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Python extension activates virtual environment twice / delayed activation interrupts terminal input #25868

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Python extension activates virtual environment twice / delayed activation interrupts terminal input#25868
Assignees
anthonykim1
Labels
triage-neededNeeds assignment to the proper sub-team

Description

@philhanna
Phil Hanna (philhanna)
opened on Mar 18, 2026

Type: Bug

Summary

When opening a terminal in VS Code with Python extension enabled, the virtual environment activation:

  1. Happens with a delay (a few seconds)
  2. Sometimes runs twice
  3. Interrupts user input if typing has already started

This makes the terminal unreliable and feels like a race condition.

Steps to Reproduce

  1. Open a workspace with a .venv
  2. Ensure Python interpreter is set to that venv
  3. Open a new terminal
  4. Immediately start typing

Expected Behavior

  • Environment activates immediately OR deterministically before input
  • Activation runs exactly once
  • No interruption of user input

Actual Behavior

  • Activation occurs after a delay
  • Sometimes runs twice
  • Interrupts typing (inserts activation command mid-input)

Settings

Example settings:

{
"python-envs.terminal.autoActivationType": "command",
"python.terminal.activateEnvInCurrentTerminal": true
}

(Also observed with default settings)

Environment

  • VS Code version:
  • Python extension version:
  • OS: (Linux / Windows / macOS)
  • Shell: (bash, zsh, etc.)

Additional Notes

This appears related to multiple activation mechanisms:

  • python-envs.terminal.autoActivationType
  • python.terminal.activateEnvironment
  • python.terminal.activateEnvInCurrentTerminal

Possibly a race condition between extension activation and terminal creation.

PYTHON SHOW OUTPUT:
2026-03-17 19:43:38.307 [info] Native locator: Refresh started
2026-03-17 19:43:38.555 [info] Native locator: Refresh started
2026-03-17 19:43:38.763 [info] VS Code was launched from an activated environment: 'venv', selecting it as the interpreter for workspace.
2026-03-17 19:43:38.800 [info] Native locator: Refresh finished in 596 ms
2026-03-17 19:43:39.180 [info] Native locator: Refresh started
2026-03-17 19:43:39.182 [info] Python interpreter path: ./venv/bin/python
2026-03-17 19:43:39.205 [info] Active interpreter [/home/saspeh/today/2026-03-17/cword]: /home/saspeh/today/2026-03-17/cword/venv/bin/python
2026-03-17 19:43:39.765 [info] Native locator: Refresh finished in 585 ms
2026-03-17 19:43:39.799 [info] > pyenv which python
2026-03-17 19:43:39.799 [info] cwd: .
2026-03-17 19:43:41.998 [info] Starting Pylance language server.
2026-03-17 19:45:50.797 [info] Native locator: Refresh started
2026-03-17 19:45:50.851 [info] Native locator: Refresh finished in 495 ms
2026-03-17 19:45:50.852 [info] VS Code was launched from an activated environment: 'venv', selecting it as the interpreter for workspace.
2026-03-17 19:45:51.018 [info] Python interpreter path: ./venv/bin/python
2026-03-17 19:45:51.296 [info] > pyenv which python
2026-03-17 19:45:51.296 [info] cwd: .
2026-03-17 19:45:53.515 [info] Starting Pylance language server.

My thoughts

This feels like a race condition between terminal startup and extension activation.

Extension version: 2026.4.0
VS Code version: Code 1.111.0 (ce099c1ed25d9eb3076c11e4a280f3eb52b4fbeb, 2026-03-06T23:06:10Z)
OS version: Linux x64 6.8.0-106-generic
Modes:

  • Python version (& distribution if applicable, e.g. Anaconda): 3.12.3
  • Type of virtual environment used (e.g. conda, venv, virtualenv, etc.): Venv
  • Value of the python.languageServer setting: Default
User Settings 


languageServer: "Pylance"

Installed Extensions
Extension Name Extension Id Version
autodocstring njp 0.6.1
autopep8 ms- 2025.2.0
black-formatter ms- 2025.2.0
cmake twx 0.0.17
cmake-tools ms- 1.22.28
copilot-chat Git 0.39.2
cpp-devtools ms- 0.3.6
cpptools ms- 1.30.5
cpptools-extension-pack ms- 1.5.1
cpptools-themes ms- 2.0.0
debugpy ms- 2025.18.0
docker doc 0.18.0
even-better-toml tam 0.21.2
go gol 0.52.2
java red 1.53.0
jinja who 0.0.8
js-debug ms- 1.110.0
js-debug-companion ms- 1.1.3
language-j tik 0.9.6
live-server ms- 0.4.17
LiveServer rit 5.7.10
open-in-vim jon 0.7.0
pdf tom 1.2.2
python ms- 2026.4.0
python-docs Muk 0.8.3
python-environment-manager don 1.2.7
python-extension-pack don 1.7.0
rainbow-csv mec 3.24.1
remote-containers ms- 0.447.0
scala sca 0.5.9
sqlite-viewer qwt 25.12.2
test-adapter-converter ms- 0.2.1
todo-tree Gru 0.0.226
vsc-python-indent Kev 1.21.0
vscode-containers ms- 2.4.1
vscode-django bat 1.15.0
vscode-docker ms- 2.0.0
vscode-github-actions git 0.31.0
vscode-gradle vsc 3.17.2
vscode-java-debug vsc 0.58.5
vscode-java-dependency vsc 0.27.0
vscode-java-pack vsc 0.30.5
vscode-java-test vsc 0.44.0
vscode-js-profile-table ms- 1.0.10
vscode-maven vsc 0.45.1
vscode-pylance ms- 2026.1.1
vscode-python-envs ms- 1.22.0
vscode-python-test-adapter lit 0.8.2
vscode-sqlite ale 0.14.1
vscode-test-explorer hbe 2.22.1
vscode-xml red 0.29.0
vscode-yaml red 1.21.0
System Info
Item Value
CPUs AMD Ryzen 7 5700G with Radeon Graphics (16 x 3705)
GPU Status 2d_canvas: enabled
GPU0: VENDOR= 0x1002 [Google Inc. (AMD)], DEVICE=0x1638 [ANGLE (AMD, AMD Radeon Graphics (radeonsi renoir ACO), OpenGL 4.6 (Core Profile) Mesa 25.2.8-0ubuntu0.24.04.1)], DRIVER_VENDOR=Mesa, DRIVER_VERSION=25.2.8 ACTIVE
Machine model name:
Machine model version:
direct_rendering_display_compositor: disabled_off_ok
gpu_compositing: enabled
multiple_raster_threads: enabled_on
opengl: enabled_on
rasterization: enabled
raw_draw: disabled_off_ok
skia_graphite: disabled_off
trees_in_viz: disabled_off
video_decode: enabled
video_encode: disabled_software
vulkan: disabled_off
webgl: enabled
webgl2: enabled
webgpu: disabled_off
webnn: disabled_off
Load (avg) 0, 1, 1
Memory (System) 14.96GB (9.09GB free)
Process Argv . --crash-reporter-id 76f07ab8-e1ec-4776-ab4a-6235c73325cf
Screen Reader no
VM 0%
DESKTOP_SESSION ubuntu
XDG_CURRENT_DESKTOP ubuntu:GNOME
XDG_SESSION_DESKTOP ubuntu
XDG_SESSION_TYPE x11
A/B Experiments 
vsliv368:30146709
binariesv615:30325510
nativeloc1:31344060
dwcopilot:31170013
dwoutputs:31242946
copilot_t_ci:31333650
e5gg6876:31282496
pythonrdcb7:31342333
6518g693:31463988
aj953862:31281341
6abeh943:31336334
envsdeactivate2:31464701
cloudbuttont:31379625
aihoversummaries_f:31469309
3efgi100_wstrepl:31403338
56b7f661:31457055
use-responses-api:31390855
anonusage:31403420
ddidtcf:31399634
je187915:31401257
ec5jj548:31422691
cp_cls_t_966_ss:31454198
a9239246:31458807
4je02754:31466945
c3h7c220:31478652
ge8j1254_inline_auto_hint_haiku:31431912
38bie571_auto:31478678
7a04d226_do_not_restore_last_panel_session:31438103
preserve_tokens:31444547
cp_cls_t_1081:31454832
ia-use-proxy-models-svc:31452481
a43f0574a:31442826
e9c30283:31461165
test_treatment2:31471001
ts_provider_disabled:31458191
nes-conv-2-3:31477815
g_63ac8346:31467999
idci7584:31464702
edit_mode_hidden:31461530
864ei723_large_tool_results_to_disk:31460878
notips:31471632
ei9d7968:31458072
534a6447_copy:31478748
nes-extended-on:31455476
chat:31457767
8hig5102:31473806
ah:31460422
8a2c4887_5_3_codex_prompt:31475326
cpptoolson-v2:31475363
thinking_effort_h:31478170
4dgh1208:31471592
editor1:31474144
thinking_c:31471065
db0gd219:31473911
newsessionicon:31473927
h08i8180_copy:31475368
ddid_t:31478206

Activity

  1. github-actions
    added
    triage-neededNeeds assignment to the proper sub-team
    on Mar 18, 2026

  2. philhanna commented on Mar 18, 2026

    @philhanna
    Phil Hanna (philhanna)
    on Mar 18, 2026
    Author

    Feel free to ask any further questions that would help you. Thanks very much!

  3. eleanorjboyd commented on Mar 18, 2026

    @eleanorjboyd
    Eleanor Boyd (eleanorjboyd)
    on Mar 18, 2026
    Member

    can you set python.useEnvsExtension to true and then make sure you have the latest version of the python environments extension installed? We just put in a fix for this problem

  4. Eleanor Boyd (eleanorjboyd)
    added
    info-neededIssue requires more information from poster
    on Mar 18, 2026

  5. philhanna commented on Mar 19, 2026

    @philhanna
    Phil Hanna (philhanna)
    on Mar 19, 2026 via email
    Author
  6. github-actions
    removed
    info-neededIssue requires more information from poster
    on Mar 19, 2026
  7. Anthony Kim (anthonykim1)
    self-assigned this
    on Mar 20, 2026

  8. anthonykim1 commented on Mar 20, 2026

    @anthonykim1
    Anthony Kim (anthonykim1)
    on Mar 20, 2026

    Please set python-envs.terminal.autoActivationType to shellStartup in your settings.
    Also add "python.useEnvironmentsExtension": true, to your settings.json.

    Please file issue on https://github.com/microsoft/vscode-python-environments/issues if you see problem again, thanks.

    Delay is We now have unified timeout for shell integration: microsoft/vscode#272369
    See more descriptions here: https://code.visualstudio.com/updates/v1_106#_consolidated-shell-integration-timeout-setting

  9. Anthony Kim (anthonykim1)
    closed this as completedon Mar 20, 2026
  10. github-actions
    added
    info-neededIssue requires more information from poster
    on Mar 20, 2026

  11. philhanna commented on Mar 21, 2026

    @philhanna
    Phil Hanna (philhanna)
    on Mar 21, 2026 via email
    Author
  12. github-actions
    removed
    info-neededIssue requires more information from poster
    on Mar 21, 2026
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