`lazy import a.b as c` incorrectly binds to `a.b.b`

Bug report

(Edited by @johnslavik)

To reproduce:

import importlib.metadata
import importlib.metadata as x
lazy import importlib.metadata as lazy_x

print("type(x):     ", type(x).__name__)  # reifies to importlib.metadata
print("type(lazy_x):", type(lazy_x).__name__)  # reifies to importlib.metadata.metadata

x.distributions()  # OK
lazy_x.distributions()  # AttributeError: 'function' object has no attribute 'distributions'

x is the importlib.metadata module, as expected. lazy_x is instead reified to importlib.metadata.metadata, the function.

The bug is in cached name resolution.

For lazy import a.b as c, the issue reproduces when:

1. a.b is already in sys.modules.
2. a.b has an attribute named b.
3. c is reified.

Possible root cause

The problem may be in _PyEval_LazyImportFrom: [Python/ceval.c:3305-3361](https://github.com/python/cpython/blob/cf312cfa64dcaa1700531ec8bc76d56ddd65fb15/Python/ceval.c#L3305-L3361) (3.15 at cf312cfa64dcaa1700531ec8bc76d56ddd65fb15, v3.15.0rc2-22-gcf312cf).

The sys.modules fast path at lines 3313-3331 runs before the base-module computation at 3333-3360 and looks up name directly in d->lz_from.

In the IMPORT_FROM chain generated for import a.b.c as x, however, d->lz_from does not appear to be the module the attribute should be taken from: on the first step it is the full dotted name, and on later steps it is one component short of the base.

CPython versions tested on:

3.15

Operating systems tested on:

Linux

Linked PRs

• gh-157626

Start by checking linked PR gh-157626, then inspect _PyEval_LazyImportFrom in Python/ceval.c around lines 3305-3361, focusing on the sys.modules fast path and cached name resolution. Reproduce the behavior with the importlib.metadata example; done means lazy import a.b as c binds c to a.b rather than a.b.b and the regression is covered by the relevant tests.