[JENKINS-43590] docker.inside() breaks container environment.

We have PATH set on our build slaves (via configure -> Node properties -> Environment Variables) that won't work in most docker containers.  Specifically, we use /usr/local/bin:/a/bin.  Note how /usr/bin and /bin aren't in the PATH (which is where cat usually is located.

Normally, the docker.inside() command's docker run isn't setting the -e PATH=... flag.  But every so often it uses the PATH from the build slave configuration which causes the docker run to not find cat

 

docker: Error response from daemon: oci runtime error: container_linux.go:247: starting container process caused "exec: \"cat\": executable file not found in $PATH".

 

I was able to track this down by modifying docker-workflow to not mask the PATH: https://github.com/jenkinsci/docker-workflow-plugin/pull/96

I don't know what the expected behavior (overriding the PATH on a container seems like a "Bad Idea", since the container may-or-may-not be in LSB/POSIX layout) is supposed to be.

It is clear that this random flipping between behaviors is bad.

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Originally reported by docwhat, imported from: docker.inside() breaks container environment.

• status: Open
  
• priority: Major
  
• component(s): docker-workflow-plugin
  
• resolution: Unresolved
  
• votes: 12
  
• watchers: 21
  
• imported: 2025-12-07
  

Raw content of original issue

We have PATH set on our build slaves (via configure -> Node properties -> Environment Variables) that won't work in most docker containers.  Specifically, we use /usr/local/bin:/a/bin.  Note how /usr/bin and /bin aren't in the PATH (which is where cat usually is located.


Normally, the docker.inside() command's docker run isn't setting the -e PATH=... flag.  But every so often it uses the PATH from the build slave configuration which causes the docker run to not find cat


 



docker: Error response from daemon: oci runtime error: container_linux.go:247: starting container process caused "exec: \"cat\": executable file not found in $PATH".



 


I was able to track this down by modifying docker-workflow to not mask the PATH: https://github.com/jenkinsci/docker-workflow-plugin/pull/96


I don't know what the expected behavior (overriding the PATH on a container seems like a "Bad Idea", since the container may-or-may-not be in LSB/POSIX layout) is supposed to be.


It is clear that this random flipping between behaviors is bad.

• environment: docker-workflow 1.10