microsoft/semantic-kernel · error · AgentInitializationException

Missing required configuration field(s): {', '.join(missing_

Error message

Missing required configuration field(s): {', '.join(missing_params)}

What it means

Raised by CopilotStudioAgent.create_client() after settings are successfully constructed but app_client_id or tenant_id (or both) are empty/falsy. The code explicitly checks these two fields because they are mandatory for MSAL authentication and CopilotClient construction, yet the settings model itself may allow them as optional (loaded from env). It is an AgentInitializationException naming the missing field(s).

Source

Thrown at python/semantic_kernel/agents/copilot_studio/copilot_studio_agent.py:391

                tenant_id=tenant_id,
                environment_id=environment_id,
                agent_identifier=agent_identifier,
                cloud=cloud,
                type=copilot_agent_type,
                custom_power_platform_cloud=custom_power_platform_cloud,
                env_file_path=env_file_path,
                env_file_encoding=env_file_encoding,
                client_secret=client_secret,
                client_certificate=client_certificate,
                user_assertion=user_assertion,
                auth_mode=auth_mode,
            )
        except ValidationError as exc:
            raise AgentInitializationException(f"Failed to create Copilot Studio Agent settings: {exc}") from exc

        missing_params = [name for name in ("app_client_id", "tenant_id") if not getattr(connection_settings, name)]
        if missing_params:
            raise AgentInitializationException(f"Missing required configuration field(s): {', '.join(missing_params)}")

        cache_file = environ.get("TOKEN_CACHE_PATH_INTERACTIVE") or path.join(
            path.dirname(__file__), "bin", "token_cache_interactive.bin"
        )

        token = _CopilotStudioAgentTokenFactory(
            settings=connection_settings,
            cache_path=cache_file,
            mode=connection_settings.auth_mode,
            client_secret=connection_settings.client_secret.get_secret_value()
            if connection_settings.client_secret
            else None,
            client_certificate=Path(client_certificate) if client_certificate else None,
            user_assertion=user_assertion,
        ).acquire()

        return CopilotClient(connection_settings, token)

View on GitHub (pinned to c028a0c7dc)

Solutions

1. Set APP_CLIENT_ID and TENANT_ID in the environment or .env file before calling create_client().
2. Pass them explicitly: create_client(app_client_id=..., tenant_id=...).
3. Verify env_file_path points to the correct .env file and that values are uncommented.
4. Use a settings preload step to check values before creating the client.

Example fix

# before
client = CopilotStudioAgent.create_client()  # no env vars set

# after
client = CopilotStudioAgent.create_client(
    app_client_id=os.environ["APP_CLIENT_ID"],
    tenant_id=os.environ["TENANT_ID"],
)

missing = [f for f in ("app_client_id", "tenant_id") if not locals().get(f)]
if missing:
    raise ValueError(f"Missing required config: {missing}")
client = CopilotStudioAgent.create_client(app_client_id=app_client_id, tenant_id=tenant_id)

from semantic_kernel.exceptions.agent_exceptions import AgentInitializationException

try:
    client = CopilotStudioAgent.create_client()
except AgentInitializationException as exc:
    if "Missing required configuration" in str(exc):
        # load from alternative source or prompt user
        ...
    raise

When it happens

Trigger: Calling create_client() without app_client_id/tenant_id arguments and without corresponding values in the .env file or environment variables. The settings object is built (no ValidationError) but the fields resolve to None or empty string.

Common situations: Missing APP_CLIENT_ID / TENANT_ID environment variables; .env file not found or misnamed (wrong env_file_path); values present but commented out; running in a fresh environment without copying the .env template.

Related errors

• Copilot Studio SERVICE authentication is not available yet.
• Failed to create Copilot Studio Agent settings: {exc}
• No IExternalKernelProcessMessageChannel found, need at least
• AllowedCallersClaimsValidator: config object cannot be None.
• "{self.config_key}" not found in configuration.

AI-assisted analysis of microsoft/semantic-kernel@c028a0c7dc (2026-08-13). Data as JSON: /api/errors/be7e9ee8e3fd3f28. Report an issue: GitHub.