[JENKINS-41894] deleteDir() for cwd removes workspace when run in docker.image('builder').inside

This snippet (with docker.image.inside) fails:

```
node('default') {
docker.image('builder').inside {
deleteDir()
checkout scm
sh 'git rev-parse HEAD > git-revision.tmp'
env.REVISION = readFile('git-revision.tmp').trim()
}
}

```

While this snippet doesn't:

```
node('default') {
deleteDir()
checkout scm
sh 'git rev-parse HEAD > git-revision.tmp'
env.REVISION = readFile('git-revision.tmp').trim()
}

```

The failure begins with the attempt to use the checked out files, with this error:

```
[Pipeline] sh
[FLE3OSMVFPS5YXYDBJO2SDKESHOZUWIWXDMRIPXDFZ27TAUUNB6Q] Running shell script
shell-init: error retrieving current directory: getcwd: cannot access parent directories: No such file or directory
job-working-directory: error retrieving current directory: getcwd: cannot access parent directories: No such file or directory
shell-init: error retrieving current directory: getcwd: cannot access parent directories: No such file or directory
+ git rev-parse HEAD
job-working-directory: error retrieving current directory: getcwd: cannot access parent directories: No such file or directory
/home/jenkins/workspace/-FLE3OSMVFPS5YXYDBJO2SDKESHOZUWIWXDMRIPXDFZ27TAUUNB6Q@​tmp/durable-f4c5cca7/script.sh: line 2: git-revision.tmp: No such file or directory
Raw

```

deleteDir() calls hudson.FilePath.deleteRecursive() which "Deletes this directory, including all its contents recursively."

Somehow when not working with docker, the pipeline recovers from this situation. But when doing that in a docker image, it fails.

---
Originally reported by david_resnick, imported from: deleteDir() for cwd removes workspace when run in docker.image('builder').inside

• status: Open
  
• priority: Major
  
• component(s): docker-workflow-plugin
  
• resolution: Unresolved
  
• votes: 11
  
• watchers: 20
  
• imported: 2025-12-07
  

Raw content of original issue

This snippet (with docker.image.inside) fails:



node('default') {

  docker.image('builder').inside {

    deleteDir()

    checkout scm

    sh 'git rev-parse HEAD > git-revision.tmp'

    env.REVISION = readFile('git-revision.tmp').trim()

  }

}





While this snippet doesn't:



node('default') {

  deleteDir()

  checkout scm

  sh 'git rev-parse HEAD > git-revision.tmp'

  env.REVISION = readFile('git-revision.tmp').trim()

}





The failure begins with the attempt to use the checked out files, with this error:



[Pipeline] sh

[FLE3OSMVFPS5YXYDBJO2SDKESHOZUWIWXDMRIPXDFZ27TAUUNB6Q] Running shell script

shell-init: error retrieving current directory: getcwd: cannot access parent directories: No such file or directory

job-working-directory: error retrieving current directory: getcwd: cannot access parent directories: No such file or directory

shell-init: error retrieving current directory: getcwd: cannot access parent directories: No such file or directory

+ git rev-parse HEAD

job-working-directory: error retrieving current directory: getcwd: cannot access parent directories: No such file or directory

/home/jenkins/workspace/-FLE3OSMVFPS5YXYDBJO2SDKESHOZUWIWXDMRIPXDFZ27TAUUNB6Q@tmp/durable-f4c5cca7/script.sh: line 2: git-revision.tmp: No such file or directory

Raw





deleteDir() calls hudson.FilePath.deleteRecursive() which "Deletes this directory, including all its contents recursively."


Somehow when not working with docker, the pipeline recovers from this situation. But when doing that in a docker image, it fails.

environment

```
Pipeline basic steps: 2.3

Docker pipeline: 1.9.1

Jenkins: 2.19.3
```