diff --git a/eng/common/pipelines/templates/steps/docs-metadata-release.yml b/eng/common/pipelines/templates/steps/docs-metadata-release.yml
index 53070e2f91..b3c8444225 100644
--- a/eng/common/pipelines/templates/steps/docs-metadata-release.yml
+++ b/eng/common/pipelines/templates/steps/docs-metadata-release.yml
@@ -1,24 +1,65 @@
 # intended to be used as part of a release process
 parameters:
-  ArtifactLocation: 'not-specified'
-  PackageRepository: 'not-specified'
-  ReleaseSha: 'not-specified'
-  RepoId: $(Build.Repository.Name)
-  WorkingDirectory: ''
-  ScriptDirectory: eng/common/scripts
-  TargetDocRepoName: ''
-  TargetDocRepoOwner: ''
-  PRBranchName: 'master-rdme'
-  PRLabels: 'auto-merge'
-  ArtifactName: ''
-  Language: ''
-  DocRepoDestinationPath: '' #usually docs-ref-services/
-  CIConfigs: '[]'
-  GHReviewersVariable: '' 
-  GHTeamReviewersVariable: '' # externally set, as eng-common does not have the identity-resolver. Run as pre-step
-  OnboardingBranch: ''
-  CloseAfterOpenForTesting: false
-  SkipPackageJson: false
+  - name: ArtifactLocation
+    type: string
+    default: 'not-specified'
+  - name: PackageRepository
+    type: string
+    default: 'not-specified'
+  - name: ReleaseSha
+    type: string
+    default: 'not-specified'
+  - name: RepoId
+    type: string
+    default: $(Build.Repository.Name)
+  - name: WorkingDirectory
+    type: string
+    default: ''
+  - name: ScriptDirectory
+    type: string
+    default: eng/common/scripts
+  - name: TargetDocRepoName
+    type: string
+    default: ''
+  - name: TargetDocRepoOwner
+    type: string
+    default: ''
+  - name: PRBranchName
+    type: string
+    default: 'master-rdme'
+  - name: PRLabels
+    type: string
+    default: 'auto-merge'
+  - name: ArtifactName
+    type: string
+    default: ''
+  - name: Language
+    type: string
+    default: ''
+  - name: DocRepoDestinationPath
+    type: string
+    default: '' #usually docs-ref-services/
+  - name: CIConfigs
+    type: string
+    default: '[]'
+  - name: GHReviewersVariable
+    type: string
+    default: ''
+  - name: GHTeamReviewersVariable
+    type: string
+    default: ''  # externally set, as eng-common does not have the identity-resolver. Run as pre-step
+  - name: OnboardingBranch
+    type: string
+    default: ''
+  - name: CloseAfterOpenForTesting
+    type: boolean
+    default: false
+  - name: SkipPackageJson
+    type: object
+    default: false
+  - name: SparseCheckoutPaths
+    type: object
+    default: null
 
 steps:
 - pwsh: |
@@ -30,14 +71,25 @@ steps:
       Write-Host "This script is not executing on Windows, skipping registry modification."
     }
   displayName: Enable Long Paths if Necessary
-  
-- pwsh: |
-    git clone https://github.com/${{ parameters.TargetDocRepoOwner }}/${{ parameters.TargetDocRepoName }} ${{ parameters.WorkingDirectory }}/repo
-  displayName: Clone Documentation Repository
-  ignoreLASTEXITCODE: false
+
+- ${{ if not(parameters.SparseCheckoutPaths) }}:
+  - pwsh: |
+      git clone https://github.com/${{ parameters.TargetDocRepoOwner }}/${{ parameters.TargetDocRepoName }} ${{ parameters.WorkingDirectory }}/repo
+    displayName: Clone Documentation Repository
+    ignoreLASTEXITCODE: false
+
+- ${{ if parameters.SparseCheckoutPaths }}:
+  - template: /eng/common/pipelines/templates/steps/sparse-checkout.yml
+    parameters:
+      SkipDefaultCheckout: true
+      Repositories:
+        - Name: ${{ parameters.TargetDocRepoOwner }}/${{ parameters.TargetDocRepoName }}
+          WorkingDirectory: ${{ parameters.WorkingDirectory }}/repo
+      Paths: ${{ parameters.SparseCheckoutPaths }}
+
 - template: /eng/common/pipelines/templates/steps/set-default-branch.yml
   parameters:
-    WorkingDirectory: ${{ parameters.WorkingDirectory }}/repo 
+    WorkingDirectory: ${{ parameters.WorkingDirectory }}/repo
 - task: PowerShell@2
   displayName: 'Apply Documentation Updates From Artifact'
   inputs:
diff --git a/eng/common/pipelines/templates/steps/sparse-checkout.yml b/eng/common/pipelines/templates/steps/sparse-checkout.yml
index cf81555d77..f98cd60605 100644
--- a/eng/common/pipelines/templates/steps/sparse-checkout.yml
+++ b/eng/common/pipelines/templates/steps/sparse-checkout.yml
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@ steps:
       displayName: Init sparse checkout ${{ repo.Name }}
       workingDirectory: ${{ coalesce(repo.WorkingDirectory, format('{0}/{1}', '$(System.DefaultWorkingDirectory)', repo.Name)) }}
 
-    - pwsh: git checkout ${{ repo.Commitish }}
-      displayName: Sparse checkout at ${{ repo.Commitish }}
+    - pwsh: |
+        git checkout ${{ repo.Commitish }}  # this will use the default branch if repo.Commitish is empty
+      displayName: Sparse checkout at ${{ coalesce(repo.Commitish, 'default branch') }}
       workingDirectory: ${{ coalesce(repo.WorkingDirectory, format('{0}/{1}', '$(System.DefaultWorkingDirectory)', repo.Name)) }}