raise for non-Load opt passed to options()

Fixed the exception that's raised when the
:func:`_orm.with_loader_criteria` option is attempted to be used within a
specific loader path, like in loader.options().
:func:`_orm.with_loader_criteria` is only intended to be used at the top
level.

Fixes: #8711
Change-Id: Iaa7b13956b808761e618a6be6406e5c82df1c65c

3 files changed, 36 insertions, 1 deletions

diff --git a/doc/build/changelog/unreleased_14/8711.rst b/doc/build/changelog/unreleased_14/8711.rst
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..82e68bbc4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/doc/build/changelog/unreleased_14/8711.rst
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+.. change::
+    :tags: bug, orm
+    :tickets: 8711
+
+    Fixed the exception that's raised when the
+    :func:`_orm.with_loader_criteria` option is attempted to be used within a
+    specific loader path, like in loader.options().
+    :func:`_orm.with_loader_criteria` is only intended to be used at the top
+    level.
diff --git a/lib/sqlalchemy/orm/strategy_options.py b/lib/sqlalchemy/orm/strategy_options.py
index 114030346..23b3466f5 100644
--- a/lib/sqlalchemy/orm/strategy_options.py
+++ b/lib/sqlalchemy/orm/strategy_options.py
@@ -1218,7 +1218,16 @@ class Load(_AbstractLoad):
 
         """
         for opt in opts:
-            opt._apply_to_parent(self)
+            try:
+                opt._apply_to_parent(self)
+            except AttributeError as ae:
+                if not isinstance(opt, _AbstractLoad):
+                    raise sa_exc.ArgumentError(
+                        f"Loader option {opt} is not compatible with the "
+                        "Load.options() method."
+                    ) from ae
+                else:
+                    raise
         return self
 
     def _clone_for_bind_strategy(
diff --git a/test/orm/test_relationship_criteria.py b/test/orm/test_relationship_criteria.py
index 16d2088eb..baa19e31e 100644
--- a/test/orm/test_relationship_criteria.py
+++ b/test/orm/test_relationship_criteria.py
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ from sqlalchemy.orm import subqueryload
 from sqlalchemy.orm import with_loader_criteria
 from sqlalchemy.orm.decl_api import declared_attr
 from sqlalchemy.testing import eq_
+from sqlalchemy.testing import expect_raises_message
 from sqlalchemy.testing.assertions import expect_raises
 from sqlalchemy.testing.assertsql import CompiledSQL
 from sqlalchemy.testing.fixtures import fixture_session
@@ -231,6 +232,22 @@ class LoaderCriteriaTest(_Fixtures, testing.AssertsCompiledSQL):
             "FROM users WHERE users.name != :name_1",
         )
 
+    def test_err_given_in_pathed(self, user_address_fixture):
+        User, Address = user_address_fixture
+
+        with expect_raises_message(
+            sa_exc.ArgumentError,
+            r"Loader option <.*LoaderCriteriaOption.*> is not compatible "
+            r"with the Load.options\(\) method.",
+        ):
+            select(User).options(
+                selectinload(User.addresses).options(
+                    with_loader_criteria(
+                        Address, Address.email_address != "foo"
+                    )
+                )
+            )
+
     def test_criteria_post_replace(self, user_address_fixture):
         User, Address = user_address_fixture