Use workflow_dispatch return_run_details to get run ID directly by Copilot · Pull Request #19414 · github/gh-aw

Copilot · 2026-03-03T11:41:51Z

The GitHub workflow_dispatch API (Feb 2026) now supports returning the run ID immediately via return_run_details: true, eliminating the need to poll gh run list after triggering a dispatch.

`dispatch_workflow.cjs`

Pass return_run_details: true to createWorkflowDispatch()
Log the returned workflow_run_id and include it in the handler result
Fall back gracefully for older GitHub Enterprise Server deployments: if the API returns 400/422 mentioning return_run_details, retry once without the parameter so dispatch continues to work on GHES versions that don't support the Feb 2026 API

try {
  response = await githubClient.rest.actions.createWorkflowDispatch({
    ...
    return_run_details: true,
  });
} catch (dispatchError) {
  // If GHES rejects return_run_details, retry without it
  if (isValidationStatus && mentionsReturnRunDetails) {
    response = await githubClient.rest.actions.createWorkflowDispatch({ ... });
  } else {
    throw dispatchError;
  }
}
const runId = response && response.data ? response.data.workflow_run_id : undefined;

`run_workflow_execution.go`

gh workflow run (v2.87+) now prints the run URL in stdout; parse the run ID from it directly instead of polling via getLatestWorkflowRunWithRetry
Falls back to polling for older gh CLI versions, preserving backward compatibility
The run URL regex supports both public GitHub (github.com) and GitHub Enterprise Server deployments (any HTTPS host)

if parsedRunInfo := parseRunInfoFromOutput(output); parsedRunInfo != nil {
    runInfo = parsedRunInfo
} else {
    runInfo, runErr = getLatestWorkflowRunWithRetry(lockFileName, opts.RepoOverride, opts.Verbose)
}

Original prompt

Implement return_run_details to retrieve the run if when calling workflow_dispatch.

the "gh run" should use the new api to retrieve the workflow id

The dispatch_workflow should log the run id value.

See https://github.blog/changelog/2026-02-19-workflow-dispatch-api-now-returns-run-ids/#:~:text=When%20you%20trigger%20a%20workflow,to%20the%20corresponding%20workflow%20run.

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Use workflow_dispatch return_run_details to get run ID directly

Update dispatch_workflow.cjs: pass return_run_details: true to createWorkflowDispatch() and log the run ID
Update run_workflow_execution.go: parse run ID from gh workflow run stdout output (new in v2.87+), fall back to polling for backward compatibility
Add parseRunInfoFromOutput helper function with generic URL regex supporting all GitHub deployments (public + enterprise)
Update tests for dispatch_workflow.cjs to assert return_run_details: true, verify run_id in result, test no-run-id backward compat
Add TestParseRunInfoFromOutput unit tests including GHES URL cases
Add retry fallback in dispatch_workflow.cjs: if API returns 400/422 mentioning return_run_details, retry without it for older GHES compatibility
Add tests for retry fallback (422 with return_run_details mention → retry; 422 for unrelated reason → no retry)
All tests pass, lint and build pass

Original prompt

Implement return_run_details to retrieve the run if when calling workflow_dispatch.

the "gh run" should use the new api to retrieve the workflow id

The dispatch_workflow should log the run id value.

See (github.blog/redacted),to%20the%20corresponding%20workflow%20run.

💬 We'd love your input! Share your thoughts on Copilot coding agent in our [2 minute survey]((gh.io/redacted)

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Changeset

Type: patch
Description: Ensures workflow dispatch logs the run ID by requesting return_run_details and parsing fallback output when needed.

Generated by Changeset Generator for issue #19414 · ◷

Warning

⚠️ Firewall blocked 1 domain

The following domain was blocked by the firewall during workflow execution:

github.com

To allow these domains, add them to the network.allowed list in your workflow frontmatter:

network:
  allowed:
    - defaults
    - "github.com"

See Network Configuration for more information.

…_dispatch Co-authored-by: pelikhan <4175913+pelikhan@users.noreply.github.com>

pelikhan · 2026-03-03T12:38:18Z

pkg/cli/run_workflow_execution.go

+
+// runInfoURLRegexp matches GitHub Actions run URLs of the form:
+// https://github.com/{owner}/{repo}/actions/runs/{run_id}
+var runInfoURLRegexp = regexp.MustCompile(`https://github\.com/[^/\s]+/[^/\s]+/actions/runs/(\d+)`)


@copilot handle enterprise deployments

Updated the regex in parseRunInfoFromOutput to match any HTTPS host instead of hardcoding github.com, so it works for GitHub Enterprise Server deployments (e.g., https://github.mycompany.com/...) automatically. Added GHES test cases to cover this. See commit c2e1f35.

Co-authored-by: pelikhan <4175913+pelikhan@users.noreply.github.com>

Copilot

Pull request overview

Updates workflow dispatch/run tooling to capture GitHub Actions run IDs immediately (via newer APIs/CLI output) and avoid post-dispatch polling when possible.

Changes:

Add parsing of gh workflow run output to extract the run URL/ID directly, with polling fallback for older gh versions.
Update the JS dispatch_workflow handler to request workflow_run_id via return_run_details: true, log it, and return it in the handler result.
Add/adjust unit tests covering run-info parsing and returned run_id.

Reviewed changes

Copilot reviewed 4 out of 4 changed files in this pull request and generated 2 comments.

File	Description
pkg/cli/run_workflow_execution.go	Parse run URL/ID from `gh workflow run` output; fallback to existing polling logic.
pkg/cli/run_workflow_execution_test.go	Add unit tests for extracting run info from `gh` output.
actions/setup/js/dispatch_workflow.cjs	Request run details on dispatch; log and return `run_id` when present.
actions/setup/js/dispatch_workflow.test.cjs	Update mocks/assertions for `return_run_details` + add tests for `run_id` handling.

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Copilot · 2026-03-03T12:52:56Z

actions/setup/js/dispatch_workflow.cjs

+      const response = await githubClient.rest.actions.createWorkflowDispatch({
        owner: repo.owner,
        repo: repo.repo,
        workflow_id: workflowFile,
        ref: ref,
        inputs: inputs,
+        return_run_details: true,
      });


return_run_details: true is always sent to the REST API. Since this repo supports GitHub Enterprise (see many handlers using GITHUB_SERVER_URL), older GHES versions that don’t implement the Feb 2026 return_run_details parameter may reject the request (e.g., 400/422), causing dispatch to fail entirely. Consider attempting the dispatch with return_run_details: true and, on a validation/unknown-parameter error, retry once without return_run_details so dispatch remains backward compatible while still taking advantage of run IDs when supported.

See below for a potential fix:

/** @type {import('@octokit/openapi-types').components["schemas"]["workflow-run"] | any} */ let response; try { response = await githubClient.rest.actions.createWorkflowDispatch({ owner: repo.owner, repo: repo.repo, workflow_id: workflowFile, ref: ref, inputs: inputs, return_run_details: true, }); } catch (dispatchError) { const status = dispatchError && typeof dispatchError === "object" ? dispatchError.status : undefined; const message = dispatchError && typeof dispatchError === "object" && dispatchError.response && dispatchError.response.data && typeof dispatchError.response.data.message === "string" ? dispatchError.response.data.message : String(dispatchError); const isValidationStatus = status === 400 || status === 422; const mentionsReturnRunDetails = typeof message === "string" && message.toLowerCase().includes("return_run_details"); if (isValidationStatus && mentionsReturnRunDetails) { core.info( "Workflow dispatch failed due to unsupported 'return_run_details' parameter; retrying without it for GitHub Enterprise compatibility." ); response = await githubClient.rest.actions.createWorkflowDispatch({ owner: repo.owner, repo: repo.repo, workflow_id: workflowFile, ref: ref, inputs: inputs, }); } else { throw dispatchError; } } const runId = response && response.data ? response.data.workflow_run_id : undefined;

actions/setup/js/dispatch_workflow.test.cjs

pelikhan · 2026-03-03T12:53:50Z

@copilot review comments

…lity Co-authored-by: pelikhan <4175913+pelikhan@users.noreply.github.com>

Copilot · 2026-03-03T13:00:26Z

@copilot review comments

Addressed both review comments in commit 329c17f:

dispatch_workflow.cjs now catches 400/422 errors from createWorkflowDispatch that mention return_run_details and retries once without the parameter, keeping dispatch working on older GHES deployments.
Added three new tests covering: retry on 422 mentioning return_run_details, no retry on unrelated 422, and the existing no-run-id case.

github-actions · 2026-03-03T13:00:57Z

🌑 The shadows whisper... Smoke Codex failed. The oracle requires further meditation...

github-actions · 2026-03-03T13:00:59Z

🎬 THE END — Smoke Claude MISSION: ACCOMPLISHED! The hero saves the day! ✨

github-actions · 2026-03-03T13:01:12Z

📰 BREAKING: Smoke Copilot is now investigating this pull request. Sources say the story is developing...

github-actions · 2026-03-03T13:04:34Z

Commit pushed: e71a19f

Generated by Changeset Generator

github-actions · 2026-03-03T13:04:56Z

Agent Container Tool Check

Tool	Status	Version
bash	✅	5.2.21
sh	✅	available
git	✅	2.53.0
jq	✅	1.7
yq	✅	4.52.4
curl	✅	8.5.0
gh	✅	2.87.3
node	✅	20.20.0
python3	✅	3.12.3
go	✅	1.24.13
java	✅	21.0.10
dotnet	✅	10.0.102

Result: 12/12 tools available ✅

Overall Status: PASS

🔧 Tool validation by Agent Container Smoke Test · ◷

github-actions · 2026-03-03T13:06:47Z

✅ #19414 – Use workflow_dispatch return_run_details to get run ID directly
✅ #19412 – Surface Copilot inference access errors in agent failure issues/comments

Overall: PASS (11/12 — Serena MCP unavailable)
CC @pelikhan @Copilot

📰 BREAKING: Report filed by Smoke Copilot · ◷

github-actions

Clean implementation of return_run_details support with graceful GHES fallback. The JS side correctly handles the API response and propagates run_id in the result. The Go side's parseRunInfoFromOutput eliminates polling overhead for modern gh CLI users while maintaining backward compatibility. Overall a well-structured change.

📰 BREAKING: Report filed by Smoke Copilot

github-actions · 2026-03-03T13:06:50Z

actions/setup/js/dispatch_workflow.cjs

+        const isValidationStatus = status === 400 || status === 422;
+        const mentionsReturnRunDetails = typeof message === "string" && message.toLowerCase().includes("return_run_details");
+
+        if (isValidationStatus && mentionsReturnRunDetails) {


The dual condition check (isValidationStatus && mentionsReturnRunDetails) is a great defensive approach — it prevents masking other 400/422 errors while still catching GHES-specific rejection of return_run_details. The message substring check could be brittle if GitHub changes the error wording, but this is a reasonable pragmatic tradeoff for compatibility.

github-actions · 2026-03-03T13:06:50Z

pkg/cli/run_workflow_execution.go

+// output of `gh workflow run` (v2.87+), which now returns the run URL.
+// Returns nil if the run URL cannot be found in the output.
+func parseRunInfoFromOutput(output string) *WorkflowRunInfo {
+	matches := runInfoURLRegexp.FindStringSubmatch(output)


The regex https://[^/\s]+/[^/\s]+/[^/\s]+/actions/runs/(\d+) correctly handles both github.com and GHES URLs. Nice use of FindStringSubmatch with fallback to nil — keeps the function cleanly nil-safe and integrates well with the caller's conditional logic.

github-actions · 2026-03-03T13:07:03Z

📰 VERDICT: Smoke Copilot has concluded. All systems operational. This is a developing story. 🎤

github-actions · 2026-03-03T13:09:00Z

Smoke Test Results — Run §22624132898

Overall: PARTIAL (16 passed, 1 skipped)

Core Tests

Test	Status
1. GitHub MCP (last 2 merged PRs)	✅
2. Safe Inputs GH CLI	✅
3. Serena MCP (16 symbols found)	✅
4. Make Build	✅
5. Playwright (github.com)	✅
6. Tavily Web Search	✅
7. File Writing	✅
8. Bash Tool	✅
9. Discussion Interaction (#19419)	✅
10. Agentic Workflows MCP	✅

PR Review Tests

Test	Status
11. Update PR	✅
12. PR Review Comments	✅
13. Submit PR Review	✅
14. Resolve Review Thread	✅
15. Add Reviewer	✅
16. Push to PR Branch	✅
17. Close PR	⚠️ skipped

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Initial plan

e05e0fc

Copilot AI assigned Copilot and pelikhan Mar 3, 2026

Copilot started work on behalf of pelikhan March 3, 2026 11:41 View session

Implement return_run_details to retrieve run ID when calling workflow…

a98b137

…_dispatch Co-authored-by: pelikhan <4175913+pelikhan@users.noreply.github.com>

Copilot AI changed the title ~~[WIP] Implement return_run_details for workflow_dispatch~~ Use workflow_dispatch return_run_details to get run ID directly Mar 3, 2026

Copilot finished work on behalf of pelikhan March 3, 2026 12:08

pelikhan reviewed Mar 3, 2026

View reviewed changes

Copilot started work on behalf of pelikhan March 3, 2026 12:38 View session

Support enterprise deployments in parseRunInfoFromOutput regex

c2e1f35

Co-authored-by: pelikhan <4175913+pelikhan@users.noreply.github.com>

Copilot finished work on behalf of pelikhan March 3, 2026 12:46

pelikhan marked this pull request as ready for review March 3, 2026 12:48

Copilot AI review requested due to automatic review settings March 3, 2026 12:48

Copilot started reviewing on behalf of pelikhan March 3, 2026 12:49 View session

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Smoke Test: Claude - 22623479111 #19420

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Copilot started work on behalf of pelikhan March 3, 2026 12:53 View session

Fallback dispatch without return_run_details for older GHES compatibi…

329c17f

…lity Co-authored-by: pelikhan <4175913+pelikhan@users.noreply.github.com>

pelikhan added the smoke label Mar 3, 2026

Copilot finished work on behalf of pelikhan March 3, 2026 13:01

Add changeset [skip-ci]

e71a19f

ci: trigger checks

cc440d8

github-actions bot mentioned this pull request Mar 3, 2026

Smoke Test: Copilot - 22624132890 #19422

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pelikhan merged commit a86e657 into main Mar 3, 2026
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pelikhan deleted the copilot/implement-return-run-details branch March 3, 2026 13:14

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