diff --git a/cli/azd/pkg/azdo/pipeline.go b/cli/azd/pkg/azdo/pipeline.go
index 65ff6cff449..687fd487155 100644
--- a/cli/azd/pkg/azdo/pipeline.go
+++ b/cli/azd/pkg/azdo/pipeline.go
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ package azdo
 
 import (
 	"context"
+	"encoding/json"
 	"fmt"
 	"strings"
 
@@ -116,6 +117,7 @@ func CreatePipeline(
 		if err != nil {
 			return nil, err
 		}
+		EscapeBuildDefinitionVariables(buildDefinitionVariables)
 		definition.Variables = buildDefinitionVariables
 		definition, err := client.UpdateDefinition(ctx, build.UpdateDefinitionArgs{
 			Definition:   definition,
@@ -140,6 +142,7 @@ func CreatePipeline(
 		return nil, err
 	}
 
+	EscapeBuildDefinitionVariables(createDefinitionArgs.Definition.Variables)
 	newBuildDefinition, err := client.CreateDefinition(ctx, *createDefinitionArgs)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
@@ -148,6 +151,21 @@ func CreatePipeline(
 	return newBuildDefinition, nil
 }
 
+func EscapeBuildDefinitionVariables(vars *map[string]build.BuildDefinitionVariable) {
+	for key, variable := range *vars {
+		if variable.Value != nil {
+			original := *variable.Value
+			b, _ := json.Marshal(original)
+			s := string(b)
+			if len(s) >= 2 && s[0] == '"' && s[len(s)-1] == '"' {
+				s = s[1 : len(s)-1]
+			}
+			variable.Value = &s
+			(*vars)[key] = variable
+		}
+	}
+}
+
 func getDefinitionVariables(
 	env *environment.Environment,
 	credentials *entraid.AzureCredentials,
diff --git a/cli/azd/pkg/pipeline/github_provider.go b/cli/azd/pkg/pipeline/github_provider.go
index b441a39cee9..b02580620d3 100644
--- a/cli/azd/pkg/pipeline/github_provider.go
+++ b/cli/azd/pkg/pipeline/github_provider.go
@@ -979,6 +979,8 @@ func (p *GitHubCiProvider) configurePipeline(
 		}
 	}
 
+	JsonEscapeVariables(toBeSetSecrets, toBeSetVariables)
+
 	// set the new variables and secrets
 	for key, value := range toBeSetSecrets {
 		if err := p.ghCli.SetSecret(ctx, repoSlug, key, value); err != nil {
@@ -999,6 +1001,19 @@ func (p *GitHubCiProvider) configurePipeline(
 	}, nil
 }
 
+func JsonEscapeVariables(vars ...map[string]string) {
+	for _, m := range vars {
+		for key, value := range m {
+			b, _ := json.Marshal(value)
+			s := string(b)
+			if len(s) >= 2 && s[0] == '"' && s[len(s)-1] == '"' {
+				s = s[1 : len(s)-1]
+			}
+			m[key] = s
+		}
+	}
+}
+
 // workflow is the implementation for a CiPipeline for GitHub
 type workflow struct {
 	repoDetails *gitRepositoryDetails