fix: dispatch-workflow fails with "No ref found" when target-ref is a commit SHA (#30426)

Author: Copilot

.github/workflows/smoke-workflow-call-with-inputs.lock.yml

@@ -2,46 +2,94 @@
 /// <reference types="@actions/github-script" />
 
 /**
- * Resolves the target repository and ref for the activation job checkout.
+ * Resolves the target repository and refs for the activation job.
  *
  * Uses the job.workflow_* context fields to determine the platform (host)
- * repository and pin the checkout to the exact executing commit SHA.
+ * repository and produce two distinct ref outputs for different consumers:
+ *
+ * - target_checkout_ref: the immutable commit SHA from job.workflow_sha, used
+ *   by actions/checkout to pin the activation checkout to the exact executing
+ *   revision rather than a moving branch/tag ref.
+ *
+ * - target_ref: the branch or tag ref parsed from job.workflow_ref (the
+ *   substring after "@", e.g. "refs/heads/main" from
+ *   "owner/repo/.github/workflows/file.yml@refs/heads/main"), used by
+ *   dispatch_workflow.cjs as the `ref` argument to createWorkflowDispatch.
+ *   The GitHub workflow dispatch API only accepts branch/tag refs; passing a
+ *   commit SHA causes "No ref found for: <sha>" errors.
  *
  * These fields are passed via environment variables (JOB_WORKFLOW_REPOSITORY,
- * JOB_WORKFLOW_SHA, etc.) to avoid shell injection — the ${{ }} expressions
- * are evaluated in the env: block, not interpolated into script source.
+ * JOB_WORKFLOW_SHA, JOB_WORKFLOW_REF, etc.) to avoid shell injection — the
+ * ${{ }} expressions are evaluated in the env: block, not interpolated into
+ * script source.
  *
  * job.workflow_repository provides the owner/repo of the currently executing
  * workflow file, correctly identifying the platform repo in all relay patterns:
  * cross-repo workflow_call, event-driven relays (on: issue_comment, on: push),
  * and cross-org scenarios.
  *
- * job.workflow_sha provides the immutable commit SHA of the workflow being
- * executed, ensuring the activation checkout pins to the exact revision rather
- * than a moving branch/tag ref.
- *
  * @safe-outputs-exempt SEC-005: values sourced from trusted GitHub Actions runner context via env vars only
  */
 
+/**
+ * Parses the dispatch-compatible branch/tag ref from job.workflow_ref.
+ * job.workflow_ref has the form "owner/repo/.github/workflows/file.yml@refs/heads/main".
+ * Returns the substring after the last "@", or an empty string if missing, malformed,
+ * or if the extracted value looks like a commit SHA (40 lowercase hex characters —
+ * these are not accepted by the workflow dispatch API).
+ *
+ * Uses lastIndexOf to handle the unlikely case of an "@" in the workflow path.
+ *
+ * @param {string} workflowRef
+ * @returns {string}
+ */
+function parseDispatchRef(workflowRef) {
+  if (!workflowRef) {
+    return "";
+  }
+  const atIndex = workflowRef.lastIndexOf("@");
+  if (atIndex === -1) {
+    return "";
+  }
+  const ref = workflowRef.slice(atIndex + 1);
+  // Reject SHA-like values (40 lowercase hex chars). workflow_call can reference a
+  // workflow by commit SHA, but createWorkflowDispatch does not accept SHAs as refs.
+  if (/^[0-9a-f]{40}$/.test(ref)) {
+    return "";
+  }
+  return ref;
+}
+
 /**
  * @returns {Promise<void>}
  */
 async function main() {
   const targetRepo = process.env.JOB_WORKFLOW_REPOSITORY || "";
-  const targetRef = process.env.JOB_WORKFLOW_SHA || "";
+  const targetCheckoutRef = process.env.JOB_WORKFLOW_SHA || "";
+  const workflowRef = process.env.JOB_WORKFLOW_REF || "";
+  const targetDispatchRef = parseDispatchRef(workflowRef);
   const targetRepoName = targetRepo.split("/").pop() || "";
   const currentRepo = process.env.GITHUB_REPOSITORY || "";
 
   core.info("Resolving host repo via job.workflow_* context");
   core.info(`job.workflow_repository = ${targetRepo}`);
-  core.info(`job.workflow_sha        = ${targetRef}`);
-  core.info(`job.workflow_ref        = ${process.env.JOB_WORKFLOW_REF || ""}`);
+  core.info(`job.workflow_sha        = ${targetCheckoutRef}`);
+  core.info(`job.workflow_ref        = ${workflowRef}`);
   core.info(`job.workflow_file_path  = ${process.env.JOB_WORKFLOW_FILE_PATH || ""}`);
   core.info(`github.repository       = ${currentRepo}`);
   core.info("");
-  core.info(`Resolved target_repo      = ${targetRepo}`);
-  core.info(`Resolved target_repo_name = ${targetRepoName}`);
-  core.info(`Resolved target_ref       = ${targetRef}`);
+  core.info(`Resolved target_repo         = ${targetRepo}`);
+  core.info(`Resolved target_repo_name    = ${targetRepoName}`);
+  core.info(`Resolved target_checkout_ref = ${targetCheckoutRef}`);
+  core.info(`Resolved target_ref          = ${targetDispatchRef}`);
+
+  if (!targetDispatchRef) {
+    core.warning(
+      `Could not parse a branch/tag ref from JOB_WORKFLOW_REF="${workflowRef}". ` +
+        "dispatch_workflow safe outputs may fail if they rely on target_ref. " +
+        "Falling back to empty string — do not use target_checkout_ref (SHA) as the dispatch ref."
+    );
+  }
 
   if (targetRepo && targetRepo !== currentRepo) {
     core.info(`Cross-repo invocation detected: platform repo "${targetRepo}" differs from caller "${currentRepo}"`);
@@ -51,7 +99,11 @@ async function main() {
 
   core.setOutput("target_repo", targetRepo);
   core.setOutput("target_repo_name", targetRepoName);
-  core.setOutput("target_ref", targetRef);
+  // target_checkout_ref: immutable SHA used by actions/checkout for exact-revision pinning.
+  core.setOutput("target_checkout_ref", targetCheckoutRef);
+  // target_ref: dispatch-compatible branch/tag ref used by dispatch_workflow.cjs.
+  // The GitHub workflow dispatch API requires a branch or tag, not a commit SHA.
+  core.setOutput("target_ref", targetDispatchRef);
 }
 
-module.exports = { main };
+module.exports = { main, parseDispatchRef };

.github/workflows/smoke-workflow-call.lock.yml

@@ -0,0 +1,183 @@
+// @ts-check
+import { describe, it, expect, beforeEach, afterEach, vi } from "vitest";
+import { main, parseDispatchRef } from "./resolve_host_repo.cjs";
+
+describe("parseDispatchRef", () => {
+  it("parses refs/heads/main from a standard workflow_ref", () => {
+    expect(parseDispatchRef("owner/repo/.github/workflows/file.yml@refs/heads/main")).toBe("refs/heads/main");
+  });
+
+  it("parses refs/tags/v1.2.3 from a tag-triggered workflow_ref", () => {
+    expect(parseDispatchRef("owner/repo/.github/workflows/file.yml@refs/tags/v1.2.3")).toBe("refs/tags/v1.2.3");
+  });
+
+  it("parses refs/heads/feature/my-branch from a nested branch name", () => {
+    expect(parseDispatchRef("org/repo/.github/workflows/ci.yml@refs/heads/feature/my-branch")).toBe("refs/heads/feature/my-branch");
+  });
+
+  it("returns empty string when JOB_WORKFLOW_REF is empty", () => {
+    expect(parseDispatchRef("")).toBe("");
+  });
+
+  it("returns empty string when JOB_WORKFLOW_REF has no '@' separator", () => {
+    expect(parseDispatchRef("owner/repo/.github/workflows/file.yml")).toBe("");
+  });
+
+  it("returns empty string when JOB_WORKFLOW_REF ends with a 40-hex commit SHA", () => {
+    // workflow_call can reference a workflow by commit SHA, but createWorkflowDispatch
+    // rejects SHAs — parseDispatchRef must return "" to prevent dispatch failures.
+    const sha = "abc123def456abc123def456abc123def456abc1";
+    expect(parseDispatchRef(`owner/repo/.github/workflows/file.yml@${sha}`)).toBe("");
+  });
+
+  it("uses lastIndexOf so an '@' in the workflow path does not mis-parse the ref", () => {
+    // Pathological but valid: if the path segment contained '@', lastIndexOf ensures
+    // we capture the ref portion after the final '@'.
+    expect(parseDispatchRef("owner/repo@org/.github/workflows/file.yml@refs/heads/main")).toBe("refs/heads/main");
+  });
+
+  it("does not return a SHA-like value for a tag ref", () => {
+    const result = parseDispatchRef("owner/repo/.github/workflows/file.yml@refs/tags/v2.0.0");
+    expect(result).toBe("refs/tags/v2.0.0");
+    // Must not look like a SHA (40 hex chars)
+    expect(result).not.toMatch(/^[0-9a-f]{40}$/);
+  });
+});
+
+describe("resolve_host_repo main", () => {
+  let outputs;
+  let warnings;
+  let infos;
+  let originalEnv;
+
+  beforeEach(() => {
+    outputs = {};
+    warnings = [];
+    infos = [];
+
+    global.core = {
+      info: vi.fn(msg => infos.push(msg)),
+      warning: vi.fn(msg => warnings.push(msg)),
+      error: vi.fn(),
+      setOutput: vi.fn((key, value) => {
+        outputs[key] = value;
+      }),
+    };
+
+    originalEnv = {
+      JOB_WORKFLOW_REPOSITORY: process.env.JOB_WORKFLOW_REPOSITORY,
+      JOB_WORKFLOW_SHA: process.env.JOB_WORKFLOW_SHA,
+      JOB_WORKFLOW_REF: process.env.JOB_WORKFLOW_REF,
+      JOB_WORKFLOW_FILE_PATH: process.env.JOB_WORKFLOW_FILE_PATH,
+      GITHUB_REPOSITORY: process.env.GITHUB_REPOSITORY,
+    };
+  });
+
+  afterEach(() => {
+    for (const [key, value] of Object.entries(originalEnv)) {
+      if (value === undefined) {
+        delete process.env[key];
+      } else {
+        process.env[key] = value;
+      }
+    }
+  });
+
+  it("emits target_checkout_ref as the commit SHA from JOB_WORKFLOW_SHA", async () => {
+    process.env.JOB_WORKFLOW_REPOSITORY = "owner/platform-repo";
+    process.env.JOB_WORKFLOW_SHA = "abc123def456abc123def456abc123def456abc1";
+    process.env.JOB_WORKFLOW_REF = "owner/platform-repo/.github/workflows/orchestrator.yml@refs/heads/main";
+    process.env.GITHUB_REPOSITORY = "owner/platform-repo";
+
+    await main();
+
+    expect(outputs["target_checkout_ref"]).toBe("abc123def456abc123def456abc123def456abc1");
+  });
+
+  it("emits target_ref as the dispatch-compatible branch ref from JOB_WORKFLOW_REF", async () => {
+    process.env.JOB_WORKFLOW_REPOSITORY = "owner/platform-repo";
+    process.env.JOB_WORKFLOW_SHA = "abc123def456abc123def456abc123def456abc1";
+    process.env.JOB_WORKFLOW_REF = "owner/platform-repo/.github/workflows/orchestrator.yml@refs/heads/main";
+    process.env.GITHUB_REPOSITORY = "owner/platform-repo";
+
+    await main();
+
+    expect(outputs["target_ref"]).toBe("refs/heads/main");
+  });
+
+  it("emits a tag as target_ref when workflow_ref contains a tag", async () => {
+    process.env.JOB_WORKFLOW_REPOSITORY = "owner/platform-repo";
+    process.env.JOB_WORKFLOW_SHA = "deadbeefdeadbeefdeadbeefdeadbeefdeadbeef";
+    process.env.JOB_WORKFLOW_REF = "owner/platform-repo/.github/workflows/release.yml@refs/tags/v1.2.3";
+    process.env.GITHUB_REPOSITORY = "owner/platform-repo";
+
+    await main();
+
+    expect(outputs["target_ref"]).toBe("refs/tags/v1.2.3");
+  });
+
+  it("target_ref is never a SHA when JOB_WORKFLOW_REF is provided", async () => {
+    const sha = "abc123def456abc123def456abc123def456abc1";
+    process.env.JOB_WORKFLOW_REPOSITORY = "owner/platform-repo";
+    process.env.JOB_WORKFLOW_SHA = sha;
+    process.env.JOB_WORKFLOW_REF = "owner/platform-repo/.github/workflows/file.yml@refs/heads/main";
+    process.env.GITHUB_REPOSITORY = "owner/platform-repo";
+
+    await main();
+
+    expect(outputs["target_ref"]).not.toBe(sha);
+    expect(outputs["target_ref"]).toBe("refs/heads/main");
+  });
+
+  it("emits target_ref as empty string and warns when JOB_WORKFLOW_REF is missing", async () => {
+    process.env.JOB_WORKFLOW_REPOSITORY = "owner/platform-repo";
+    process.env.JOB_WORKFLOW_SHA = "abc123def456abc123def456abc123def456abc1";
+    delete process.env.JOB_WORKFLOW_REF;
+    process.env.GITHUB_REPOSITORY = "owner/platform-repo";
+
+    await main();
+
+    expect(outputs["target_ref"]).toBe("");
+    expect(warnings.length).toBeGreaterThan(0);
+    expect(warnings[0]).toContain("Could not parse");
+  });
+
+  it("emits target_ref as empty string and warns when JOB_WORKFLOW_REF has no '@' separator", async () => {
+    process.env.JOB_WORKFLOW_REPOSITORY = "owner/platform-repo";
+    process.env.JOB_WORKFLOW_SHA = "abc123def456abc123def456abc123def456abc1";
+    process.env.JOB_WORKFLOW_REF = "owner/platform-repo/.github/workflows/file.yml";
+    process.env.GITHUB_REPOSITORY = "owner/platform-repo";
+
+    await main();
+
+    expect(outputs["target_ref"]).toBe("");
+    expect(warnings.length).toBeGreaterThan(0);
+  });
+
+  it("emits target_ref as empty string and warns when JOB_WORKFLOW_REF ends with a commit SHA", async () => {
+    // workflow_call can pin to a SHA; createWorkflowDispatch cannot accept a SHA as ref.
+    const sha = "abc123def456abc123def456abc123def456abc1";
+    process.env.JOB_WORKFLOW_REPOSITORY = "owner/platform-repo";
+    process.env.JOB_WORKFLOW_SHA = sha;
+    process.env.JOB_WORKFLOW_REF = `owner/platform-repo/.github/workflows/file.yml@${sha}`;
+    process.env.GITHUB_REPOSITORY = "owner/platform-repo";
+
+    await main();
+
+    expect(outputs["target_ref"]).toBe("");
+    expect(warnings.length).toBeGreaterThan(0);
+    expect(outputs["target_checkout_ref"]).toBe(sha);
+  });
+
+  it("emits target_repo and target_repo_name correctly", async () => {
+    process.env.JOB_WORKFLOW_REPOSITORY = "my-org/my-platform";
+    process.env.JOB_WORKFLOW_SHA = "abc123def456abc123def456abc123def456abc1";
+    process.env.JOB_WORKFLOW_REF = "my-org/my-platform/.github/workflows/file.yml@refs/heads/main";
+    process.env.GITHUB_REPOSITORY = "my-org/my-caller";
+
+    await main();
+
+    expect(outputs["target_repo"]).toBe("my-org/my-platform");
+    expect(outputs["target_repo_name"]).toBe("my-platform");
+  });
+});

actions/setup/js/resolve_host_repo.cjs

@@ -149,8 +149,10 @@ type CheckoutManager struct {
 	// performing .github/.agents sparse checkout steps for cross-repo workflow_call
 	// invocations pinned to a non-default branch.
 	//
-	// In the activation job this is set to "${{ steps.resolve-host-repo.outputs.target_ref }}".
-	// In the agent and safe_outputs jobs it is set to "${{ needs.activation.outputs.target_ref }}".
+	// Currently only set in the activation job to
+	// "${{ steps.resolve-host-repo.outputs.target_checkout_ref }}" (the immutable SHA).
+	// Downstream jobs (agent, safe_outputs) do not currently set this field — they rely
+	// on the default-branch checkout behaviour.
 	// An empty string means the checkout uses the repository's default branch.
 	crossRepoTargetRef string
 }
@@ -190,8 +192,8 @@ func (cm *CheckoutManager) GetCrossRepoTargetRepo() string {
 // .github/.agents sparse checkout steps. Call this when the workflow has a workflow_call
 // trigger and the checkout should target a specific branch rather than the default branch.
 //
-// In the activation job pass "${{ steps.resolve-host-repo.outputs.target_ref }}".
-// In downstream jobs (agent, safe_outputs) pass "${{ needs.activation.outputs.target_ref }}".
+// In the activation job pass "${{ steps.resolve-host-repo.outputs.target_checkout_ref }}"
+// (the immutable SHA for exact-revision pinning).
 func (cm *CheckoutManager) SetCrossRepoTargetRef(ref string) {
 	checkoutManagerLog.Printf("Setting cross-repo target ref: %q", ref)
 	cm.crossRepoTargetRef = ref