KubernetesPodOperator: init_container_logs is silently ignored when deferrable=True

[KafkaOtto]

Under which category would you file this issue?

Providers

Apache Airflow version

3.3.1

What happened and how to reproduce it?

KubernetesPodOperator.init_container_logs only has an effect when deferrable=False.

In the sync execution path, execute_sync calls await_pod_start and then await_init_containers_completion (operators/pod.py), which — when init_container_logs is set — calls
pod_manager.fetch_requested_init_container_logs(...) to stream the init containers' logs.

In the deferrable path, execute_async/invoke_defer_method constructs a KubernetesPodTrigger and passes it get_logs, base_container_name, poll_interval, etc., but never passes init_container_logs or init_containers — the trigger has no such parameter at all. triggers/pod.py has no references to init containers anywhere; it only fetches logs for base_container_name (the main container) via fetch_container_logs_before_current_sec. trigger_reentry, which runs after the task resumes from deferral, also never calls await_init_containers_completion.

As a result, setting init_container_logs on the operator has no effect once deferrable=True is set — the parameter is silently accepted but ignored, and no init container logs appear in the task logs at all.

What you think should happen instead?

Either:

• When init_container_logs is set to True, KubernetesPodTrigger should be extended to fetch/stream logs for all the init containers (mirroring the sync-path behavior in await_init_containers_completion / fetch_requested_init_container_logs), or
• We add a new flag init_container_logs_when_deferrable, and let KubernetesPodTrigger allow fetch/stream logs for all the init containers

Operating System

N/A

Deployment

None

Apache Airflow Provider(s)

cncf-kubernetes

Versions of Apache Airflow Providers

latest

Official Helm Chart version

1.22.0 (latest released)

Kubernetes Version

No response

Helm Chart configuration

No response

Docker Image customizations

No response

Anything else?

Related but not duplicate:

• Kubernetes Pod Operator Init container logging #42498 fixed init container log support for the sync path only (fix landed in Add logging support for init containers in KubernetesPodOperator (#42498) #43853); it does not mention or address the deferrable path.
• Kubernetes Pod Operator: read logs and events in deferred mode #56895 is a broader, unrelated feature request about efficiency of log streaming in deferred mode in general.

Relevant code:

• providers/cncf/kubernetes/src/airflow/providers/cncf/kubernetes/operators/pod.py
  (execute_sync, await_init_containers_completion, invoke_defer_method)
• providers/cncf/kubernetes/src/airflow/providers/cncf/kubernetes/triggers/pod.py
  (KubernetesPodTrigger.__init__, serialize, run)
• providers/cncf/kubernetes/src/airflow/providers/cncf/kubernetes/utils/pod_manager.py
  (fetch_requested_init_container_logs, get_init_container_names)

Are you willing to submit PR?

• Yes I am willing to submit a PR!

Code of Conduct

• I agree to follow this project's Code of Conduct

[boring-cyborg]

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