diff --git a/.changes/unreleased/Fixes-20221226-010211.yaml b/.changes/unreleased/Fixes-20221226-010211.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..4674b27df4d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changes/unreleased/Fixes-20221226-010211.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+kind: Fixes
+body: fix docs generate --defer by adding defer_to_manifest to before_run
+time: 2022-12-26T01:02:11.630614+01:00
+custom:
+  Author: mivanicova
+  Issue: "6488"
diff --git a/core/dbt/task/freshness.py b/core/dbt/task/freshness.py
index c9c8e5051fa..c4898b779fa 100644
--- a/core/dbt/task/freshness.py
+++ b/core/dbt/task/freshness.py
@@ -147,6 +147,10 @@ def node_is_match(self, node):
 
 
 class FreshnessTask(GraphRunnableTask):
+    def defer_to_manifest(self, adapter, selected_uids):
+        # freshness don't defer
+        return
+
     def result_path(self):
         if self.args.output:
             return os.path.realpath(self.args.output)
diff --git a/core/dbt/task/list.py b/core/dbt/task/list.py
index e1be8f214d3..49fb07b359a 100644
--- a/core/dbt/task/list.py
+++ b/core/dbt/task/list.py
@@ -179,6 +179,10 @@ def selection_arg(self):
         else:
             return self.args.select
 
+    def defer_to_manifest(self, adapter, selected_uids):
+        # list don't defer
+        return
+
     def get_node_selector(self):
         if self.manifest is None or self.graph is None:
             raise InternalException("manifest and graph must be set to get perform node selection")
diff --git a/core/dbt/task/runnable.py b/core/dbt/task/runnable.py
index 14005203296..7143c286675 100644
--- a/core/dbt/task/runnable.py
+++ b/core/dbt/task/runnable.py
@@ -152,6 +152,10 @@ def get_selection_spec(self) -> SelectionSpec:
     def get_node_selector(self) -> NodeSelector:
         raise NotImplementedException(f"get_node_selector not implemented for task {type(self)}")
 
+    @abstractmethod
+    def defer_to_manifest(self, adapter, selected_uids: AbstractSet[str]):
+        raise NotImplementedException(f"defer_to_manifest not implemented for task {type(self)}")
+
     def get_graph_queue(self) -> GraphQueue:
         selector = self.get_node_selector()
         spec = self.get_selection_spec()
@@ -419,6 +423,7 @@ def populate_adapter_cache(self, adapter, required_schemas: Set[BaseRelation] =
     def before_run(self, adapter, selected_uids: AbstractSet[str]):
         with adapter.connection_named("master"):
             self.populate_adapter_cache(adapter)
+            self.defer_to_manifest(adapter, selected_uids)
 
     def after_run(self, adapter, results):
         pass
diff --git a/test/integration/062_defer_state_tests/test_defer_state.py b/test/integration/062_defer_state_tests/test_defer_state.py
index 058e43ef05f..d48d84aae46 100644
--- a/test/integration/062_defer_state_tests/test_defer_state.py
+++ b/test/integration/062_defer_state_tests/test_defer_state.py
@@ -109,12 +109,22 @@ def run_and_defer(self):
         # no state, wrong schema, failure.
         self.run_dbt(['test', '--target', 'otherschema'], expect_pass=False)
 
+        # test generate docs
+        # no state, wrong schema, empty nodes 
+        catalog = self.run_dbt(['docs','generate','--target', 'otherschema'])
+        assert not catalog.nodes
+
         # no state, run also fails
         self.run_dbt(['run', '--target', 'otherschema'], expect_pass=False)
 
         # defer test, it succeeds
         results = self.run_dbt(['test', '-m', 'view_model+', '--state', 'state', '--defer', '--target', 'otherschema'])
 
+        # defer docs generate with state, catalog refers schema from the happy times
+        catalog = self.run_dbt(['docs','generate', '-m', 'view_model+', '--state', 'state', '--defer','--target', 'otherschema'])
+        assert self.other_schema not in catalog.nodes["seed.test.seed"].metadata.schema
+        assert self.unique_schema() in catalog.nodes["seed.test.seed"].metadata.schema
+
         # with state it should work though
         results = self.run_dbt(['run', '-m', 'view_model', '--state', 'state', '--defer', '--target', 'otherschema'])
         assert self.other_schema not in results[0].node.compiled_code