python / python/cpython

On macOS, `socket.close()` after `shutdown(SHUT_RDWR)` does not reliably interrupt a blocked `recv()` with a timeout

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stdlib topic-socket type-bug
Dominant language
Python
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Description

Bug description:

Thread A is blocked in sock.recv() with a timeout set (sock.settimeout(...)).
Thread B closes the socket by calling sock.shutdown(socket.SHUT_RDWR) immediately followed by sock.close()

In this situation, sometimes thread A's recv() call is interrupted promptly, and sometimes it is not interrupted at all: it blocks for the full timeout duration and only then raises TimeoutError, as if shutdown()/close() had no effect on the already-blocked call.

The flakiness is easy to reproduce with the script below, if you have a Mac.

I have not observed this issue when:

  • recv() has no timeout set
  • The socket's peer closes its end — but the whole point is I want to close the socket quickly, without depending on the peer's behavior.
  • A small delay i.e. time.sleep(0.001)is inserted between sock.shutdown(socket.SHUT_RDWR) and sock.close() (but time.sleep(0) is not enough)

Discovered while investigating https://github.com/python-websockets/websockets/issues/1596.

Reproduction
import socket
import threading
import time

RECV_TIMEOUT = 1  # seconds
TRIALS = 50


def run_trial():
    listener = socket.socket(socket.AF_INET, socket.SOCK_STREAM)
    listener.setsockopt(socket.SOL_SOCKET, socket.SO_REUSEADDR, 1)
    listener.bind(("127.0.0.1", 0))
    listener.listen(1)
    a = socket.socket(socket.AF_INET, socket.SOCK_STREAM)
    a.connect(listener.getsockname())
    b, _ = listener.accept()
    listener.close()

    a.settimeout(RECV_TIMEOUT)
    result = {}

    def blocked_recv():
        t0 = time.monotonic()
        try:
            data = a.recv(4096)
            result["outcome"] = f"returned {data!r}"
        except OSError as exc:
            result["outcome"] = f"raised {exc!r}"
        result["elapsed"] = time.monotonic() - t0

    thread = threading.Thread(target=blocked_recv)
    thread.start()
    time.sleep(0.15)  # let the thread actually enter the recv() syscall

    a.shutdown(socket.SHUT_RDWR)
    a.close()

    thread.join()
    b.close()

    return result["elapsed"], result["outcome"]


if __name__ == "__main__":
    hangs = 0
    for i in range(TRIALS):
        elapsed, outcome = run_trial()
        hung = elapsed >= RECV_TIMEOUT * 0.5
        hangs += hung
        print(f"trial {i}: {outcome} after {elapsed:.3f}s {'HUNG' if hung else ''}")
    print(f"\n{hangs}/{TRIALS} trials failed to interrupt recv() promptly")
Expected result

recv() is interrupted within a few milliseconds in every trial, since the socket has been explicitly shut down and closed before the timeout can elapse.

Actual result

A representative run:

27/50 trials failed to interrupt recv() promptly

Individual "HUNG" trials show recv() raising TimeoutError('timed out') after the full RECV_TIMEOUT (1.0s), rather than being interrupted immediately after shutdown()/close() run (~0.15s in, as seen in the non-hung trials).

CPython versions tested on:

3.14

Specifically Python 3.14.4 (main, Apr 18 2026, 07:57:29) [Clang 17.0.0]

Operating systems tested on:

macOS

Specifically macOS 26.5.2 (Darwin 25.5.0), arm64

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 by running the supplied reproduction on macOS and tracing the socket.recv(), socket.shutdown(), and socket.close() entry points in CPython; the issue names no source file or regression test. Done means the blocked recv() is interrupted promptly and reliably after shutdown() followed by close(), with coverage for the reported behavior.

Written by the indexing model from the issue text.

Assessment

Tech stack
macos, python
Domain
networking, operating-systems
Issue type
Bug
Difficulty
4/5
Estimated time
3-5 days
Activity status
Active
Clarity
Mostly clear
Newbie friendliness
52/100

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