diff --git a/sqlmesh/core/plan/builder.py b/sqlmesh/core/plan/builder.py
index 3dd74755d3..7918556bad 100644
--- a/sqlmesh/core/plan/builder.py
+++ b/sqlmesh/core/plan/builder.py
@@ -155,6 +155,7 @@ def __init__(
 
         self._backfill_models = backfill_models
         self._end = end or default_end
+        self._default_start = default_start
         self._apply = apply
         self._console = console or get_console()
         self._choices: t.Dict[SnapshotId, SnapshotChangeCategory] = {}
@@ -802,6 +803,25 @@ def _ensure_valid_date_range(self) -> None:
                     f"Plan end date: '{time_like_to_str(end)}' cannot be in the future (execution time: '{time_like_to_str(self.execution_time)}')"
                 )
 
+        # Validate model-specific start/end dates
+        if (start := self.start or self._default_start) and (end := self.end):
+            start_ts = to_datetime(start)
+            end_ts = to_datetime(end)
+            if start_ts > end_ts:
+                models_to_check: t.Set[str] = (
+                    set(self._backfill_models or [])
+                    | set(self._context_diff.modified_snapshots.keys())
+                    | {s.name for s in self._context_diff.added}
+                    | set((self._end_override_per_model or {}).keys())
+                )
+                for model_name in models_to_check:
+                    if snapshot := self._model_fqn_to_snapshot.get(model_name):
+                        if snapshot.node.start is None or to_datetime(snapshot.node.start) > end_ts:
+                            raise PlanError(
+                                f"Model '{model_name}': Start date / time '({time_like_to_str(start_ts)})' can't be greater than end date / time '({time_like_to_str(end_ts)})'.\n"
+                                f"Set the `start` attribute in your project config model defaults to avoid this issue."
+                            )
+
     def _ensure_no_broken_references(self) -> None:
         for snapshot in self._context_diff.snapshots.values():
             broken_references = {
diff --git a/tests/core/test_context.py b/tests/core/test_context.py
index 2827981ae7..852f00e760 100644
--- a/tests/core/test_context.py
+++ b/tests/core/test_context.py
@@ -3007,3 +3007,59 @@ def test_uppercase_gateway_external_models(tmp_path):
     assert len(uppercase_in_yaml_models) == 1, (
         f"External model with uppercase gateway in YAML should be found. Found {len(uppercase_in_yaml_models)} models"
     )
+
+
+def test_plan_no_start_configured():
+    context = Context(config=Config())
+    context.upsert_model(
+        load_sql_based_model(
+            parse(
+                """
+                MODEL(
+                    name db.xvg,
+                    kind INCREMENTAL_BY_TIME_RANGE (
+                        time_column ds
+                    ),
+                    cron '@daily'
+                );
+
+                SELECT id, ds FROM (VALUES
+                    ('1', '2020-01-01'),
+                ) data(id, ds)
+                WHERE ds BETWEEN @start_ds AND @end_ds
+                """
+            )
+        )
+    )
+
+    prod_plan = context.plan(auto_apply=True)
+    assert len(prod_plan.new_snapshots) == 1
+
+    context.upsert_model(
+        load_sql_based_model(
+            parse(
+                """
+                MODEL(
+                    name db.xvg,
+                    kind INCREMENTAL_BY_TIME_RANGE (
+                        time_column ds
+                    ),
+                    cron '@daily',
+                    physical_properties ('some_prop' = 1),
+                );
+
+                SELECT id, ds FROM (VALUES
+                    ('1', '2020-01-01'),
+                ) data(id, ds)
+                WHERE ds BETWEEN @start_ds AND @end_ds
+                """
+            )
+        )
+    )
+
+    # This should raise an error because the model has no start configured and the end time is less than the start time which will be calculated from the intervals
+    with pytest.raises(
+        PlanError,
+        match=r"Model '.*xvg.*': Start date / time .* can't be greater than end date / time .*\.\nSet the `start` attribute in your project config model defaults to avoid this issue",
+    ):
+        context.plan("dev", execution_time="1999-01-05")