apache · msumit · Aug 6, 2026 · Aug 6, 2026
diff --git a/airflow-core/docs/administration-and-deployment/pools.rst b/airflow-core/docs/administration-and-deployment/pools.rst
@@ -46,6 +46,12 @@ descendants.
 Note that if tasks are not given a pool, they are assigned to a default pool ``default_pool``, which is
 initialized with 128 slots and can be modified through the UI or CLI (but cannot be removed).
 
+Whether deferred tasks occupy pool slots is normally decided per pool via its ``include_deferred`` flag.
+A Deployment Manager can instead fix this behavior for the whole cluster with
+:ref:`config:core__pool_include_deferred`. When that option is set to ``True`` or ``False``, the configured
+value applies to every pool (including pre-existing pools, regardless of their stored flag), and attempts
+to explicitly set a conflicting ``include_deferred`` value when creating or updating a pool are rejected.
+
 Using multiple pool slots
 -------------------------
 

@@ -78,10 +78,13 @@ def get_pool(self, name):
         pool = Pool.get_pool(pool_name=name)
         if not pool:
             raise PoolNotFound(f"Pool {name} not found")
-        return pool.pool, pool.slots, pool.description, pool.include_deferred, pool.team_name
+        return pool.pool, pool.slots, pool.description, pool.effective_include_deferred, pool.team_name
 
     def get_pools(self):
-        return [(p.pool, p.slots, p.description, p.include_deferred, p.team_name) for p in Pool.get_pools()]
+        return [
+            (p.pool, p.slots, p.description, p.effective_include_deferred, p.team_name)
+            for p in Pool.get_pools()
+        ]
 
     def create_pool(self, name, slots, description, include_deferred, team_name=None):
         if not (name and name.strip()):

@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@
 
 from airflow.api_fastapi.core_api.base import BaseModel, StrictBaseModel
 from airflow.configuration import conf
+from airflow.models.pool import Pool
 
 
 def _call_function(function: Callable[[], int]) -> int:
@@ -35,6 +36,19 @@ def _call_function(function: Callable[[], int]) -> int:
     return function()
 
 
+def _apply_include_deferred_override(value: bool) -> bool:
+    override = Pool.get_include_deferred_override()
+    return value if override is None else override
+
+
+def _reject_conflicting_include_deferred(value: bool, override: bool) -> None:
+    if value != override:
+        raise ValueError(
+            f"include_deferred is fixed to {override} for all pools by the [core] pool_include_deferred "
+            "configuration and cannot be set per pool. Please contact your administrator."
+        )
+
+
 PoolSlots = Annotated[
     int,
     Field(ge=-1, description="Number of slots. Use -1 for unlimited."),
@@ -59,6 +73,9 @@ def _sanitize_open_slots(value) -> int:
 class PoolResponse(BasePool):
     """Pool serializer for responses."""
 
+    # Report the effective value: the cluster-wide config value takes precedence over the stored column
+    include_deferred: Annotated[bool, BeforeValidator(_apply_include_deferred_override)]
+
     occupied_slots: Annotated[int, BeforeValidator(_call_function)]
     running_slots: Annotated[int, BeforeValidator(_call_function)]
     queued_slots: Annotated[int, BeforeValidator(_call_function)]
@@ -92,6 +109,13 @@ def validate_team_name(self) -> PoolPatchBody:
             )
         return self
 
+    @model_validator(mode="after")
+    def enforce_include_deferred_override(self) -> PoolPatchBody:
+        override = Pool.get_include_deferred_override()
+        if override is not None and self.include_deferred is not None:
+            _reject_conflicting_include_deferred(self.include_deferred, override)
+        return self
+
 
 class PoolBody(BasePool, StrictBaseModel):
     """Pool serializer for post bodies."""
@@ -108,3 +132,13 @@ def validate_team_name(self) -> PoolBody:
                 "team_name cannot be set when multi_team mode is disabled. Please contact your administrator."
             )
         return self
+
+    @model_validator(mode="after")
+    def enforce_include_deferred_override(self) -> PoolBody:
+        override = Pool.get_include_deferred_override()
+        if override is None:
+            return self
+        if "include_deferred" in self.model_fields_set:
+            _reject_conflicting_include_deferred(self.include_deferred, override)
+        self.include_deferred = override
+        return self
@@ -41,6 +41,7 @@ class ConfigResponse(BaseModel):
     theme: Theme | None
     multi_team: bool
     rerun_with_latest_version: bool | None = None
+    pool_include_deferred: bool | None = None
 
     @field_serializer("theme")
     def serialize_theme(self, theme: Theme | None) -> dict | None:

@@ -2665,6 +2665,11 @@ components:
           - type: boolean
           - type: 'null'
           title: Rerun With Latest Version
+        pool_include_deferred:
+          anyOf:
+          - type: boolean
+          - type: 'null'
+          title: Pool Include Deferred
       type: object
       required:
       - fallback_page_limit

@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@
 from airflow.api_fastapi.core_api.openapi.exceptions import create_openapi_http_exception_doc
 from airflow.api_fastapi.core_api.security import requires_authenticated
 from airflow.configuration import conf
+from airflow.models.pool import Pool
 from airflow.settings import DASHBOARD_UIALERTS
 from airflow.utils.log.log_reader import TaskLogReader
 
@@ -69,6 +70,8 @@ def get_configs() -> ConfigResponse:
             if conf.has_option("core", "rerun_with_latest_version")
             else None
         ),
+        # None means the flag is chosen per pool; a boolean means it is fixed cluster-wide.
+        "pool_include_deferred": Pool.get_include_deferred_override(),
     }
 
     config.update({key: value for key, value in additional_config.items()})

@@ -27,11 +27,23 @@
 from airflow.cli.simple_table import AirflowConsole
 from airflow.cli.utils import deprecated_for_airflowctl
 from airflow.exceptions import PoolNotFound
+from airflow.models.pool import Pool
 from airflow.utils import cli as cli_utils
 from airflow.utils.cli import suppress_logs_and_warning
 from airflow.utils.providers_configuration_loader import providers_configuration_loaded
 
 
+def check_include_deferred_choice_allowed(include_deferred: bool) -> str | None:
+    """Return an error message when an explicit ``include_deferred`` choice conflicts with the cluster config."""
+    override = Pool.get_include_deferred_override()
+    if override is not None and include_deferred != override:
+        return (
+            f"include_deferred is fixed to {override} for all pools by the [core] pool_include_deferred "
+            "configuration and cannot be set per pool."
+        )
+    return None
+
+
 def _show_pools(pools, output):
     AirflowConsole().print_as(
         data=pools,
@@ -75,6 +87,9 @@ def pool_get(args):
 @providers_configuration_loaded
 def pool_set(args):
     """Create new pool with a given name and slots."""
+    # --include-deferred is a store-true flag, so only a passed flag is an explicit choice
+    if args.include_deferred and (error := check_include_deferred_choice_allowed(True)):
+        raise SystemExit(error)
     api_client = get_current_api_client()
     api_client.create_pool(
         name=args.pool,
@@ -136,6 +151,12 @@ def pool_import_helper(filepath):
     failed = []
     for k, v in pools_json.items():
         if isinstance(v, dict) and "slots" in v and "description" in v:
+            if "include_deferred" in v and (
+                error := check_include_deferred_choice_allowed(bool(v["include_deferred"]))
+            ):
+                print(f"Pool {k}: {error}")
+                failed.append(k)
+                continue
             pools.append(
                 api_client.create_pool(
                     name=k,

diff --git a/airflow-core/src/airflow/config_templates/config.yml b/airflow-core/src/airflow/config_templates/config.yml
@@ -463,6 +463,18 @@ core:
       type: integer
       example: ~
       default: "128"
+    pool_include_deferred:
+      description: |
+        Cluster-wide setting for the ``include_deferred`` flag of pools. When left empty (the default),
+        each pool keeps its own ``include_deferred`` value, configurable per pool via the UI, API or CLI.
+        When set to ``True`` or ``False``, the configured value is used for **every** pool (including
+        pre-existing pools, whatever their stored value) when calculating occupied slots, and users can
+        no longer choose the flag per pool: attempts to explicitly set a conflicting ``include_deferred``
+        value when creating or updating a pool are rejected.
+      version_added: 3.4.0
+      type: string
+      example: "True"
+      default: ""
     max_map_length:
       description: |
         The maximum list/dict length an XCom can push to trigger task mapping. If the pushed list/dict has a

@@ -92,6 +92,26 @@ class Pool(Base):
     def __repr__(self):
         return str(self.pool)
 
+    @staticmethod
+    def get_include_deferred_override() -> bool | None:
+        """
+        Get the cluster-wide ``include_deferred`` value fixed via config, if any.
+
+        When ``[core] pool_include_deferred`` is set, its value applies to every pool and takes
+        precedence over the per-pool ``include_deferred`` column. Returns None when unset.
+        """
+        from airflow.configuration import conf
+
+        if conf.get("core", "pool_include_deferred", fallback=""):
+            return conf.getboolean("core", "pool_include_deferred")
+        return None
+
+    @property
+    def effective_include_deferred(self) -> bool:
+        """The ``include_deferred`` value in effect: the cluster-wide config value when fixed, else the pool's own."""
+        override = Pool.get_include_deferred_override()
+        return self.include_deferred if override is None else override
+
     @staticmethod
     @provide_session
     def get_pools(*, session: Session = NEW_SESSION) -> Sequence[Pool]:
@@ -143,6 +163,10 @@ def create_or_update_pool(
                 "team_name cannot be set when multi_team mode is disabled. Please contact your administrator."
             )
 
+        include_deferred_override = Pool.get_include_deferred_override()
+        if include_deferred_override is not None:
+            include_deferred = include_deferred_override
+
         pool = session.scalar(select(Pool).filter_by(pool=name))
         if pool is None:
             pool = Pool(
@@ -197,6 +221,7 @@ def slots_stats(
 
         pools: dict[str, PoolStats] = {}
         pool_includes_deferred: dict[str, bool] = {}
+        include_deferred_override = Pool.get_include_deferred_override()
 
         # The below type annotation is acceptable on SQLA2.1, but not on 2.0
         query: Select[str, int, bool] = select(Pool.pool, Pool.slots, Pool.include_deferred)  # type: ignore[type-arg]
@@ -210,7 +235,9 @@ def slots_stats(
             pools[pool_name] = PoolStats(
                 total=total_slots, running=0, queued=0, open=0, deferred=0, scheduled=0
             )
-            pool_includes_deferred[pool_name] = include_deferred
+            pool_includes_deferred[pool_name] = (
+                include_deferred if include_deferred_override is None else include_deferred_override
+            )
 
         allowed_execution_states = EXECUTION_STATES | {
             TaskInstanceState.DEFERRED,
@@ -287,7 +314,7 @@ def occupied_slots(self, *, session: Session = NEW_SESSION) -> int:
         )
 
     def get_occupied_states(self):
-        if self.include_deferred:
+        if self.effective_include_deferred:
             return EXECUTION_STATES | {
                 TaskInstanceState.DEFERRED,
             }

@@ -8928,6 +8928,17 @@ export const $ConfigResponse = {
                 }
             ],
             title: 'Rerun With Latest Version'
+        },
+        pool_include_deferred: {
+            anyOf: [
+                {
+                    type: 'boolean'
+                },
+                {
+                    type: 'null'
+                }
+            ],
+            title: 'Pool Include Deferred'
         }
     },
     type: 'object',

@@ -2266,6 +2266,7 @@ export type ConfigResponse = {
     theme: Theme | null;
     multi_team: boolean;
     rerun_with_latest_version?: boolean | null;
+    pool_include_deferred?: boolean | null;
 };
 
 /**

@@ -118,6 +118,7 @@
       "checkbox": "Check to include deferred tasks when calculating open pool slots",
       "description": "Description",
       "includeDeferred": "Include Deferred",
+      "includeDeferredFixedHelperText": "This option is fixed to \"{{value}}\" for all pools by the cluster-level configuration and cannot be changed per pool.",
       "nameMaxLength": "Name can contain a maximum of 256 characters",
       "nameRequired": "Name is required",
       "slots": "Slots",

@@ -56,9 +56,15 @@ const PoolForm = ({ error, initialPool, isPending, manageMutate, setError }: Poo
     mode: "onChange",
   });
   const multiTeamEnabled = Boolean(useConfig("multi_team"));
+  const includeDeferredConfig = useConfig("pool_include_deferred");
+  // A boolean means include_deferred is fixed cluster-wide and cannot be chosen per pool
+  const includeDeferredOverride =
+    typeof includeDeferredConfig === "boolean" ? includeDeferredConfig : undefined;
 
   const onSubmit = (data: PoolBody) => {
-    manageMutate(data);
+    manageMutate(
+      includeDeferredOverride === undefined ? data : { ...data, include_deferred: includeDeferredOverride },
+    );
   };
 
   const handleReset = () => {
@@ -141,11 +147,22 @@ const PoolForm = ({ error, initialPool, isPending, manageMutate, setError }: Poo
         control={control}
         name="include_deferred"
         render={({ field }) => (
-          <Field.Root mb={4} mt={4}>
+          <Field.Root disabled={includeDeferredOverride !== undefined} mb={4} mt={4}>
             <Field.Label fontSize="md">{translate("pools.form.includeDeferred")}</Field.Label>
-            <Checkbox checked={field.value} onChange={field.onChange}>
+            <Checkbox
+              checked={includeDeferredOverride ?? field.value}
+              disabled={includeDeferredOverride !== undefined}
+              onChange={field.onChange}
+            >
               {translate("pools.form.checkbox")}
             </Checkbox>
+            {includeDeferredOverride === undefined ? undefined : (
+              <Field.HelperText>
+                {translate("pools.form.includeDeferredFixedHelperText", {
+                  value: includeDeferredOverride ? "True" : "False",
+                })}
+              </Field.HelperText>
+            )}
           </Field.Root>
         )}
       />

diff --git a/airflow-core/src/airflow/utils/db.py b/airflow-core/src/airflow/utils/db.py
@@ -191,7 +191,7 @@ def add_default_pool_if_not_exists(*, session: Session = NEW_SESSION):
             pool=Pool.DEFAULT_POOL_NAME,
             slots=conf.getint(section="core", key="default_pool_task_slot_count"),
             description="Default pool",
-            include_deferred=False,
+            include_deferred=Pool.get_include_deferred_override() or False,
         )
         session.add(default_pool)
         session.commit()