diff --git a/website/docs/docs/cloud/about-cloud-develop-defer.md b/website/docs/docs/cloud/about-cloud-develop-defer.md
index 034fd9d2a4e..4e2f70b7b82 100644
--- a/website/docs/docs/cloud/about-cloud-develop-defer.md
+++ b/website/docs/docs/cloud/about-cloud-develop-defer.md
@@ -11,6 +11,8 @@ pagination_next: "docs/cloud/cloud-cli-installation"
 
 Both the dbt Cloud IDE and the dbt Cloud CLI enable users to natively defer to production metadata directly in their development workflows. 
 
+<Lightbox src src="/img/docs/reference/defer-diagram.png" width="50%" title="Use 'defer' to modify end-of-pipeline models by pointing to production models, instead of running everything upstream." />
+
 By default, dbt follows these rules:
 
 - dbt uses the production locations of parent models to resolve `{{ ref() }}` functions, based on metadata from the production environment.
diff --git a/website/docs/reference/node-selection/defer.md b/website/docs/reference/node-selection/defer.md
index 27cc3dd78c5..1653bf7e04c 100644
--- a/website/docs/reference/node-selection/defer.md
+++ b/website/docs/reference/node-selection/defer.md
@@ -4,6 +4,8 @@ title: "Defer"
 
 Defer is a powerful feature that makes it possible to run a subset of models or tests in a [sandbox environment](/docs/environments-in-dbt) without having to first build their upstream parents. This can save time and computational resources when you want to test a small number of models in a large project.
 
+<Lightbox src src="/img/docs/reference/defer-diagram.png" width="50%" title="Use 'defer' to modify end-of-pipeline models by pointing to production models, instead of running everything upstream." />
+
 Defer requires that a manifest from a previous dbt invocation be passed to the `--state` flag or env var. Together with the `state:` selection method, these features enable "Slim CI". Read more about [state](/reference/node-selection/syntax#about-node-selection).
 
 An alternative command that accomplishes similar functionality for different use cases is `dbt clone` - see the docs for [clone](/reference/commands/clone#when-to-use-dbt-clone-instead-of-deferral) for more information.
diff --git a/website/static/img/docs/reference/defer-diagram.png b/website/static/img/docs/reference/defer-diagram.png
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