[JENKINS-73018] Getting "script returned exit code 128"

[jenkins-infra-bot]

While calling the git client from within the ssh agent's scope it is giving "script returned exit code 128" error 

stage ('Prune git tags') 
{    
 steps {      
   sshagent(['Credential_ID']) 
    {
     sh ''' 
     git tag --list | xargs git tag --delete && git fetch --tags
     '''      
     }      
  }
} 

Upon adding 

Host *.stie.com  StrictHostKeyChecking no  UserKnownHostsFile /dev/null 

Jenkins builds started passing but for GitHub

Host github.com  StrictHostKeyChecking no  UserKnownHostsFile /dev/null 

it is still failing the build.

 

For me adding a host key entry in every call is difficult. Can I add something like global host key and pass them in sshagent globally, I have already added them for internal SCM Urls for git calls. But somehow they are not being passed under the sshagent scope calls on slave node.

---

Originally reported by ojash97, imported from: Getting "script returned exit code 128"

• status: Open
• priority: Blocker
• component(s): ssh-agent-plugin
• resolution: Unresolved
• votes: 0
• watchers: 1
• imported: 20260604-211335

Raw content of original issue

While calling the git client from within the ssh agent's scope it is giving "script returned exit code 128" error 

stage ('Prune git tags') 
{            
 steps {              
   sshagent(['Credential_ID']) 
    {                
     sh ''' 
     git tag --list | xargs git tag --delete && git fetch --tags
     '''              
     }      
  }
} 

Upon adding 

Host *.stie.com  StrictHostKeyChecking no  UserKnownHostsFile /dev/null 

Jenkins builds started passing but for GitHub

Host github.com  StrictHostKeyChecking no  UserKnownHostsFile /dev/null 

it is still failing the build.
 
For me adding a host key entry in every call is difficult. Can I add something like global host key and pass them in sshagent globally, I have already added them for internal SCM Urls for git calls. But somehow they are not being passed under the sshagent scope calls on slave node.

[ogulcanaydogan]

This is exactly what hostKeyVerification on the sshagent step was added for (in 424, a few days ago). Instead of writing per-host StrictHostKeyChecking no entries, you set the verification strategy once globally (Manage Jenkins → Security → Git Host Key Verification Configuration, this is git-client's setting, e.g. "Accept first connection") and then just pass the flag:

sshagent(['Credential_ID'], hostKeyVerification: true) {
    sh '''
    git tag --list | xargs git tag --delete && git fetch --tags
    '''
}

It builds GIT_SSH_COMMAND from that global strategy for the duration of the block, so it applies to every host git talks to without needing an entry per host. Worth trying instead of the manual ~/.ssh/config approach.