python / python/cpython

Python 3.13: PyThreadState_SetAsyncExc might deliver the exception outside of the thread

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3.13 interpreter-core topic-C-API type-bug
Dominant language
Python
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Description

Bug report

Bug description:

I have the following naive demo that uses PyThreadState_SetAsyncExc to implement a time-limited interruptible context manager:

import contextlib
import ctypes
import sys
import threading
import time


class Interruptible:
    def __init__(self, seconds: float):
        self.seconds = seconds
        self.finished = False

    def __enter__(self):
        self._thread = threading.Thread(
            target=self._interrupt_in,
            args=(threading.get_ident(), self.seconds),
            daemon=True,
        )
        self._thread.start()
        return self

    def __exit__(self, exc_type, exc_value, traceback):
        self.finished = True

    def _interrupt_in(self, tid: int, seconds: float) -> None:
        time.sleep(self.seconds)
        print(f"Slept for {seconds}")
        if self.finished:
            print("Finished, not interrupting")
            return
        else:
            print("Not finished, interrupting")
            ctypes.pythonapi.PyThreadState_SetAsyncExc(
                ctypes.c_long(tid), ctypes.py_object(TimeoutError)
            )


def busy_loop():
    s = time.monotonic()
    while time.monotonic() - s < 0.5:
        pass


print(f"Python version: {sys.version}")

for i in range(100):
    try:
        with Interruptible(seconds=0.1):
            s = time.monotonic()
            while time.monotonic() - s < 0.5:
                pass
            # NOTE: If we replace above block with the equivalent busy_loop(), it works.
            # busy_loop()
    except TimeoutError:
        print(f"Iteration {i + 1}: ✓ TimeoutError caught")
    else:
        print(f"Iteration {i + 1}: ✗ TimeoutError NOT raised")
    time.sleep(0.01)  # Small delay between iterations

In Python 3.13, this might fail with something like:

❯ python /tmp/demo.py
Python version: 3.13.7 (main, Sep 29 2025, 18:42:10) [GCC 11.4.0]
Slept for 0.1
Not finished, interrupting
Iteration 1: ✓ TimeoutError caught
Slept for 0.1
Not finished, interrupting
Iteration 2: ✓ TimeoutError caught
Slept for 0.1
Not finished, interrupting
Iteration 3: ✓ TimeoutError caught
Slept for 0.1
Not finished, interrupting
Iteration 4: ✓ TimeoutError caught
Slept for 0.1
Not finished, interrupting
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "/tmp/demo.py", line 50, in <module>
    while time.monotonic() - s < 0.5:
          ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
TimeoutError

Meaning the TimeoutError is raised but not caught by the try/except block. A few other observations:

  1. If I wrap the "work" inside the context manager to a wrapper function busy_loop(), it's NOT reproducible.
  2. I tested Python 3.11.13, 3.12.11, 3.13.7, and 3.14.0rc3, it is only reproducible in Python 3.13.7.
CPython versions tested on:

3.13, 3.12, 3.14, 3.11

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 with /tmp/demo.py and the PyThreadState_SetAsyncExc entry point, reproducing on Python 3.13.7 and comparing Python 3.11, 3.12, and 3.14. Done means explaining why TimeoutError escapes the surrounding handler and adding a regression test for the expected exception delivery behavior.

Written by the indexing model from the issue text.

Assessment

Tech stack
python
Domain
backend
Issue type
Bug
Difficulty
4/5
Estimated time
3-5 days
Activity status
Stale
Clarity
Mostly clear
Newbie friendliness
42/100

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