[REGRESSION]: AzureCLI@2 task gives [Error]Can't parse az version from:

[ryan-altitudeit]

New issue checklist

• I searched for existing GitHub issues
• I read pipeline troubleshooting guide
• I checked how to collect logs

Task name

AzureCLI@2

Breaking task version

2.262.1

Last working task version

2.262.1

Regression Description

A build running on 2025-11-10 (no issues) and then again on 2025-11-11 which resulted in the following error being output from the AzureCLI task. The task version between the two runs remains the same - 2.262.1

It appears the default behavior has changed from running:
"az --version" to "az version" which it can't parse the version correctly.

Environment type (Please select at least one enviroment where you face this issue)

• Self-Hosted
• Microsoft Hosted
• VMSS Pool
• Container

Azure DevOps Server type

dev.azure.com (formerly visualstudio.com)

Azure DevOps Server Version (if applicable)

No response

Operation system

Ubuntu 22.04

Relevant log output

##[debug]which 'az'
##[debug]found: '/usr/bin/az'
##[debug]/usr/bin/az arg: version
##[debug]/usr/bin/az arg: version
##[debug]exec tool: /usr/bin/az
##[debug]exec tool: /usr/bin/az
##[debug]arguments:
##[debug]arguments:
##[debug]   version
##[debug]   version
/usr/bin/az version
##[debug]Agent environment resources - Disk: / Available 21934.11 MB out of 29588.06 MB, Memory: Used 896.00 MB out of 15995.00 MB, CPU: Usage 25.30%
##[debug]Agent environment resources - Disk: / Available 21934.07 MB out of 29588.06 MB, Memory: Used 904.00 MB out of 15995.00 MB, CPU: Usage 25.30%
##[debug]Feature 'UseAzVersion' = 'True'. Processed as 'true'.
##[error]Can't parse az version from: 
##[debug]Processed: ##vso[task.issue type=error;source=TaskInternal;correlationId=fa9bfa51-700c-4daf-ba8f-405e1368e0a8;]Can't parse az version from: 
##[debug]Feature 'ShowWarningOnOlderAzureModules' = 'False'. Processed as 'false'.
##[debug]useGlobalConfig=false

Full task logs with system.debug enabled

UNSUCCESSFUL RUN

##[debug]Evaluating condition for step: 'Initialize Terraform configuration'
##[debug]Evaluating: SucceededNode()
##[debug]Evaluating SucceededNode:
##[debug]=> True
##[debug]Result: True
Starting: Initialize Terraform configuration
==============================================================================
Task         : Azure CLI
Description  : Run Azure CLI commands against an Azure subscription in a PowerShell Core/Shell script when running on Linux agent or PowerShell/PowerShell Core/Batch script when running on Windows agent.
Version      : 2.262.1
Author       : Microsoft Corporation
Help         : https://docs.microsoft.com/azure/devops/pipelines/tasks/deploy/azure-cli
==============================================================================
##[debug]Using node path: /agent/externals/node20_1/bin/node
##[debug]system.debug=True
##[debug]DistributedTask.Tasks.Node.SkipDebugLogsWhenDebugModeOff=True
##[debug]agent.TempDirectory=/agent/_work/_temp
##[debug]loading inputs and endpoints
##[debug]loading INPUT_CONNECTEDSERVICENAMEARM
##[debug]loading INPUT_SCRIPTTYPE
##[debug]loading INPUT_SCRIPTLOCATION
##[debug]loading INPUT_SCRIPTPATH
##[debug]loading INPUT_INLINESCRIPT
##[debug]loading INPUT_POWERSHELLERRORACTIONPREFERENCE
##[debug]loading INPUT_ADDSPNTOENVIRONMENT
##[debug]loading INPUT_USEGLOBALCONFIG
##[debug]loading INPUT_CWD
##[debug]loading INPUT_FAILONSTANDARDERROR
##[debug]loading INPUT_POWERSHELLIGNORELASTEXITCODE
##[debug]loading INPUT_VISIBLEAZLOGIN
##[debug]loading INPUT_KEEPAZSESSIONACTIVE
##[debug]loading ENDPOINT_AUTH_
##[debug]loading ENDPOINT_AUTH_SCHEME_
##[debug]loading ENDPOINT_AUTH_PARAMETER__SERVICEPRINCIPALID
##[debug]loading ENDPOINT_AUTH_PARAMETER__TENANTID
##[debug]loading ENDPOINT_AUTH_PARAMETER__WORKLOADIDENTITYFEDERATIONISSUERTYPE
##[debug]loading ENDPOINT_AUTH_PARAMETER__WORKLOADIDENTITYFEDERATIONSUBJECT
##[debug]loading ENDPOINT_AUTH_PARAMETER__WORKLOADIDENTITYFEDERATIONISSUER
##[debug]loading ENDPOINT_AUTH_SYSTEMVSSCONNECTION
##[debug]loading ENDPOINT_AUTH_SCHEME_SYSTEMVSSCONNECTION
##[debug]loading ENDPOINT_AUTH_PARAMETER_SYSTEMVSSCONNECTION_ACCESSTOKEN
##[debug]loading SECRET_INFRACOSTAPIKEY
##[debug]loading SECRET_JFROG_ACCESS_TOKEN
##[debug]loading SECRET_SYSTEM_ACCESSTOKEN
##[debug]loaded 26
##[debug]Agent.ProxyUrl=undefined
##[debug]Agent.CAInfo=undefined
##[debug]Agent.ClientCert=undefined
##[debug]Agent.SkipCertValidation=undefined
##[debug]check path : /agent/_work/_tasks/AzureCLI_/2.262.1/node_modules/azure-pipelines-tasks-artifacts-common/module.json
##[debug]adding resource file: /agent/_work/_tasks/AzureCLI_/2.262.1/node_modules/azure-pipelines-tasks-artifacts-common/module.json
##[debug]system.culture=en-US
##[debug]agent.proxyurl=undefined
##[debug]VSTS_ARM_REST_IGNORE_SSL_ERRORS=undefined
##[debug]AZURE_HTTP_USER_AGENT=VSTS__build_6423_0
##[debug]check path : /agent/_work/_tasks/AzureCLI_/2.262.1/node_modules/azure-pipelines-tasks-azure-arm-rest/module.json
##[debug]adding resource file: /agent/_work/_tasks/AzureCLI_/2.262.1/node_modules/azure-pipelines-tasks-azure-arm-rest/module.json
##[debug]system.culture=en-US
##[debug]Set default DNS lookup order to ipv4 first
##[debug]Set default auto select family to false
##[debug]check path : /agent/_work/_tasks/AzureCLI_/2.262.1/task.json
##[debug]adding resource file: /agent/_work/_tasks/AzureCLI_/2.262.1/task.json
##[debug]system.culture=en-US
##[debug]which 'az'
##[debug]found: '/usr/bin/az'
##[debug]Feature flag AZP_AZURECLIV2_SETUP_PROXY_ENV not found. Returning false as default.
##[debug]scriptType=pscore
##[debug]scriptLocation=inlineScript
##[debug]scriptArguments=undefined
##[debug]powerShellErrorActionPreference=stop
##[debug]Agent.Version=4.264.2
##[debug]Agent.TempDirectory=/agent/_work/_temp
##[debug]scriptPath=/agent/_work/1/s
##[debug]inlineScript=# Retrieve TF service connection
$env:ARM_CLIENT_ID          = $env:servicePrincipalId
$env:ARM_SUBSCRIPTION_ID    = $(az account show --query id -o tsv)
$env:ARM_TENANT_ID          = $(az account show --query 'tenantId' --output tsv)
$env:ARM_OIDC_TOKEN         = $env:idToken
$env:ARM_USE_OIDC           = "true"
$env:AZURE_SUBSCRIPTION_NAME  = $(az account show --query name -o tsv)
$tfInitParams = @{
    tfRg = ""
    tfStg = ""
    tfCn = ""
    tfFile = ""
    tfValidate = $false
}
& /agent/_work/1/shared-infrastructure-scripts/deploy/terraformInit.ps1 @tfInitParams
##[debug]powerShellIgnoreLASTEXITCODE=false
##[debug]which 'pwsh'
##[debug]found: '/usr/bin/pwsh'
##[debug]which '/usr/bin/pwsh'
##[debug]found: '/usr/bin/pwsh'
##[debug]/usr/bin/pwsh arg: -NoLogo
##[debug]/usr/bin/pwsh arg: -NoProfile
##[debug]/usr/bin/pwsh arg: -NonInteractive
##[debug]/usr/bin/pwsh arg: -ExecutionPolicy
##[debug]/usr/bin/pwsh arg: Unrestricted
##[debug]/usr/bin/pwsh arg: -Command
##[debug]/usr/bin/pwsh arg: . '/agent/_work/_temp/azureclitaskscript1764626848847.ps1'
##[debug]cwd=/agent/_work/1/main-shared-infrastructure-1471049-dev
##[debug]scriptLocation=inlineScript
##[debug]failOnStandardError=false
##[debug]testing directory '/agent/_work/1/main-shared-infrastructure-1471049-dev'
##[debug]Feature 'UseAzVersion' = 'True'. Processed as 'true'.
##[debug]which 'az'
##[debug]found: '/usr/bin/az'
##[debug]/usr/bin/az arg: version
##[debug]/usr/bin/az arg: version
##[debug]exec tool: /usr/bin/az
##[debug]exec tool: /usr/bin/az
##[debug]arguments:
##[debug]arguments:
##[debug]   version
##[debug]   version
/usr/bin/az version
##[debug]Agent environment resources - Disk: / Available 21934.11 MB out of 29588.06 MB, Memory: Used 896.00 MB out of 15995.00 MB, CPU: Usage 25.30%
##[debug]Agent environment resources - Disk: / Available 21934.07 MB out of 29588.06 MB, Memory: Used 904.00 MB out of 15995.00 MB, CPU: Usage 25.30%
##[debug]Feature 'UseAzVersion' = 'True'. Processed as 'true'.
##[error]Can't parse az version from: 
##[debug]Processed: ##vso[task.issue type=error;source=TaskInternal;correlationId=;]Can't parse az version from: 
##[debug]Feature 'ShowWarningOnOlderAzureModules' = 'False'. Processed as 'false'.
##[debug]useGlobalConfig=false
##[debug]Agent.TempDirectory=/agent/_work/_temp
##[debug]Agent.TempDirectory=/agent/_work/_temp
Setting AZURE_CONFIG_DIR env variable to: /agent/_work/_temp/.azclitask
##[debug]connectedServiceNameARM=
##[debug] data environment = AzureCloud
Setting active cloud to: AzureCloud
##[debug]which 'az'
##[debug]found: '/usr/bin/az'
##[debug]/usr/bin/az arg: cloud set -n AzureCloud
##[debug]/usr/bin/az arg: cloud set -n AzureCloud
##[debug]exec tool: /usr/bin/az
##[debug]exec tool: /usr/bin/az
##[debug]arguments:
##[debug]arguments:
##[debug]   cloud
##[debug]   cloud
##[debug]   set
##[debug]   set
##[debug]   -n
##[debug]   -n
##[debug]   AzureCloud
##[debug]   AzureCloud
/usr/bin/az cloud set -n AzureCloud
##[debug]Agent environment resources - Disk: / Available 21934.11 MB out of 29588.06 MB, Memory: Used 1031.00 MB out of 15995.00 MB, CPU: Usage 25.57%
##[debug]connectedServiceNameARM=
##[debug] auth scheme = WorkloadIdentityFederation
##[debug] auth scheme = WorkloadIdentityFederation
##[debug] data SubscriptionID = 
##[debug]visibleAzLogin=true
##[debug] auth param serviceprincipalid = ***
##[debug] auth param tenantid = 
##[debug]System.JobId=
##[debug]System.PlanId=
##[debug]System.TeamProjectId=
##[debug]System.HostType=build
##[debug]System.CollectionUri=
##[debug]Getting credentials for local feeds
##[debug]SYSTEMVSSCONNECTION exists true
##[debug]Got auth token, setting it as secret so it does not print in console log
##[debug]Processed: ##vso[task.setsecret]***
##[debug]Processed: ##vso[task.setsecret]***
##[debug]which 'az'
##[debug]found: '/usr/bin/az'
##[debug]/usr/bin/az arg: login --service-principal -u "***" --tenant "" --allow-no-subscriptions --federated-token "***
##[debug]/usr/bin/az arg: login --service-principal -u "***" --tenant "" --allow-no-subscriptions --federated-token "***
##[debug]exec tool: /usr/bin/az
##[debug]exec tool: /usr/bin/az
##[debug]arguments:
##[debug]arguments:
##[debug]   login
##[debug]   login
##[debug]   --service-principal
##[debug]   --service-principal
##[debug]   -u
##[debug]   -u
##[debug]   ***
##[debug]   ***
##[debug]   --tenant
##[debug]   --tenant
##[debug]   
##[debug]   
##[debug]   --allow-no-subscriptions
##[debug]   --allow-no-subscriptions
##[debug]   --federated-token
##[debug]   --federated-token
##[debug]   ***
##[debug]   ***
/usr/bin/az login --service-principal -u *** --tenant  --allow-no-subscriptions --federated-token ***
##[debug]which 'az'
##[debug]found: '/usr/bin/az'
##[debug]/usr/bin/az arg: account set --subscription ""
##[debug]/usr/bin/az arg: account set --subscription ""
##[debug]exec tool: /usr/bin/az
##[debug]exec tool: /usr/bin/az
##[debug]arguments:
##[debug]arguments:
##[debug]   account
##[debug]   account
##[debug]   set
##[debug]   set
##[debug]   --subscription
##[debug]   --subscription
##[debug]   
##[debug]   
/usr/bin/az account set --subscription 
##[debug]keepAzSessionActive=false
##[debug]addSpnToEnvironment=true
##[debug]exec tool: /usr/bin/pwsh
##[debug]arguments:
##[debug]   -NoLogo
##[debug]   -NoProfile
##[debug]   -NonInteractive
##[debug]   -ExecutionPolicy
##[debug]   Unrestricted
##[debug]   -Command
##[debug]   . '/agent/_work/_temp/azureclitaskscript1764626848847.ps1'
/usr/bin/pwsh -NoLogo -NoProfile -NonInteractive -ExecutionPolicy Unrestricted -Command . '/agent/_work/_temp/azureclitaskscript1764626848847.ps1'
Preparing environment

Set up terraformrc for <COMPANY_NAME> modules in JFrog

Terraform backend details

Initialize Terraform

Terraform binary and providers version
##[debug]$LASTEXITCODE: 0
##[debug]Process exited with code 0 and signal null for tool '/usr/bin/pwsh'

##[debug]STDIO streams have closed and received exit code 0 and signal null for tool '/usr/bin/pwsh'

##[debug]task result: Succeeded

##[debug]Processed: ##vso[task.complete result=Succeeded;]Script exited with return code: 0

##[debug]which 'az'

##[debug]found: '/usr/bin/az'

##[debug]/usr/bin/az arg:  account clear

##[debug]/usr/bin/az arg:  account clear

##[debug]exec tool: /usr/bin/az

##[debug]exec tool: /usr/bin/az

##[debug]arguments:

##[debug]arguments:

##[debug]   account

##[debug]   account

##[debug]   clear

##[debug]   clear

/usr/bin/az account clear

Finishing: Initialize Terraform configuration

SUCCESSFUL RUN

==============================================================================
Task         : Azure CLI
Description  : Run Azure CLI commands against an Azure subscription in a PowerShell Core/Shell script when running on Linux agent or PowerShell/PowerShell Core/Batch script when running on Windows agent.
Version      : 2.262.1
Author       : Microsoft Corporation
Help         : https://docs.microsoft.com/azure/devops/pipelines/tasks/deploy/azure-cli
==============================================================================
/usr/bin/az --version
WARNING: You have 2 update(s) available. Consider updating your CLI installation with 'az upgrade'
azure-cli                         2.77.0 *
core                              2.77.0 *

telemetry                          1.1.0
Dependencies:

msal                            1.34.0b1

azure-mgmt-resource               23.3.0

Repro steps

- task: AzureCLI@2
    name: sampleTask
    displayName: sampleTask
    inputs:
      workingDirectory: ${{ parameters.workingDirectory }}
      scriptType: pscore
      scriptLocation: inlineScript
      azureSubscription: ${{ parameters.azureServiceConnection }}
      addSpnToEnvironment: true
      inlineScript: | <SCRIPT>

[v-schhabra]

Hi @ryan-altitudeit
Thanks for reporting this issue and for the fix.
Could you please share the debug logs of the failure pipeline?

[v-schhabra]

@ryan-altitudeit And please share your org details as well so that i can disable the FF for your org.

[ryan-altitudeit]

@v-schhabra - debug log for the unsuccessful run has been updated for full output.

Can you please disable the FF on org "netwealth"

[v-schhabra]

@ryan-altitudeit Thanks, will disable the FF and update here.
Are you blocked due to this issue or you can wait till tomorrow. Just wanted to ask becoz right now we are in freezing period.

[ryan-altitudeit]

@v-schhabra tomorrow is fine. Issue is nonblocking, just raising questions due to the error constantly showing up in pipeline runs.

[cameron-cpu]

@v-schhabra Hello, facing the same issue here. Can you please disable the FF for my organization as well on org cbsp-abnamro There is no blocker right now, but we also get the exact same az version issue.

[v-schhabra]

@cameron-cpu Sure, will disable the Feature Flag for your org as well.

[v-schhabra]

Hi @cameron-cpu @ryan-altitudeit
The issue is not reproducible in our environment with the above configurations.
If I will provide you the PR with the fix, could you please test those changes in your environment?
or please let me know if you did any other configurations than the one you share above to reproduce the issue?