diff --git a/src/sqlbuild/compiler/compile/_helpers/config/retention.py b/src/sqlbuild/compiler/compile/_helpers/config/retention.py
index ebd2862754..8ab610ebaf 100644
--- a/src/sqlbuild/compiler/compile/_helpers/config/retention.py
+++ b/src/sqlbuild/compiler/compile/_helpers/config/retention.py
@@ -29,15 +29,16 @@ def resolve_time_travel_retention(
 ) -> ResolvedTimeTravelRetention:
     """Resolve target, materialization, and model retention precedence."""
 
+    table_backed: bool = isinstance(materialized, str) and MaterializationType.is_table_backed(
+        materialized=materialized
+    )
     policy: AuthoredTimeTravelRetention | None = (
-        target_config.time_travel_retention if target_config is not None else None
+        target_config.time_travel_retention if table_backed and target_config is not None else None
     )
     source: TimeTravelRetentionSource | None = (
         TimeTravelRetentionSource.TARGET if policy is not None else None
     )
-    if isinstance(materialized, str) and MaterializationType.is_table_backed(
-        materialized=materialized
-    ):
+    if table_backed and isinstance(materialized, str):
         materialization_policy: AuthoredTimeTravelRetention | None = getattr(
             materialization_defaults, materialized
         ).time_travel_retention
diff --git a/tests/integration/src/sqlbuild/cli/commands/main/_test_types.py b/tests/integration/src/sqlbuild/cli/commands/main/_test_types.py
index bb5568f98a..d8066b1362 100644
--- a/tests/integration/src/sqlbuild/cli/commands/main/_test_types.py
+++ b/tests/integration/src/sqlbuild/cli/commands/main/_test_types.py
@@ -569,3 +569,11 @@ class DenseCompileFixtureTestCase:
     model_count: int
     expected_rule_misses: int
     expected_tail_lineage_edges: int
+
+
+@dataclass(frozen=True)
+class TargetRetentionViewsTestCase:
+    description: str
+    view_header: str
+    expected_exit_code: int
+    expected_fragment: str
diff --git a/tests/integration/src/sqlbuild/cli/commands/main/test_target_retention_views.py b/tests/integration/src/sqlbuild/cli/commands/main/test_target_retention_views.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..c9a273d56a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/integration/src/sqlbuild/cli/commands/main/test_target_retention_views.py
@@ -0,0 +1,61 @@
+"""Integration coverage for target-level retention defaults with views."""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+from pathlib import Path
+
+import pytest
+
+from sqlbuild.cli.commands.main.entrypoint.entry import main
+from tests.integration.src.sqlbuild.cli.commands.main._test_types import (
+    TargetRetentionViewsTestCase,
+)
+
+_PROJECT_TOML: str = (
+    'name = "demo"\nadapter = "duckdb"\ndefault_target = "prod"\n\n'
+    '[connection]\ndatabase = "demo.duckdb"\n\n'
+    '[targets.prod]\ntime_travel_retention = "90d"\n'
+)
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize(
+    "test_case",
+    [
+        TargetRetentionViewsTestCase(
+            description="view skips inherited target retention",
+            view_header="MODEL (materialized view);",
+            expected_exit_code=0,
+            expected_fragment="Project compiled",
+        ),
+        TargetRetentionViewsTestCase(
+            description="explicit view retention is still rejected",
+            view_header="MODEL (materialized view, time_travel_retention 7d);",
+            expected_exit_code=1,
+            expected_fragment="managed time_travel_retention is not valid for views",
+        ),
+    ],
+    ids=lambda case: case.description,
+)
+def test_given_target_retention_default_when_compiling_views_then_only_explicit_retention_fails(
+    test_case: TargetRetentionViewsTestCase,
+    tmp_path: Path,
+    capsys: pytest.CaptureFixture[str],
+) -> None:
+    (tmp_path / "models").mkdir()
+    (tmp_path / "sqlbuild_project.toml").write_text(_PROJECT_TOML, encoding="utf-8")
+    (tmp_path / "models" / "orders.sql").write_text(
+        "MODEL (materialized table);\n\nSELECT 1 AS order_id\n", encoding="utf-8"
+    )
+    (tmp_path / "models" / "order_view.sql").write_text(
+        f'{test_case.view_header}\n\nSELECT order_id FROM __ref("orders")\n', encoding="utf-8"
+    )
+
+    exit_code: int = main(["--project-dir", str(tmp_path), "--no-color", "compile"])
+    captured: str = "".join(capsys.readouterr())
+
+    assert exit_code == test_case.expected_exit_code, captured
+    assert test_case.expected_fragment in captured
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    pytest.main([__file__, "-vv"])
diff --git a/tests/unit/src/sqlbuild/compiler/compile/_test_types.py b/tests/unit/src/sqlbuild/compiler/compile/_test_types.py
index f7a072a9ca..6372dc5b17 100644
--- a/tests/unit/src/sqlbuild/compiler/compile/_test_types.py
+++ b/tests/unit/src/sqlbuild/compiler/compile/_test_types.py
@@ -92,7 +92,7 @@ class BuildModelRetentionConfigTestCase:
     materialization_defaults: MaterializationDefaultsConfig
     expected_desired_days: int | None
     expected_unmanaged: bool
-    expected_source: TimeTravelRetentionSource
+    expected_source: TimeTravelRetentionSource | None
 
 
 @dataclass(frozen=True)
diff --git a/tests/unit/src/sqlbuild/compiler/compile/test_main.py b/tests/unit/src/sqlbuild/compiler/compile/test_main.py
index 80b7aec68e..24130d0675 100644
--- a/tests/unit/src/sqlbuild/compiler/compile/test_main.py
+++ b/tests/unit/src/sqlbuild/compiler/compile/test_main.py
@@ -4596,6 +4596,30 @@ def test_given_typed_hook_defaults_when_building_config_then_layers_values(
             expected_unmanaged=True,
             expected_source=TimeTravelRetentionSource.MODEL,
         ),
+        BuildModelRetentionConfigTestCase(
+            description="incremental model inherits target retention",
+            defaults=DefaultsConfig(materialized="incremental"),
+            model_header_values={},
+            target_config=TargetConfig(
+                time_travel_retention=AuthoredTimeTravelRetention(desired_days=90)
+            ),
+            materialization_defaults=MaterializationDefaultsConfig(),
+            expected_desired_days=90,
+            expected_unmanaged=False,
+            expected_source=TimeTravelRetentionSource.TARGET,
+        ),
+        BuildModelRetentionConfigTestCase(
+            description="view does not inherit target retention",
+            defaults=DefaultsConfig(materialized="view"),
+            model_header_values={},
+            target_config=TargetConfig(
+                time_travel_retention=AuthoredTimeTravelRetention(desired_days=90)
+            ),
+            materialization_defaults=MaterializationDefaultsConfig(),
+            expected_desired_days=None,
+            expected_unmanaged=True,
+            expected_source=None,
+        ),
     ],
     ids=lambda case: case.description,
 )