python.interpreterPath resolves incorrectly in tasks.json when it isn't first

[pgraenin]

I am working on switching some workflows to be venv-based, partly to support hombrew-installed versions of Python that are used to create the Venv, and kept running into ${command:python.interpreterPath} not resolving to the active venv interpreter that was selected for the opened workspace.

Here's the original entry. (I've obfuscated details that aren't impactful)

{
    "label": "Run xxx.py and open report",
    "type": "shell",
    "command": "cd ${workspaceFolder}/scripts && ${command:python.interpreterPath} xxx.py && code xxx.txt",
    "problemMatcher": [],
    "group": {
        "kind": "test",
        "isDefault": false
}

After setting the active environment for the workspace to a venv in my venvs folder, and running the task, this is the task's terminal output:

Executing task: cd /Users/xxx/xxx/xxx/scripts && /opt/homebrew/bin/python3 xxx.py && code xxx.txt 

Note I was not expecting the homebrew Python interpreter to be used.

I created a separate task for a little troubleshooting:

{
    "label": "Variable tinkering",
    "type": "shell",
    "command": "echo 'Would call: ${command:python.interpreterPath}'",
    "problemMatcher": [],
    "group": {
        "kind": "test",
        "isDefault": false
   }

This echoed to the terminal: Would call: /Users/xxx/venvs/xxx-python/bin/python

Weird, right?

So, I changed the shell command for my first task to assign interpreterPath to a variable first, and used that to call Python:

PYEXEC=${command:python.interpreterPath} && cd /Users/xxx/xxx/xxx/scripts && ${PYEXEC} xxx.py && code xxx.txt 

This ran, and the terminal output showed:

 *  Executing task: PYEXEC=/Users/xxx/venvs/xxx-python/bin/python && cd /Users/xxx/xxx/xxx/scripts && ${PYEXEC} xxx.py && code xxx.txt

And it called the interpreter living in that particular venv.

I could have left it like that, but I wanted to see if using PYEXEC was actually necessary, so first, I continued setting it, but didn't use it to call the interpreter:

PYEXEC=${command:python.interpreterPath} && cd ${workspaceFolder}/scripts && ${command:python.interpreterPath} xxx.py && code xxx.txt

And lo and behold, the terminal output showed:

 *  Executing task: PYEXEC=/Users/xxx/venvs/xxx-python/bin/python && cd /Users/xxx/xxx/xxx/scripts && /Users/xxx/venvs/xxx-python/bin/python xxx.py && code xxx.txt 

And the task will run with the venv's interpreter. So, do I even need PYEXEC?

I removed setting the PYEXEC variable... back to the original, cd ${workspaceFolder}/scripts && ${command:python.interpreterPath} xxx.py && code xxx.txt and it regressed to running the interpreter at /opt/hombrew/bin/python3.

Last check - is it just because I used workspaceFolder, or is it because pythonInterpreter isn't the first variable used?

I changed the working task command to this:

echo ${workspaceFolderBasename} && PYEXEC=${command:python.interpreterPath} && cd ${workspaceFolder}/scripts && ${command:python.interpreterPath} grade.py && code tempReportFile.txt

And, surprise, it output:

 *  Executing task: echo xxx-folder && PYEXEC=/opt/homebrew/bin/python3 && cd /Users/xxx/xxx/xxx/scripts && /opt/homebrew/bin/python3 xxx.py && code xxx.txt 

Regressing back to the homebrew copy of Python.

VS Code build info:
Version: 1.109.3 (Universal)
Commit: b6a47e94e326b5c209d118cf0f994d6065585705
Electron: 39.3.0
ElectronBuildId: 13168319
Chromium: 142.0.7444.265
Node.js: 22.21.1
V8: 14.2.231.22-electron.0
OS: Darwin arm64 25.3.0

Extension versions:
ms-python.python 2026.0.0
ms-python.debugpy 2025.18.0
ms-python.vscode-python-envs 1.16.0
Python 3.14.3