This is correct/expected behavior - check the help text for propagate at https://jenkins.io/doc/pipeline/steps/pipeline-build-step/#build-build-a-job. If propagate is true and the downstream build fails/is aborted/is unstable, the build step fails and returns null. If you want to act on the result of the downstream build, you want propagate set to false.

I can not agree that this is a correct behavior. It's a blocker for the following use case I'm trying to implement:

• Run a set of tests represented by Jenkins Jobs
• For jobs that fail post name of the test and a link to a corresponding build

For failing tests build step returns null and I can't get BUILD_URL

May you suggest an alternative way to unblock me?

Set `propagate` to false.

Got it. I set propagate to false and then analyzed result field. Thank you for quick help, Andrew!

There is still a problem with that implementation.

If propagate is set to false, all the corresponding tests are displayed in GREEN

Is it possible to let the upstream  job know about failures?

Are there any problems with returning real non-null result if wait is true?

 What is the logic behind using 'propagate' field to whether returning result?

I strongly believe it should be returned or not based on 'wait' parameter and this is a valid non-minor defect that does not have a workaround and needs to be fixed

I can not agree with resolution "Resolved" because it is "not a defect".

If a build is not SUCCESSFUL, there is a need to have it results like a link to BUILD_URL.

Consider the following use case:

    Run Tests as Jenkins jobs called from pipeline

    Provide links to jobs that failed

The suggested solution is to set propagate to false that results in displaying all builds/tests as SUCCESSFUL - it's not acceptable.

IMO, whether or not to return results of execution should depend on wait parameter. If wait is true, results should be available and should be returned. If wait is false - build is only launched without waiting to its completion - then result is not available.

That should not be related to 'propagate' 

So this is definitely a confusing setting, no question. The problem here is that propagate really just means "if the downstream build fails, this step fails too". That directly results in returning null - a failed Pipeline step can't return anything. I'll leave this open in case an alternative approach comes to mind, but I don't think there's a way to achieve what you want.