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Breaks python stack, delays venv activation, forgots settings, installs automatically even after being uninstalled. #1690
Description
I'm running a pretty common and standard python stack: recent Mac OS, homebrew python 3.14, vscode insiders with microsoft-shipped python plugins (pylance, flake8, etc).
Every couple months, for whatever reason, this plugin automatically installs in my vscode. Whenever it shows up - lots of things breaks down:
- isort/flake8/mypy and friends stops detecting environment shipped tools, even if i configure them explicitly as "fromEnvironment". In the output, those tools stops detecting active environment, even if it's active on the current python file.
- all automatically configured local .venvs are forgotten and I have to change them manually for every project I work on
- activating the venv in the console takes ages compared to when this thing isn't installed. when you start typing in the meantime, after 5-10 seconds it magically pastes "source ..." at the end of current prompt and submits it. this is dangerous.
It does not improve work in any way. The extra sidebar item gives no useful features. Without the plugin venvs are managed properly (detected, activated)
It breaks multiple things - all microsoft linter plugins, venv settings, etc.
It installs automatically - even after uninstalling it
I cannot understand, why this is pushed to people with average rating on marketplace of 1.5 star out of 5.
Also, could you please provide some information on what funcionality does this tool actually provide?
Environment data
- Python Environments extension version: 1.37.2026073101
- Python extension (
ms-python.python) version: 2026.5.2026070801 - VS Code version (Help → About): 1.132.0-insider (Universal)
- OS and version: Darwin arm64 25.5.0
- Python version (& distribution if applicable, e.g. Anaconda): doesn't matter
- Environment manager in use (
venv/conda/pyenv/poetry/pipenv/system/uv/ other): poetry - Shell (bash / zsh / fish / pwsh / cmd / other): zsh
- Remote / container scenario (none / WSL / SSH Remote / Dev Container / Codespaces): none
- Workspace type (single folder / multi-root / mono-repo): single folder
- Is this a regression? If yes, last known working extension version: doesn't work from the beginning
Activity
eleanorjboyd commentedon Sep 1, 2026
Thanks for the detailed report. This appears to contain several potentially separate problems: the extension being reinstalled, environment/tool settings not being retained, and delayed terminal activation. For a first pass, please attach trace-level output from the Python Environments and Python output channels after reproducing the delayed activation, along with the relevant user and workspace Python settings. Please also say whether the extension is listed as installed because it is an extension dependency or a workspace recommendation.
github-actions commentedon Sep 9, 2026
Because we have not heard back with the information we requested, we are closing this issue for now. If you are able to provide the info later on, then we will be happy to re-open this issue to pick up where we left off.
Happy Coding!