`WithOtlpExporter()` breaks `ContainerLifetime.Persistent`, lifecycle key mismatch on every run

[yasmoradi]

Summary

Using WithOtlpExporter() on a container resource that also uses WithLifetime(ContainerLifetime.Persistent) causes the container to be recreated on every run instead of being reused. DCP logs the following warning:

Found existing Container, but calculated lifecycle key doesn't match: ContainerName = sqlserver-d5c7bda0, ContainerId = aaaeb586071b

Reproduction

builder.AddSqlServer("sqlserver")
    .WithLifetime(ContainerLifetime.Persistent)
    .WithOtlpExporter();

Root Cause

WithOtlpExporter() injects an OTEL_RESOURCE_ATTRIBUTES environment variable containing a Go template that resolves to a per-run random value:

service.instance.id={{- index .Annotations "otel-service-instance-id" -}}

The annotation value (OtelServiceInstanceIdAnnotation) is set to a new random suffix on every Aspire startup. DCP computes the lifecycle key from the resolved container spec (including env vars). Since the resolved service.instance.id changes every run, the lifecycle key never matches the existing persistent container, so DCP tears it down and recreates it.

Expected Behavior

WithOtlpExporter() and ContainerLifetime.Persistent should be compatible. A persistent container should be reused across runs even when OTLP export is configured.

Actual Behavior

The persistent container is recreated on every run when WithOtlpExporter() is used.

Workaround

Remove WithOtlpExporter() from persistent containers. This loses OTLP telemetry from the container in the dashboard but restores correct persistence behavior.

[MihuBot]

I'm a bot. Here are possible related and/or duplicate issues (I may be wrong):

• Aspire 9.4.x causes persistent containers with WithOtlpExporter() to be re-created on each Aspire start #11011
• WithOtlpExporter() causes Persistent Containers to be recreated every execution #6889

[joperezr]

🤖 Aspire triage pass — 2026-05-17 20:44 UTC

Area: area-app-model, area-orchestrator
Kind: bug
Repro: yes-minimal — see the "Reproduction" snippet in the issue body
Affected version(s): not stated by reporter — needs confirmation
Severity: S3 — broken edge scenario (persistent containers + OTLP) with a workaround (omit WithOtlpExporter())

Urgency: 🟡 vNext — recommend milestone 13.4
Reason: clean root-cause analysis in a core area (interaction between WithOtlpExporter() env-var injection and DCP lifecycle-key computation for ContainerLifetime.Persistent); workaround exists, so does not meet the servicing bar.

Suggested owner(s): @JamesNK (score 47), backup @karolz-ms (score 17)
Evidence:

• @JamesNK has the most recent merged PRs in area-app-model over the last 90 days (12 PRs)
• @karolz-ms has closed the most area-app-model issues as completed over the last 180 days (8 issues)
• CODEOWNERS for /src/Aspire.Hosting (which owns OtlpConfigurationExtensions.cs and Dcp/ContainerCreator.cs) lists @JamesNK, @karolz-ms, @danegsta, @mitchdenny, @davidfowl

Confidence: medium
Needs human?: yes — please confirm the affected Aspire version(s) and the milestone choice (vNext vs. backlog) given the workaround.

Dry-run mode — no labels or milestone applied. Reply /triage apply to promote, or edit and reapply.

[davidfowl]

@danegsta something to consider as part of the work you’re doing.

[danegsta]

@danegsta something to consider as part of the work you’re doing.

Yeah, this'll come up for executables too, since the environment makes up part of the lifecycle key there as well.