bug/regression: symlink not properly resolved for python virtual environments

[manlaya]

Type: Bug

Behaviour

I have python environments in my computer, all have been symlinked to ~/envs folder (under WSL2 Debian when on Windows ; under Fedora Workstation 41 and Ubuntu 22.04 when on Linux).
When working in any directory of my computer and selecting the python interpreter, the automatic scan used to find the symlinks to environments in my home folder (tested with vscode v1.98.0 and v1.91.1).
These symlinks are not detected anymore. It only works if the folder in ~/envs is not a symlink.

Bug happens since python extension version > 2024.16.

In the output log, the search for environment find ~/envs/am which is not a symlink but
can't find ~/envs/gm which is a symlink.

The bug also happen with a "fresh" vscode (only python extension installed).

Steps to reproduce:

1. create a virtual environment with venv in any folder
2. symlink it into $HOME/envs
3. open vscode in another folder and hit "select python interpreter"
4. the scan of python environment should see the links in ~/envs/

Diagnostic data

Output for Python in the Output panel (View→Output, change the drop-down the upper-right of the Output panel to Python)

2025-03-06 21:42:03.651 [info] Starting Pylance language server.
2025-03-06 21:42:23.988 [info] Starting Environment refresh
2025-03-06 21:42:23.988 [info] Searching for interpreters in posix paths locator
2025-03-06 21:42:23.990 [info] Searching for pyenv environments
2025-03-06 21:42:23.990 [info] Searching for conda environments
2025-03-06 21:42:23.990 [info] Searching for global virtual environments
2025-03-06 21:42:23.990 [info] Searching for custom virtual environments
2025-03-06 21:42:24.109 [info] > hatch env show --json
2025-03-06 21:42:24.109 [info] cwd: .
2025-03-06 21:42:24.112 [info] pyenv is not installed
2025-03-06 21:42:24.112 [info] Finished searching for pyenv environments: 123 milliseconds
2025-03-06 21:42:24.140 [info] Found: /bin/python2 --> /usr/bin/python2.7
2025-03-06 21:42:24.141 [info] Found: /bin/python2.7 --> /bin/python2.7
2025-03-06 21:42:24.144 [info] Found: /bin/python3 --> /bin/python3.11
2025-03-06 21:42:24.145 [info] Found: /bin/python3.11 --> /bin/python3.11
2025-03-06 21:42:24.271 [info] Found: /usr/bin/python2 --> /usr/bin/python2.7
2025-03-06 21:42:24.272 [info] Found: /usr/bin/python2.7 --> /usr/bin/python2.7
2025-03-06 21:42:24.272 [info] Found: /usr/bin/python3 --> /usr/bin/python3.11
2025-03-06 21:42:24.272 [info] Found: /usr/bin/python3.11 --> /usr/bin/python3.11
2025-03-06 21:42:24.297 [info] > /bin/python3 -I ~/.vscode-server/extensions/ms-python.python-2025.2.0-linux-x64/python_files/get_output_via_markers.py ~/.vscode-server/extensions/ms-python.python-2025.2.0-linux-x64/python_files/interpreterInfo.py
2025-03-06 21:42:24.306 [info] Finished searching for conda environments: 313 milliseconds
2025-03-06 21:42:24.306 [info] > ~/miniforge3/bin/python -I ~/.vscode-server/extensions/ms-python.python-2025.2.0-linux-x64/python_files/get_output_via_markers.py ~/.vscode-server/extensions/ms-python.python-2025.2.0-linux-x64/python_files/interpreterInfo.py
2025-03-06 21:42:24.312 [info] Finished searching for global virtual envs: 323 milliseconds
2025-03-06 21:42:24.334 [info] Finished searching for custom virtual envs: 344 milliseconds
2025-03-06 21:42:24.362 [info] > ~/miniforge3/envs/mart/bin/python -I ~/.vscode-server/extensions/ms-python.python-2025.2.0-linux-x64/python_files/get_output_via_markers.py ~/.vscode-server/extensions/ms-python.python-2025.2.0-linux-x64/python_files/interpreterInfo.py
2025-03-06 21:42:24.374 [info] > ~/envs/am/bin/python -I ~/.vscode-server/extensions/ms-python.python-2025.2.0-linux-x64/python_files/get_output_via_markers.py ~/.vscode-server/extensions/ms-python.python-2025.2.0-linux-x64/python_files/interpreterInfo.py

Extension version: 2025.0.0
VS Code version: Code 1.98.0 (6609ac3d66f4eade5cf376d1cb76f13985724bcb, 2025-03-04T21:06:18.612Z)
OS version: Windows_NT x64 10.0.19045
Modes:
Remote OS version: Linux x64 5.15.167.4-microsoft-standard-WSL2

• Python version (& distribution if applicable, e.g. Anaconda): 3.11.2
• Type of virtual environment used (e.g. conda, venv, virtualenv, etc.): Venv
• Value of the python.languageServer setting: Default

User Settings

venvPath: "<placeholder>"

venvFolders: "<placeholder>"

languageServer: "Pylance"

terminal
• launchArgs: "<placeholder>"

Installed Extensions

Extension Name	Extension Id	Version
autodocstring	njp	0.6.1
cmake	twx	0.0.17
cmake-tools	ms-	1.20.53
comment-box	Sly	2.4.0
cpptools	ms-	1.23.6
cpptools-extension-pack	ms-	1.3.1
datawrangler	ms-	1.20.1
debugpy	ms-	2025.4.0
even-better-toml	tam	0.21.2
fileheadercomment	doi	0.0.5
githistory	don	0.6.20
gitignore	cod	0.10.0
js-debug	ms-	1.97.1
jupyter	ms-	2025.2.0
jupyter-renderers	ms-	1.1.0
latex-workshop	Jam	10.8.0
linter-gfortran	for	3.2.0
makefile-tools	ms-	0.12.17
mesonbuild	mes	1.27.0
path-autocomplete	ion	1.25.0
python	ms-	2025.2.0
rainbow-csv	mec	3.17.0
shebang-snippets	rpi	1.1.0
vscode-innosetup	cho	1.9.3
vscode-js-profile-table	ms-	1.0.10
vscode-jupyter-cell-tags	ms-	0.1.9
vscode-jupyter-slideshow	ms-	0.1.6
vscode-markdownlint	Dav	0.59.0
vscode-pylance	ms-	2025.3.1

System Info

Item	Value
CPUs	13th Gen Intel(R) Core(TM) i5-13600H (16 x 3302)
GPU Status	2d_canvas: enabled canvas_oop_rasterization: enabled_on 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 video_decode: enabled video_encode: enabled vulkan: disabled_off webgl: enabled webgl2: enabled webgpu: enabled webnn: disabled_off
Load (avg)	undefined
Memory (System)	31.69GB (18.67GB free)
Process Argv
Screen Reader	no
VM	0%

Item	Value
Remote	WSL: Debian
OS	Linux x64 5.15.167.4-microsoft-standard-WSL2
CPUs	13th Gen Intel(R) Core(TM) i5-13600H (16 x 0)
Memory (System)	21.21GB (19.79GB free)
VM	0%