diff --git a/eng/pipelines/release-cli.yml b/eng/pipelines/release-cli.yml
index f59961e9746..26bd5b22891 100644
--- a/eng/pipelines/release-cli.yml
+++ b/eng/pipelines/release-cli.yml
@@ -1,3 +1,12 @@
+parameters:
+  - name: AzureRecordMode
+    displayName: Azure Record Mode
+    type: string
+    default: live
+    values:
+      - playback
+      - live
+
 # Continuous deployment trigger
 trigger:
   branches:
@@ -33,6 +42,12 @@ extends:
     stages:
     - template: /eng/pipelines/templates/stages/build-and-test.yml
       parameters:
+        # Scheduled and manual runs use 'live' mode by default for validation against real Azure resources.
+        # CI runs (push/PR) use 'playback' mode. Manual runs can override via the AzureRecordMode parameter.
+        ${{ if in(variables['Build.Reason'], 'IndividualCI', 'BatchedCI', 'PullRequest') }}:
+          AzureRecordMode: playback
+        ${{ else }}:
+          AzureRecordMode: ${{ parameters.AzureRecordMode }}
         BuildMatrix:
           Windows:
             Pool: $(WINDOWSPOOL)
diff --git a/eng/pipelines/templates/jobs/build-cli.yml b/eng/pipelines/templates/jobs/build-cli.yml
index 30a1a478c4d..031764da646 100644
--- a/eng/pipelines/templates/jobs/build-cli.yml
+++ b/eng/pipelines/templates/jobs/build-cli.yml
@@ -16,6 +16,9 @@ parameters:
   - name: UploadArtifact
     type: boolean
     default: true
+  - name: AzureRecordMode
+    type: string
+    default: playback
   - name: ghCopilotClientId
     type: string
   - name: ghCopilotIntegrationId
@@ -150,7 +153,7 @@ jobs:
           AZD_TEST_TENANT_ID: $(AzureSubscriptionTenantId)
           AZD_TEST_AZURE_SUBSCRIPTION_ID: $(SubscriptionId)
           AZD_TEST_AZURE_LOCATION: eastus2
-          AZURE_RECORD_MODE: playback # Always run in 'playback' mode during CI builds
+          AZURE_RECORD_MODE: ${{ parameters.AzureRecordMode }} # Defaults to 'playback'; controlled by AzureRecordMode parameter
           # AZD Live Test: Terraform authentication via `az`
           ARM_USE_CLI: true
           # Code Coverage: Generate junit report to publish results
diff --git a/eng/pipelines/templates/stages/build-and-test.yml b/eng/pipelines/templates/stages/build-and-test.yml
index d64697ea4fe..40d47ea00cd 100644
--- a/eng/pipelines/templates/stages/build-and-test.yml
+++ b/eng/pipelines/templates/stages/build-and-test.yml
@@ -1,4 +1,7 @@
 parameters: 
+  - name: AzureRecordMode
+    type: string
+    default: playback
   - name: BuildMatrix
     type: object
   - name: CrossBuildMatrix
@@ -79,6 +82,7 @@ stages:
             OS: ${{ build.value.OS }}
             UploadArtifact: ${{ build.value.UploadArtifact}}
             Variables: ${{ build.value.Variables }}
+            AzureRecordMode: ${{ parameters.AzureRecordMode }}
             ghCopilotClientId: ${{ build.value.GhCopilotClientId }}
             ghCopilotIntegrationId: ${{ build.value.GhCopilotIntegrationId }}