From 04999ed06aa2eb14b6da0a3adbba336578d88caa Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Tori Wei <toriwei26@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, 2 Oct 2025 14:26:33 -0700
Subject: [PATCH 1/2] parse column from cast expression

---
 sqlmesh/dbt/model.py             | 11 +++++++++++
 tests/dbt/test_transformation.py | 17 +++++++++++++++++
 2 files changed, 28 insertions(+)

diff --git a/sqlmesh/dbt/model.py b/sqlmesh/dbt/model.py
index f47283d06e..326ee10412 100644
--- a/sqlmesh/dbt/model.py
+++ b/sqlmesh/dbt/model.py
@@ -172,6 +172,17 @@ def _validate_check_cols(cls, v: t.Union[str, t.List[str]]) -> t.Union[str, t.Li
             return "*"
         return ensure_list(v)
 
+    @field_validator("updated_at", mode="before")
+    @classmethod
+    def _validate_updated_at(cls, v: t.Optional[str]) -> t.Optional[str]:
+        if v is None:
+            return None
+        parsed = d.parse_one(v)
+        if isinstance(parsed, exp.Cast) and isinstance(parsed.this, exp.Column):
+            return parsed.this.name
+
+        return v
+
     @field_validator("sql", mode="before")
     @classmethod
     def _validate_sql(cls, v: t.Union[str, SqlStr]) -> SqlStr:
diff --git a/tests/dbt/test_transformation.py b/tests/dbt/test_transformation.py
index a33e3ed843..141c160e7e 100644
--- a/tests/dbt/test_transformation.py
+++ b/tests/dbt/test_transformation.py
@@ -652,6 +652,23 @@ def test_model_kind():
         == ManagedKind()
     )
 
+    assert ModelConfig(
+        materialized=Materialization.SNAPSHOT,
+        unique_key=["id"],
+        updated_at="updated_at::timestamp",
+        strategy="timestamp",
+        dialect="redshift",
+    ).model_kind(context) == SCDType2ByTimeKind(
+        unique_key=["id"],
+        valid_from_name="dbt_valid_from",
+        valid_to_name="dbt_valid_to",
+        updated_at_as_valid_from=True,
+        updated_at_name="updated_at",
+        dialect="redshift",
+        on_destructive_change=OnDestructiveChange.IGNORE,
+        on_additive_change=OnAdditiveChange.ALLOW,
+    )
+
 
 def test_model_kind_snapshot_bigquery():
     context = DbtContext()

From a36a9130fb242b79b84e1108ccb9ba28629243c4 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Tori Wei <toriwei26@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, 2 Oct 2025 15:37:51 -0700
Subject: [PATCH 2/2] add comment

---
 sqlmesh/dbt/model.py | 5 +++++
 1 file changed, 5 insertions(+)

diff --git a/sqlmesh/dbt/model.py b/sqlmesh/dbt/model.py
index 326ee10412..3cc9b301bc 100644
--- a/sqlmesh/dbt/model.py
+++ b/sqlmesh/dbt/model.py
@@ -175,6 +175,11 @@ def _validate_check_cols(cls, v: t.Union[str, t.List[str]]) -> t.Union[str, t.Li
     @field_validator("updated_at", mode="before")
     @classmethod
     def _validate_updated_at(cls, v: t.Optional[str]) -> t.Optional[str]:
+        """
+        Extract column name if updated_at contains a cast.
+
+        SCDType2ByTimeKind and SCDType2ByColumnKind expect a column, and the casting is done later.
+        """
         if v is None:
             return None
         parsed = d.parse_one(v)