Requirements updates in ado-2025 not triggering release pipe

ALM Azure DevOps
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1

We’re running Azure DevOps 2025 and have a critical issue with our release pipeline. When requirements are updated in the requirements-mgmt module, the release pipeline should automatically trigger but it’s not happening. We’ve configured service hooks to monitor work item changes, and our YAML pipeline has trigger conditions for linked work items.

Our current pipeline trigger looks like this:

trigger:
  branches:
    include: [main]
resources:
  repositories:
  - repository: requirements
    type: git

The service hook is configured to watch for work item updates with type ‘Requirement’, but releases are delayed by 4-6 hours until manual intervention. We’ve verified OAuth service connections are active. The work item linking between requirements and release definitions appears correct in the UI, but the automation chain is broken. Has anyone encountered similar issues with requirements triggering release pipelines in ado-2025?

2

I’ve seen this before. The issue is usually that service hooks for work items don’t directly trigger YAML pipelines - they’re designed for classic release pipelines. For YAML pipelines in ado-2025, you need to use the workItemUpdated webhook with Azure Functions or Logic Apps as an intermediary to call the pipeline REST API.

3

I ran into this exact scenario with ado-2025 and requirements-mgmt integration. The issue is multi-layered and requires addressing all four focus areas systematically.

Service Hooks Configuration: First, your service hook needs proper filtering. Navigate to Project Settings > Service hooks > Create subscription. Select ‘Work item updated’ and add these filters:


Work item type: Requirement
Area path: [Your project path]
Field: State
Change type: Changed

Work Item Linking: The linking is critical. Requirements must use the ‘Build’ link type to pipeline runs, not generic ‘Related’ links. You can fix existing links with:


PATCH https://dev.azure.com/{org}/{project}/_apis/wit/workitems/{id}?api-version=7.1
[
  {"op": "add", "path": "/relations/-", "value": {
    "rel": "Build", "url": "vstfs:///Build/Build/{buildId}"
  }}
]

YAML Trigger Syntax: Your YAML is missing the pipeline trigger section. Update it to:

trigger:
  branches:
    include: [main]
  paths:
    include: [requirements/*]

resources:
  pipelines:
  - pipeline: requirements-build
    source: Requirements-CI
    trigger:
      branches:
        include: [main]

OAuth Service Connections: Verify your service connection has these scopes:

  • Build: Read & execute
  • Release: Read, write, execute
  • Work Items: Read & write

The OAuth token needs the vso.build_execute and vso.release_execute scopes. Regenerate the connection if created before ado-2025 upgrade, as scope requirements changed.

Additional Configuration: Add this to your pipeline YAML to enable work item triggering:

variables:
  system.debug: true
  workItemTracking.enabled: true

After implementing these changes, test by updating a requirement’s State field and monitoring the service hook delivery history in Project Settings. The pipeline should trigger within 30-60 seconds. If delays persist, check the OAuth token expiration in the service connection settings.

4

Check your service hook configuration carefully. The subscription needs to be set to ‘Work item updated’ with filters for the specific requirement type. Also verify that your OAuth service connection has the ‘Release: Read, write, execute’ permission scope. Without proper permissions, the hook fires but can’t trigger the pipeline execution.