I have a azure ci/cd pipeline and it failed due to json index issue not supported. I checked my project and there is no json index in my database project

Question

I have a azure ci/cd pipeline and it failed due to json index issue not supported. I checked my project and there is no json index in my database project

JingJing Gao 0

The error message is :##[error]*** An error occurred during deployment plan generation. Deployment cannot continue.

##[error]Error SQL72018: SqlJsonIndex could not be imported but one or more of these objects exist in your source.

##[error]System.Management.Automation.RemoteException

##[error]Errors occurred while modeling the target database. Deployment can not continue.

But I don't have any json index in my code and now it involved multiple CI/CD pipelines.

Abhisek Mishra 845 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2025-10-21T04:05:39.3733333+00:00
Hi JingJing Gao,

Welcome to the Microsoft Q&A and thank you for posting your questions here.

Could you please confirm the provide the additional details on below.

Are you using DACPAC deployment task in Azure Pipelines.

any parameters that are passed in that task.

Please confirm the settings used in DB solution.

From what change it triggered deployment failures.

While you share the details requested above. Here are few things you can try.

The pipeline uses SqlPackage.exe or the Azure SQL Database Deployment task to publish the DACPAC.

Check for JSON indexes in the target DB, Drop any existing JSON indexes before redeploying.

SELECT * FROM sys.json_indexes;

Consider adding the following parameter n your publish profile or pipeline task to exclude unsupported objects in the pipeline.
/p:ExcludeObjectTypes=JsonIndexes

Test, validate once after adding the above additional argument in your YAML and confirm the fix. You can refer the following Microsoft Learn links to learn further.

https://free.blessedness.top/en-us/azure/devops/pipelines/troubleshooting/troubleshooting?view=azure-devops

https://free.blessedness.top/en-us/azure/data-factory/ci-cd-github-troubleshoot-guide

I hope this information is helpful! If you still have questions, please let us know what is needed in the comments so the question can be answered.

Thanks,

Abhisek
JingJing Gao 0 Reputation points

2025-10-21T14:13:38.63+00:00
I checked my project, there is no json index. The query returns nothing and right now it failed three of my database projects. I've been researched on this for three hours. Here are what I've tried and nothing worked.

change the compatibility level from 150 to 160 and change it back to 150

add /p:ExcludeObjectTypes=JsonIndex to my yaml

Use ExcludeObjectTypes=JsonIndex and AllowIncompatiblePlatform=True in both MSBuild and SqlPackage

<DSP>Microsoft.Data.Tools.Schema.Sql.SqlAzureV12DatabaseSchemaProvider</DSP> <TargetPlatform>Microsoft.Data.Tools.Schema.Sql.AzureDatabase.v160</TargetPlatform>

VSBuild has clean: true

JingJing Gao 0

Here is my deployed to dev yaml

stage: 'deployToDev'
  jobs:
  - deployment: "DeployToDev"
    displayName: 'Deploy to dev'
    pool:
      vmImage: 'windows-latest'
    variables:
      AZURESQL_SERVER_NAME: 'xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx'
    environment: 'DEV'
    strategy:
      runOnce:
        deploy:
          steps:
          - download: current
            artifact: 'sql_dacpac'
          - task: SqlAzureDacpacDeployment@1
            inputs:
              azureSubscription: 'yyyyyyyyyyyy'
              AuthenticationType: 'server'
              ServerName: '$(AZURESQL_FULL_SERVER_NAME)'
              DatabaseName: '$(AZURESQL_RESTORED_DB_NAME)'
              SqlUsername: '$(AZURESQL_SERVER_USERNAME)'
              SqlPassword: '$(AZURESQL_SRVR_PASSWORD)'
              deployType: 'DacpacTask'
              DeploymentAction: 'Publish'
              DacpacFile: '$(Pipeline.Workspace)\sql_dacpac\$(SLN_NAME).dacpac'
              IpDetectionMethod: 'AutoDetect'
              AdditionalArguments: '/p:IgnoreColumnOrder=True /p:BlockOnPossibleDataLoss=False /p:GenerateSmartDefaults=True /p:AllowIncompatiblePlatform=True /p:ExcludeObjectTypes=ExternalDataSources;ExternalFileFormats;ExternalTables;DatabaseRoles;Defaults;Permissions;Queues;Rules;Sequences;Services;Logins;ServerRoles;Users;'
              msbuildArgs: '/p:TargetPlatform=SqlAzureV12DatabaseSchemaProvider /p:ExcludeObjectTypes=JsonIndex'

Swapnesh Panchal 740 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2025-10-24T20:56:55.1566667+00:00
Hi @JingJing Gao, thanks for the details. A few new things to try that often resolve SQL72018: SqlJsonIndex even when your code has none:

Prove what’s inside the DACPAC (new) • Download the built .dacpac, rename to .zip, open model.xml, and search for JsonIndex / SqlJsonIndex. • If found, it’s being injected during build (not from the target DB). Share the small <JsonIndex …> block if you see it.

Correct the exclude switch (new: plural + exact spelling) In YAML AdditionalArguments, use the plural form exactly:

/p:ExcludeObjectTypes=JsonIndexes /p:AllowIncompatiblePlatform=True

(Your screenshot shows JsonIndex singular—DacFx ignores that.)

Lock the provider/tooling (new) • Print the versions used by the agent:

SqlPackage /Version dotnet --info

• Update to the latest DacFx/SqlPackage on the agent or bump the “Azure SQL Dacpac Deployment” task to its newest major. Mismatched DacFx can light up JSON index types in the model.

Pin the project target (new) In the .sqlproj, set

<TargetPlatform>Microsoft.Data.Tools.Schema.Sql.AzureV12DatabaseSchemaProvider</TargetPlatform>

or choose “Microsoft Azure SQL Database (V12)” in VS. Then Clean and Rebuild. Building against higher providers (e.g., v160) can surface JSON index artifacts even if you don’t author them.

Isolate references (new) If you reference other DACPACs (master/custom), temporarily remove them and rebuild. One of them may carry a JSON index into your model.

Sanity check on target (you already ran)

SELECT * FROM sys.json_indexes;

It’s fine if this returns zero—this error is usually about the model.

If it still fails, please share: • The exact AdditionalArguments line you now use (with JsonIndexes plural),

• SqlPackage /Version from the build log,

• The <TargetPlatform> line from .sqlproj,

• Any <JsonIndex …> snippet found in model.xml.

With those, we can pinpoint which step is injecting SqlJsonIndex and give a precise fix.

Your answer

Abhisek Mishra 845 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2025-10-21T04:05:39.3733333+00:00

Hi JingJing Gao,

Welcome to the Microsoft Q&A and thank you for posting your questions here.

Could you please confirm the provide the additional details on below.

Are you using DACPAC deployment task in Azure Pipelines.

any parameters that are passed in that task.

Please confirm the settings used in DB solution.

From what change it triggered deployment failures.

While you share the details requested above. Here are few things you can try.

The pipeline uses SqlPackage.exe or the Azure SQL Database Deployment task to publish the DACPAC.

Check for JSON indexes in the target DB, Drop any existing JSON indexes before redeploying.

SELECT * FROM sys.json_indexes;

Consider adding the following parameter n your publish profile or pipeline task to exclude unsupported objects in the pipeline.
/p:ExcludeObjectTypes=JsonIndexes

Test, validate once after adding the above additional argument in your YAML and confirm the fix. You can refer the following Microsoft Learn links to learn further.

https://free.blessedness.top/en-us/azure/devops/pipelines/troubleshooting/troubleshooting?view=azure-devops

https://free.blessedness.top/en-us/azure/data-factory/ci-cd-github-troubleshoot-guide

I hope this information is helpful! If you still have questions, please let us know what is needed in the comments so the question can be answered.

Thanks,

Abhisek
JingJing Gao 0 Reputation points

2025-10-21T14:13:38.63+00:00

I checked my project, there is no json index. The query returns nothing and right now it failed three of my database projects. I've been researched on this for three hours. Here are what I've tried and nothing worked.

change the compatibility level from 150 to 160 and change it back to 150

add /p:ExcludeObjectTypes=JsonIndex to my yaml

Use ExcludeObjectTypes=JsonIndex and AllowIncompatiblePlatform=True in both MSBuild and SqlPackage

<DSP>Microsoft.Data.Tools.Schema.Sql.SqlAzureV12DatabaseSchemaProvider</DSP> <TargetPlatform>Microsoft.Data.Tools.Schema.Sql.AzureDatabase.v160</TargetPlatform>

VSBuild has clean: true
JingJing Gao 0 Reputation points

2025-10-21T14:15:41.6133333+00:00

Here is my deployed to dev yaml

stage: 'deployToDev' jobs: - deployment: "DeployToDev" displayName: 'Deploy to dev' pool: vmImage: 'windows-latest' variables: AZURESQL_SERVER_NAME: 'xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx' environment: 'DEV' strategy: runOnce: deploy: steps: - download: current artifact: 'sql_dacpac' - task: SqlAzureDacpacDeployment@1 inputs: azureSubscription: 'yyyyyyyyyyyy' AuthenticationType: 'server' ServerName: '$(AZURESQL_FULL_SERVER_NAME)' DatabaseName: '$(AZURESQL_RESTORED_DB_NAME)' SqlUsername: '$(AZURESQL_SERVER_USERNAME)' SqlPassword: '$(AZURESQL_SRVR_PASSWORD)' deployType: 'DacpacTask' DeploymentAction: 'Publish' DacpacFile: '$(Pipeline.Workspace)\sql_dacpac\$(SLN_NAME).dacpac' IpDetectionMethod: 'AutoDetect' AdditionalArguments: '/p:IgnoreColumnOrder=True /p:BlockOnPossibleDataLoss=False /p:GenerateSmartDefaults=True /p:AllowIncompatiblePlatform=True /p:ExcludeObjectTypes=ExternalDataSources;ExternalFileFormats;ExternalTables;DatabaseRoles;Defaults;Permissions;Queues;Rules;Sequences;Services;Logins;ServerRoles;Users;' msbuildArgs: '/p:TargetPlatform=SqlAzureV12DatabaseSchemaProvider /p:ExcludeObjectTypes=JsonIndex'

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I have a azure ci/cd pipeline and it failed due to json index issue not supported. I checked my project and there is no json index in my database project

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