall in the Service like you can in Desktop. The fix is to either align privacy levels in Service, stage your queries, or consolidate data into a single source.

If this post helps, please consider accepting it as the solution to help the other members find it more quickly.

Appreciate your Kudos!! 

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