[BUG]: PublishPipelineMetadataV0 (Node24 handler) fails with ERR_INVALID_MODULE_SPECIFIER when agent work folder contains a Windows-style path on Linux

[eddynaka]

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Task name

PublishPipelineMetadata

Task version

No response

Issue Description

When the PublishPipelineMetadata@0 task runs on a Linux agent whose work folder is set to a Windows-style path (e.g. D:), the task crashes during module resolution under the Node24
handler with:

##[error]TypeError [ERR_INVALID_MODULE_SPECIFIER]: Invalid module
"file:///usr/local/vss-agent/4.272.0/D:%5C/_tasks/PublishPipelineMetadata_01fa79eb-4c54-41b5-a16f-5cd8d60db88d/0.270.0/node_modules/side-channel/index.js" must not include encoded "/"
or "" characters
at finalizeEsmResolution (node:internal/modules/cjs/loader:1224:11)
at resolveExports (node:internal/modules/cjs/loader:638:14)
at Module._findPath (node:internal/modules/cjs/loader:711:31)
at Module._resolveFilename (node:internal/modules/cjs/loader:1193:27)
at Module._load (node:internal/modules/cjs/loader:1038:27)
at Module.require (node:internal/modules/cjs/loader:1289:19)
at require (node:internal/modules/helpers:182:18)
at Object. (/usr/local/vss-agent/4.272.0/D:/_tasks/PublishPipelineMetadata_01fa79eb-4c54-41b5-a16f-5cd8d60db88d/0.270.0/node_modules/qs/lib/stringify.js:3:22)
at Module._compile (node:internal/modules/cjs/loader:1521:14)
at Module._extensions..js (node:internal/modules/cjs/loader:1623:10)

Environment

• Task: PublishPipelineMetadata@0 (id 01FA79EB-4C54-41B5-A16F-5CD8D60DB88D), version 0.270.0
• Handler: Node24
• Agent: self-hosted Linux, version 4.272.0, installed under /usr/local/vss-agent/4.272.0/
• Work folder configuration includes D:\ (Windows path on a Linux host)

(The above was written by copilot. Reach out offline to retrieve link to the pipeline).

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

Relevant log output

"2026-05-01T16:43:59.1587526Z ##[section]Starting: Publish Pipeline Metadata",
    "2026-05-01T16:43:59.1593412Z ==============================================================================",
    "2026-05-01T16:43:59.1593503Z Task         : Publish Pipeline Metadata",
    "2026-05-01T16:43:59.1593573Z Description  : Publish Pipeline Metadata to Evidence store",
    "2026-05-01T16:43:59.1593647Z Version      : 0.270.0",
    "2026-05-01T16:43:59.1593708Z Author       : Microsoft Corporation",
    "2026-05-01T16:43:59.1593777Z Help         : Publish Pipeline Metadata to Evidence store.",
    "2026-05-01T16:43:59.1593845Z ==============================================================================",
    "2026-05-01T16:44:01.6660343Z ##[error]Unhandled: Invalid module \"file:///usr/local/vss-agent/4.272.0/D:%5C/_tasks/PublishPipelineMetadata_01fa79eb-4c54-41b5-a16f-5cd8d60db88d/0.270.0/node_modules/side-channel/index.js\" must not include encoded \"/\" or \"\\\" characters",
    "2026-05-01T16:44:01.6671062Z ##[error]TypeError [ERR_INVALID_MODULE_SPECIFIER]: Invalid module \"file:///usr/local/vss-agent/4.272.0/D:%5C/_tasks/PublishPipelineMetadata_01fa79eb-4c54-41b5-a16f-5cd8d60db88d/0.270.0/node_modules/side-channel/index.js\" must not include encoded \"/\" or \"\\\" characters",
    "    at finalizeEsmResolution (node:internal/modules/cjs/loader:1224:11)",
    "    at resolveExports (node:internal/modules/cjs/loader:638:14)",
    "    at Module._findPath (node:internal/modules/cjs/loader:711:31)",
    "    at Module._resolveFilename (node:internal/modules/cjs/loader:1193:27)",
    "    at Module._load (node:internal/modules/cjs/loader:1038:27)",
    "    at Module.require (node:internal/modules/cjs/loader:1289:19)",
    "    at require (node:internal/modules/helpers:182:18)",
    "    at Object.\u003Canonymous\u003E (/usr/local/vss-agent/4.272.0/D:\\/_tasks/PublishPipelineMetadata_01fa79eb-4c54-41b5-a16f-5cd8d60db88d/0.270.0/node_modules/qs/lib/stringify.js:3:22)",
    "    at Module._compile (node:internal/modules/cjs/loader:1521:14)",

Full task logs with system.debug enabled

Details

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Repro steps