https://github.com/python/cpython/commit/71cb9e8b64c4a89971955d3ce8ff393f283aeace commit: 71cb9e8b64c4a89971955d3ce8ff393f283aeace branch: main author: Clay Dugo <[email protected]> committer: brettcannon <[email protected]> date: 2026-08-28T23:37:42Z summary:
gh-143768: Replace a dangling interpreter symlink when creating a venv (#150985) Co-authored-by: Brett Cannon <[email protected]> files: A Misc/NEWS.d/next/Library/2026-06-05-16-57-03.gh-issue-143768.RbLnkFx.rst M Doc/library/venv.rst M Lib/test/test_venv.py M Lib/venv/__init__.py diff --git a/Doc/library/venv.rst b/Doc/library/venv.rst index fd9c9b9a19dd9b3..34b21aba17461b4 100644 --- a/Doc/library/venv.rst +++ b/Doc/library/venv.rst @@ -452,6 +452,12 @@ creation according to their needs, the :class:`EnvBuilder` class. On POSIX systems, if a specific executable ``python3.x`` was used, symlinks to ``python`` and ``python3`` will be created pointing to that executable, unless files with those names already exist. + On POSIX systems, a broken symlink at a destination path is removed + before the copy or symlink is created. + + .. versionchanged:: next + A broken symlink at a destination path is now removed and replaced. + Previously it was left in place, or it made the copy fail. .. method:: setup_scripts(context) diff --git a/Lib/test/test_venv.py b/Lib/test/test_venv.py index b4ad1bf3f412948..2f30d3108021dc6 100644 --- a/Lib/test/test_venv.py +++ b/Lib/test/test_venv.py @@ -946,6 +946,33 @@ def test_failed_symlink(self): filepath_regex = r"'[A-Z]:\\\\(?:[^\\\\]+\\\\)*[^\\\\]+'" self.assertRegex(err, rf"Unable to symlink {filepath_regex} to {filepath_regex}") + @requireVenvCreate + @unittest.skipIf(os.name == 'nt', 'not relevant on Windows') + @unittest.skipUnless(can_symlink(), 'Needs symlinks') + def test_broken_symlink_in_existing_venv(self): + """ + Test creating a venv when a stale venv with broken symlinks exists. + """ + bindir = os.path.join(self.env_dir, self.bindir) + os.makedirs(bindir) + python = os.path.join(bindir, 'python3') + os.symlink('/path/to/deleted/env/bin/python3', python) + self.assertTrue(os.path.islink(python)) + self.assertFalse(os.path.exists(python)) + + builder = venv.EnvBuilder(with_pip=False, symlinks=True) + self.run_with_capture(builder.create, self.env_dir) + self.assertTrue(os.path.islink(python)) + self.assertTrue(os.path.exists(python)) + + rmtree(self.env_dir) + os.makedirs(bindir) + os.symlink('/path/to/deleted/env/bin/python3', python) + builder = venv.EnvBuilder(with_pip=False, symlinks=False) + self.run_with_capture(builder.create, self.env_dir) + self.assertFalse(os.path.islink(python)) + self.assertTrue(os.path.exists(python)) + @requireVenvCreate def test_multiprocessing(self): """ diff --git a/Lib/venv/__init__.py b/Lib/venv/__init__.py index 4c8e4e8efeaa724..38e1bfe0c5fdb9d 100644 --- a/Lib/venv/__init__.py +++ b/Lib/venv/__init__.py @@ -266,6 +266,8 @@ def symlink_or_copy(self, src, dst, relative_symlinks_ok=False): switch to a different set of files instead.) """ assert os.name != 'nt' + if os.path.islink(dst) and not os.path.exists(dst): + os.unlink(dst) force_copy = not self.symlinks if not force_copy: try: diff --git a/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Library/2026-06-05-16-57-03.gh-issue-143768.RbLnkFx.rst b/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Library/2026-06-05-16-57-03.gh-issue-143768.RbLnkFx.rst new file mode 100644 index 000000000000000..1aacaf432ccfb25 --- /dev/null +++ b/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Library/2026-06-05-16-57-03.gh-issue-143768.RbLnkFx.rst @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +:mod:`venv`: Replace a dangling interpreter symlink in an existing +virtual environment instead of failing or silently leaving it broken. +Fix by Clay Dugo. _______________________________________________ Python-checkins mailing list -- [email protected] To unsubscribe send an email to [email protected] https://mail.python.org/mailman3//lists/python-checkins.python.org Member address: [email protected]
