Conflicting terminal environment contributions from extensions

[stev-0]

Type: Bug

Behaviour

Running a terminal with both ms-python.python and ms-python.debugpy extensions contributing to the terminal environment has conflicts - i.e. cannot run debugpy becuase it's not in the path if it is not the last environment override (therefore there may be some randomness for reproducing depending on the order of these overrides).

Steps to reproduce:

1. Open a project with a venv
2. Ensure both the ms-python.python and ms-python.debugpy extensions are present
3. Ensure python.terminal.shellIntegration.enabled is true
4. Open / restart the terminal
5. Start a Python shell. I expect the option to open in Native REPL to be there, but it is not
6. Type debugpy .It may not be in the path despite the message from the terminal stating you can run it

Diagnostic data

Below is the changes to the terminal environment reported by VS Code. The ms-python.python and ms-python.debugpy overwrite each other. The $PATH variable will depend on the order of the changes, which is not configurable.

---

Terminal Environment Changes

Extension: ms-python.debugpy

Enables use of no-config debugging, debugpy <script.py>, in the terminal.

• PYDEVD_DISABLE_FILE_VALIDATION=1
• DEBUGPY_ADAPTER_ENDPOINTS=~/.vscode/extensions/ms-python.debugpy-2025.0.1-linux-x64/.noConfigDebugAdapterEndpoints/endpoint-d65bbbc3e1313e05.txt
• PATH=${env:PATH}:~/.vscode/extensions/ms-python.debugpy-2025.0.1-linux-x64/bundled/scripts/noConfigScripts
• BUNDLED_DEBUGPY_PATH=~/.vscode/extensions/ms-python.debugpy-2025.0.1-linux-x64/bundled/libs/debugpy

Extension: vscode.git

Enables the following features: git auth provider

• GIT_ASKPASS=/usr/share/code/resources/app/extensions/git/dist/askpass.sh
• VSCODE_GIT_ASKPASS_NODE=/usr/share/code/code
• VSCODE_GIT_ASKPASS_EXTRA_ARGS=
• VSCODE_GIT_ASKPASS_MAIN=/usr/share/code/resources/app/extensions/git/dist/askpass-main.js
• VSCODE_GIT_IPC_HANDLE=/run/user/1000/vscode-git-9811775006.sock

Extension: ms-python.python

Activated environment for ./.venv/bin/python3.11

• VIRTUAL_ENV=~/dev/python/xxx/.venv
• VIRTUAL_ENV_PROMPT=project-xxxx
• PS1=project-xxx${env:PS1}
• PATH=~/.vscode/extensions/ms-python.python-2025.0.0-linux-x64/python_files/deactivate/bash:~/dev/python/xxx/.venv/bin:${env:PATH}

---

Extension version: 2025.0.0
VS Code version: Code 1.97.2 (e54c774e0add60467559eb0d1e229c6452cf8447, 2025-02-12T23:20:35.343Z)
OS version: Linux x64 6.8.0-54-generic
Modes:

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

User Settings

languageServer: "Pylance"

testing
• cwd: "<placeholder>"

terminal
• executeInFileDir: "<placeholder>"

Installed Extensions

Extension Name	Extension Id	Version
atlascode	atl	3.4.11
black-formatter	ms-	2024.6.0
debugpy	ms-	2025.0.1
flake8	ms-	2024.0.0
gitlens	eam	16.3.2
isort	ms-	2023.10.1
js-debug	ms-	1.97.1
js-debug-companion	ms-	1.1.3
json	Zai	2.0.2
jupyter	ms-	2025.1.0
jupyter-keymap	ms-	1.1.2
jupyter-renderers	ms-	1.1.0
metals	sca	1.47.0
prettify-json	moh	0.0.3
python	ms-	2025.0.0
rainbow-csv	mec	3.17.0
scala	sca	0.5.9
vscode-js-profile-table	ms-	1.0.10
vscode-jupyter-cell-tags	ms-	0.1.9
vscode-jupyter-powertoys	ms-	0.1.1
vscode-jupyter-slideshow	ms-	0.1.6
vscode-pull-request-github	Git	0.104.1
vscode-pylance	ms-	2025.2.1
vscode-python-envs	ms-	0.3.10441011
vscode-yaml	red	1.16.0

System Info

Item	Value
CPUs	Intel(R) Xeon(R) CPU E3-1505M v5 @ 2.80GHz (8 x 2699)
GPU Status	2d_canvas: unavailable_software canvas_oop_rasterization: disabled_off direct_rendering_display_compositor: disabled_off_ok gpu_compositing: disabled_software multiple_raster_threads: enabled_on opengl: disabled_off rasterization: disabled_software raw_draw: disabled_off_ok skia_graphite: disabled_off video_decode: disabled_software video_encode: disabled_software vulkan: disabled_off webgl: unavailable_software webgl2: unavailable_software webgpu: disabled_off webnn: unavailable_software
Load (avg)	1, 2, 3
Memory (System)	31.27GB (20.15GB free)
Process Argv	--enable-features=UseOzonePlatform --ozone-platform-hint=auto --crash-reporter-id 20fd7479-ebfb-4125-a5b9-647abc6667e7
Screen Reader	no
VM	0%
DESKTOP_SESSION	ubuntu-wayland
XDG_CURRENT_DESKTOP	Unity
XDG_SESSION_DESKTOP	ubuntu-wayland
XDG_SESSION_TYPE	wayland

A/B Experiments

vsliv368:30146709
vspor879:30202332
vspor708:30202333
vspor363:30204092
pythonvspyt551:31249599
vscod805:30301674
binariesv615:30325510
py29gd2263:31024239
c4g48928:30535728
azure-dev_surveyone:30548225
a9j8j154:30646983
962ge761:30959799
h48ei257:31000450
pythontbext0:30879054
cppperfnew:31000557
dwnewjupyter:31046869
nativerepl1:31139838
pythonrstrctxt:31112756
nativeloc2:31192216
iacca1:31171482
5fd0e150:31155592
dwcopilot:31170013
6074i472:31201624
dwoutputs:31242946
customenabled:31248079
8did9651:31230678
9064b325:31222308
copilot_t_ci:31222730
jda6j935:31233686
copilothoveron:31248524

[stev-0]

Looks similar to microsoft/vscode-python#24831

[eleanorjboyd]

Hi @stev-0! We have made updates in this area- does it still not work on newer versions of the extensions?

Also to specify, you are trying to run no-config debug right?

[jastich]

I am also experiencing this with ms-python.debugpy 2025.6.0 and ms-python.python 2025.4.0. This PATH conflict is preventing my use of the python interpreter from a virtual environment when the terminal is opened.

[stev-0]

With Version: 1.99.0
ms-python.debugpy: 2025.6.0
ms-python.python: 2025.4.0

all works, I think the trick was having:

    "python.experiments.optOutFrom": [
        "pythonTerminalEnvVarActivation"
    ] 

in settings.json

Unfortuately this means you have to activate the venv yourself, for now at least.

[eleanorjboyd]

@anthonykim1 since you are looking at the envirnoment variable contribution code this month for other things