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Resolving Unexpected CIRCLE_PULL_REQUEST Environment Variable in CircleCI main branch Builds

Overview

The CIRCLE_PULL_REQUEST environment variable may occasionally persist in CircleCI main (default) branch builds even after a pull request has been closed. This typically occurs when webhook events fail to notify CircleCI about pull request closures or timeouts.

Prerequisites

  • Access to the GitHub repository associated with your CircleCI project.

  • Access to CircleCI to view and manage build configurations.

Solution

  1. Verify Pull Request Status on GitHub:

    • Check the status of the pull request on GitHub to ensure it is closed. If it remains open, close it manually.

  2. Check CircleCI Webhook Updates:

    • Ensure that GitHub webhooks are correctly configured to send updates to CircleCI. This can be verified in the GitHub repository settings under "Webhooks."

  3. Manually Update CircleCI:

    • If the pull request is closed on GitHub but the issue persists, contact CircleCI support to request a manual update. This will clear the CIRCLE_PULL_REQUEST variable and ensure the build environment reflects the correct status. When contacting support, provide the following information:

      • Project name and organization

      • GitHub Pull Request URL

      • CircleCI Build URL (where the issue occurs)

Additional Resources

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