python / python/cpython

asyncio.StreamReader raises BufferError with active memoryview

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stdlib topic-asyncio type-bug
Dominant language
Python
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Description

Bug report

Bug description:
Summary

When StreamReader has an active memoryview export of its internal buffer, methods that mutate the buffer in place can raise:

BufferError: Existing exports of data: object cannot be re-sized

This appears in real workloads with async database drivers, but the root cause is in StreamReader buffer mutation behavior.

Steps to reproduce
import asyncio

async def main():
    r = asyncio.StreamReader()
    r.feed_data(b"AABBCCDD")

    # Simulate a consumer that keeps a memoryview alive
    mv = memoryview(r._buffer)

    # Triggers BufferError in current implementation
    await r.readexactly(4)

    mv.release()

asyncio.run(main())
Expected behavior

readexactly(4) should return b"AABB" without raising BufferError.

Actual behavior

BufferError: Existing exports of data: object cannot be re-sized

Why this happens

Some StreamReader paths mutate bytearray in place, for example slice deletion and clear operations. In-place resize is not allowed while a memoryview export exists.

Affected methods
  • read
  • readline
  • readuntil
  • readexactly
Environment
  • Python: 3.13.x, 3.14.x (also reproducible in local tests with newer builds)
  • OS: macOS (also observed in Linux server workloads)
  • Third-party context where this is frequently hit: async DB drivers using memoryview over packet buffers
Possible fix direction

Replace in-place buffer mutations with non-mutating replacement assignments, for example:

  • replace slice delete with reassignment to remaining bytes
  • replace clear with assigning a new empty bytearray

If useful, I can open a PR with tests covering the regression paths.

CPython versions tested on:

3.13

Operating systems tested on:

macOS

Linked PRs
  • gh-146380

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 asyncio.StreamReader and the read, readline, readuntil, and readexactly paths described in the report; run the supplied reproduction to observe the BufferError with an active memoryview. Done means these methods return the expected data without raising, with regression coverage for the affected buffer-mutation paths.

Written by the indexing model from the issue text.

Assessment

Tech stack
python
Domain
backend
Issue type
Bug
Difficulty
3/5
Estimated time
1-2 days
Activity status
Stale
Clarity
Mostly clear
Newbie friendliness
35/100

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