The Fix
pip install celery==5.3.0rc2
Based on closed celery/celery issue #8246 · PR/commit linked
Production note: This usually shows up under retries/timeouts. Treat it as a side-effect risk until you can verify behavior with a canary + real traffic.
@@ -7,4 +7,5 @@ click-repl>=0.2.0
importlib-metadata>=3.6; python_version < '3.8'
backports.zoneinfo>=0.2.1; python_version < '3.9'
-tzdata>=2022.7
\ No newline at end of file
+tzdata>=2022.7
this bug.
Follow the reproduction steps, confirm the failure, apply the fix, and repeat the same steps to verify the behavior changes.
Option A — Upgrade to fixed release\npip install celery==5.3.0rc2\nWhen NOT to use: Do not apply this fix if the dependency is already included in the requirements.\n\n
Why This Fix Works in Production
- Trigger: - [ ] I have included all related issues and possible duplicate issues
- Mechanism: Added the missing dependency `python-dateutil` to `requirements/default.txt` as it is imported in `celery/utils/time.py`.
- Why the fix works: Added the missing dependency `python-dateutil` to `requirements/default.txt` as it is imported in `celery/utils/time.py`. (first fixed release: 5.3.0rc2).
- If left unfixed, the same config can fail only in production (env differences), causing startup failures or partial feature outages.
Why This Breaks in Prod
- Production symptom (often without a traceback): - [ ] I have included all related issues and possible duplicate issues
Proof / Evidence
- GitHub issue: #8246
- Fix PR: https://github.com/celery/celery/pull/8247
- First fixed release: 5.3.0rc2
- Reproduced locally: No (not executed)
- Last verified: 2026-02-09
- Confidence: 0.85
- Did this fix it?: Yes (upstream fix exists)
- Own content ratio: 0.74
Discussion
High-signal excerpts from the issue thread (symptoms, repros, edge-cases).
“Hey @iROCKBUNNY :wave:, Thank you for opening an issue”
Failure Signature (Search String)
- - [ ] I have included all related issues and possible duplicate issues
- or possible duplicates to this issue as requested by the checklist above.
Copy-friendly signature
Failure Signature
-----------------
- [ ] I have included all related issues and possible duplicate issues
or possible duplicates to this issue as requested by the checklist above.
Error Message
Signature-only (no traceback captured)
Error Message
-------------
- [ ] I have included all related issues and possible duplicate issues
or possible duplicates to this issue as requested by the checklist above.
Minimal Reproduction
- this bug.
What Broke
Users experienced import errors due to the missing `python-dateutil` dependency.
Fix Options (Details)
Option A — Upgrade to fixed release Safe default (recommended)
pip install celery==5.3.0rc2
Use when you can deploy the upstream fix. It is usually lower-risk than long-lived workarounds.
Fix reference: https://github.com/celery/celery/pull/8247
First fixed release: 5.3.0rc2
Last verified: 2026-02-09. Validate in your environment.
When NOT to Use This Fix
- Do not apply this fix if the dependency is already included in the requirements.
Verify Fix
Follow the reproduction steps, confirm the failure, apply the fix, and repeat the same steps to verify the behavior changes.
Did This Fix Work in Your Case?
Quick signal helps us prioritize which fixes to verify and improve.
Prevention
- Capture the exact failing error string in logs and tests so you can reproduce via a minimal script.
- Pin production dependencies and upgrade only with a reproducible test that hits the failing path.
Version Compatibility Table
| Version | Status |
|---|---|
| 5.3.0rc2 | Fixed |
Related Issues
No related fixes found.
Sources
We don’t republish the full GitHub discussion text. Use the links above for context.