Error: 'The system cannot find the file specified' when using az bicep publish in Azure DevOps pipeline with AzureCLI task

[ganeshpenke]

Describe the bug

I am trying to publish Bicep modules to an Azure Container Registry (ACR) using az bicep publish within an Azure DevOps pipeline (Windows agent). However, we are encountering the following error:

Related command

az bicep publish --file ${{ parameters.BicepFilePath }} --target br:${{ parameters.ContainerRegistry }}.azurecr.io/bicep/${{ parameters.ModuleName }}:v1

Errors

ERROR: The command failed with an unexpected error. Here is the traceback:
ERROR: [WinError 2] The system cannot find the file specified
Traceback (most recent call last):
File "D:\a_work\1\s\build_scripts\windows\artifacts\cli\Lib\site-packages\knack/cli.py", line 233, in invoke
File "D:\a_work\1\s\build_scripts\windows\artifacts\cli\Lib\site-packages\azure/cli/core/commands/init.py", line 666, in execute
File "D:\a_work\1\s\build_scripts\windows\artifacts\cli\Lib\site-packages\azure/cli/core/commands/init.py", line 734, in _run_jobs_serially
File "D:\a_work\1\s\build_scripts\windows\artifacts\cli\Lib\site-packages\azure/cli/core/commands/init.py", line 703, in _run_job
File "D:\a_work\1\s\build_scripts\windows\artifacts\cli\Lib\site-packages\azure/cli/core/commands/init.py", line 336, in call
File "D:\a_work\1\s\build_scripts\windows\artifacts\cli\Lib\site-packages\azure/cli/core/commands/command_operation.py", line 120, in handler
File "D:\a_work\1\s\build_scripts\windows\artifacts\cli\Lib\site-packages\azure/cli/command_modules/resource/custom.py", line 4722, in publish_bicep_file
File "D:\a_work\1\s\build_scripts\windows\artifacts\cli\Lib\site-packages\azure/cli/command_modules/resource/_bicep.py", line 226, in bicep_version_greater_than_or_equal_to
File "D:\a_work\1\s\build_scripts\windows\artifacts\cli\Lib\site-packages\azure/cli/command_modules/resource/_bicep.py", line 291, in _get_bicep_installed_version
File "D:\a_work\1\s\build_scripts\windows\artifacts\cli\Lib\site-packages\azure/cli/command_modules/resource/_bicep.py", line 360, in _run_command
File "subprocess.py", line 548, in run
File "subprocess.py", line 1026, in init
File "subprocess.py", line 1538, in _execute_child
FileNotFoundError: [WinError 2] The system cannot find the file specified

Issue script & Debug output

  $acrName = "${{ parameters.containerRegistry }}"
  $moduleName = "${{ parameters.ModuleName }}"
  
  Write-Host "Checking if $moduleName exists in ACR..."
  $moduleExists = az acr repository show-tags --name $acrName --repository bicep/$moduleName --query "[?contains(@, 'v1')]" | ConvertFrom-Json

  if ($moduleExists.Count -eq 0) {
    Write-Host "$moduleName not found, publishing..."
    az acr login --name $acrName
    az bicep publish --file ${{ parameters.BicepFilePath }} --target br:${{ parameters.ContainerRegistry }}.azurecr.io/bicep/${{ parameters.ModuleName }}:v1
  } else {
    Write-Host "$moduleName already exists, skipping publish."
  }

Expected behavior

The Bicep module should publish successfully to ACR using az bicep publish.

Environment Summary

azure-cli 2.71.0

core 2.71.0
telemetry 1.1.0

Extensions:
azure-devops 1.0.1

Dependencies:
msal 1.31.2b1
azure-mgmt-resource 23.1.1

Python location 'C:\Program Files\Microsoft SDKs\Azure\CLI2\python.exe'
Config directory 'C:\azureCli'
Extensions directory 'C:\Program Files\Common Files\AzureCliExtensionDirectory'

Additional context

• Trace shows the failure is during _get_bicep_installed_version which uses _run_command.

• Might be related to missing bicep.exe on PATH or improper subprocess execution context.

[yonzhan]

Thank you for opening this issue, we will look into it.

[github-actions]

Here are some similar issues that might help you. Please check if they can solve your problem.

• Azure DevOps pipeline that uses AZ CLI start failing with the error "The System cannot find the file specified" #31248
• Az bicep publish throws NotFound Exception Error on Microsoft hosted build-agent (Azure Pipelines) #26256

---

Possible solution (Extracted from existing issue, might be incorrect; please verify carefully)

Based on the logs, it looks like the bicep CLI is not present but is being expected to be. This is a bug when running the publish command first. The workaround would be to install the bicep CLI using the az bicep install command first.

Reference:

• Az bicep publish throws NotFound Exception Error on Microsoft hosted build-agent (Azure Pipelines) #26256 (comment)

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[ganeshpenke]

Here are some similar issues that might help you. Please check if they can solve your problem.

• Azure DevOps pipeline that uses AZ CLI start failing with the error "The System cannot find the file specified" #31248
• Az bicep publish throws NotFound Exception Error on Microsoft hosted build-agent (Azure Pipelines) #26256

Possible solution (Extracted from existing issue, might be incorrect; please verify carefully)

Based on the logs, it looks like the bicep CLI is not present but is being expected to be. This is a bug when running the publish command first. The workaround would be to install the bicep CLI using the az bicep install command first.

Reference:

• Az bicep publish throws NotFound Exception Error on Microsoft hosted build-agent (Azure Pipelines) #26256 (comment)

Powered by issue-sentinel

Thanks for the suggestion, but I’ve already ensured that the Bicep CLI is installed in my pipeline. I added the step:

parameters:
  - name: serviceConnection
    displayName: ServiceConnection
    type: string

steps:

- task: AzureCLI@2
  displayName: 'Ensure Bicep CLI is installed'
  inputs:
    connectedServiceNameARM: ${{ parameters.serviceConnection }}  # tried with azureSubscription as well
    scriptType: 'pscore'
    scriptLocation: 'inlineScript'
    inlineScript: |
      az bicep install

The log confirms successful installation:

Your CLI is up-to-date.
Bicep CLI version: <version>
However, the az bicep publish command still fails immediately with:

FileNotFoundError: [WinError 2] The system cannot find the file specified

This happens right after the install step in the same job. Based on the traceback, it seems like the Azure CLI can't find or invoke the Bicep binary, even after az bicep install.

[degodev]

Just experienced the same behaviour

[pkoelemij]

Related to #31189

[niklashha]

@ganeshonline6301 I had the same issue. Changing the image from "windows-latest" to "windows-2025" solved the issue for me.

[SoucianceEqdamRashti]

We are getting the same issue with Microsoft hosted agent windows-latest on Azure DevOps.