"Discovering Python Interpreters" spins indefinitely, ignores settings, experiment flag overrides python.locator

[samkorn]

(I'm using Cursor not VSCode, and neither of the command palate bug reports work, so please let me know if there's a better way than this to file the bug)

Environment

• OS: macOS (Darwin arm64 24.6.0, Apple Silicon)
• Editor: Cursor 2.4.31 (VS Code 1.105.1)
• Python extension: ms-python.python v2025.6.1
• Python sources:
  • /usr/bin/python3 (system, 3.9.6)
  • pyenv 3.10.13 (1 installed version, 37 shims)
  • Homebrew Python 3.12.1
  • Legacy Python 2.7 framework at /Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/ (from 2015, i386/x86_64 binaries)
  • 15 Python 2.7 symlinks in /usr/local/bin/

Bug

The status bar shows "Discovering Python Interpreters" with an infinite spinner that never completes, even after leaving the editor open for days. The pythonLocator cache directory (globalStorage/ms-python.python/pythonLocator/) remains permanently empty — the scan never finishes or writes results.

Steps to reproduce

1. Have the above mix of Python sources on an ARM Mac (notably the legacy 2.7 i386/x86_64 framework)
2. Open any workspace
3. Observe "Discovering Python Interpreters" spinning forever in the status bar

What I've tried (none of these resolve it)

• Setting python.defaultInterpreterPath to a valid binary
• Setting python.locator to "js"
• Setting python.experiments.enabled to false
• Blanking python.condaPath, python.venvPath, python.poetryPath, python.pipenvPath, python.activeStateToolPath, python.pixiToolPath
• Setting python.venvFolders to []
• Setting python.interpreter.infoVisibility to "never"
• Full quit and restart

Expected behavior

1. With python.defaultInterpreterPath set, the extension should use that interpreter immediately without blocking on discovery.
2. The python.locator setting should be respected. It appears to be tagged onExP / preview in package.json, suggesting the native pet binary may be force-enabled via an A/B experiment flag, overriding the user's explicit setting.
3. The pet binary (python-env-tools/bin/pet) should not hang indefinitely — it likely gets stuck probing legacy Python 2.7 i386/x86_64 binaries on ARM macOS, or iterating pyenv shims.

Additional context

Setting python.experiments.enabled to false also had no effect, further suggesting the native locator is being force-enabled outside of user-controllable settings.

[karthiknadig]

That looks like an old version of the python extension. Can you update it to the latest?