[Issue] Dataflow preview timeout – previous workaround no longer working since March 2025

[hama21]

Hi everyone,

I've been working with large queries in Power BI Dataflows for a long time, and many of them naturally exceed the 10-minute timeout limit for preview/evaluation.

To bypass this, I’ve always used the following workaround that worked perfectly until recently:

1. I started with a simple query (e.g., using TOP 1 or WHERE 1=0) so that the dataflow could be saved and published quickly.

2. Then, I went back into the Advanced Editor, replaced the query with the full version, and saved the dataflow without waiting for the preview to load.

3. The daily refresh would run fine — even with complex queries taking much longer than 10 minutes.

However, since March 2025, this no longer works.

Now, as soon as I replace the query with the full one, Power BI forces a new evaluation of "Potential Issues", which again attempts to run the preview — and of course, times out. I can't save the dataflow anymore unless the preview completes, which is impossible for large queries.

This change is heavily impacting my work, as we rely on several complex dataflows, and most of our queries exceed the 10-minute evaluation window.

Has anyone else experienced this change?
Was there any recent update that altered this behavior?
Is there a new way to bypass this forced query preview, as we used to before?

Thanks in advance for any help!

Best,

[v-csrikanth]

Hi @hama21 

We haven't heard from you since last response and just wanted to check whether the solution provided has worked for you. If yes, please Accept as Solution to help others benefit in the community.
Thank you.

If the above information is helpful, please give us Kudos and mark the response as Accepted as solution.
Best Regards,
Community Support Team _ C Srikanth.

[v-csrikanth]

Hi @hama21 
I wanted to follow up since I haven't heard from you in a while. Have you had a chance to try the suggested solutions?
If your issue is resolved, please consider marking the post as solved. However, if you're still facing challenges, feel free to share the details, and we'll be happy to assist you further.
Looking forward to your response!

Best Regards,
Community Support Team _ C Srikanth.

[v-csrikanth]

HI @hama21 
As highlighted by @Akash_Varuna , the proposed approach appears to effectively address your requirements. Could you please confirm if your issue has been resolved?
If you are still facing any challenges, kindly provide further details, and we will be happy to assist you.

Best Regards,
Community Support Team _ C Srikanth.

[Akash_Varuna]

Hi @hama21 Try splitting the query into smaller parts, parameterizing it (limiting rows with TOP N during development), or using DirectQuery for staging and switching to Import mode later.This would help in managing query complexity and reducing evaluation time.
If the issue still persists, raise a support ticket with Microsoft 

[hama21]

I can't use direct query in dataflow because I can't save without bypass the 10minutes..

[Akash_Varuna · Accepted solution]

Hi @hama21  Could you try splitting the query into smaller parts, parameterizing it to limit rows , or using multiple dataflows to handle portions of the data and consolidating them later? This approach may help manage complexity and bypass the limit