python / python/cpython

PyImport_Import does not fall back to default builtins

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topic-C-API type-bug
Dominant language
Python
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Description

Bug report

Bug description:

When importing a module with PyImport_Import() inside an already running python which does have limited globals, the import fails due to missing __builtins__: https://github.com/python/cpython/blob/01ba7df49966eaf14f44962a77898840c70dda96/Python/import.c#L3914-L3921

It feels similar to this issue: https://github.com/python/cpython/pull/24564 but with a slightly different setup.

Originally reported for pyo3 here: https://github.com/PyO3/pyo3/issues/4913

Minimal reproducer below, fuller reproducer can be found here: https://gitlab.com/nertpinx/cpython_repr

#include <Python.h>

PyObject *
func(PyObject *self __attribute__((unused)),
     PyObject *arg)
{
    return PyImport_Import(arg);
}

static PyMethodDef method_def = {
    .ml_name = "func",
    .ml_meth = func,
    .ml_flags = METH_NOARGS,
    .ml_doc = "Reproducer function",
};

int
main(int argc __attribute__((unused)),
     char **argv __attribute__((unused)))
{
    Py_InitializeEx(0);

    PyObject *program = NULL;
    PyObject *globals = NULL;
    PyObject *supermodule = NULL;
    PyObject *py_func = NULL;

    supermodule = PyUnicode_FromString("supermodule");
    py_func = PyCFunction_NewEx(&method_def, NULL, supermodule);
    globals = PyDict_New();
    PyDict_SetItemString(globals, "func", py_func);

    program = Py_CompileString("func()", "<string>", Py_file_input);
    PyEval_EvalCode(program, globals, NULL);

    if (PyErr_Occurred()) {
        PyErr_Print();
        return 1;
    }

    return 0;
}
CPython versions tested on:

3.13

Operating systems tested on:

Linux

Contributor guide

Open the contributing guide

First steps

  1. Read the whole issue, then the project's contributing guide.
  2. Comment on the issue to say you are picking it up — it saves two people doing the same work.
  3. Fork the repository and make your change on a branch.
  4. Open a pull request that references the issue number.

Research direction

Start at the referenced import.c lines around 3914-3921 and build the minimal C reproducer against CPython 3.13. Check how PyImport_Import handles globals without builtins, then add a regression test covering the limited-globals setup. Done means the import succeeds using default builtins rather than failing with missing builtins.

Written by the indexing model from the issue text.

Assessment

Tech stack
c, python
Domain
api, backend
Issue type
Bug
Difficulty
4/5
Estimated time
3-5 days
Activity status
Stale
Clarity
Mostly clear
Newbie friendliness
35/100

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