httpx NetRCInfo.netrc_info() doesn't work when run in a

The Fix

Upgrade to version 0.24.0 or later.

Based on closed encode/httpx issue #2532 · PR/commit linked

Production note: Most teams hit this during upgrades or environment changes. Roll out with a canary and smoke critical endpoints (health, OpenAPI/docs) before 100%.

Open PR/Commit

@@ -428,43 +428,48 @@ with tempfile.NamedTemporaryFile() as download_file:
 ## .netrc Support
 
-HTTPX supports .netrc file. In `trust_env=True` cases, if auth parameter is
-not defined, HTTPX tries to add auth into request's header from .netrc file.
+HTTPX can be configured to use [a `.netrc` config file](https://everything.curl.dev/usingcurl/netrc) for authentication.

fix.md

Option A — Upgrade to fixed release\nUpgrade to version 0.24.0 or later.\nWhen NOT to use: This fix is not suitable if netrc authentication should remain automatic without explicit control.\n\n

Why This Fix Works in Production

Trigger: NetRCInfo.netrc_info() doesn't work when run in a systemd service with DynamicUser=true
Mechanism: The function netrc_info() raises an exception when home directory is unavailable in systemd services with DynamicUser=true
Why the fix works: Introduces a new `NetRCAuth()` class to handle netrc authentication explicitly, addressing issues with the current automatic handling in systemd services with DynamicUser=true. (first fixed release: 0.24.0).

Production impact:

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

The function netrc_info() raises an exception when home directory is unavailable in systemd services with DynamicUser=true
Production symptom (often without a traceback): NetRCInfo.netrc_info() doesn't work when run in a systemd service with DynamicUser=true

Proof / Evidence

GitHub issue: #2532
Fix PR: https://github.com/encode/httpx/pull/2535
First fixed release: 0.24.0
Reproduced locally: No (not executed)
Last verified: 2026-02-08
Confidence: 0.85
Did this fix it?: Yes (upstream fix exists)
Own content ratio: 0.69

Discussion

High-signal excerpts from the issue thread (symptoms, repros, edge-cases).

Jump to Sources Open on GitHub

“Sorry for any potential confusion - my offer to raise a PR was for a much more simplistic solution to directly address the two problems…”

@djmattyg007 · 2023-01-02 · source

“@djmattyg007 Ah no worries, yup”

@lovelydinosaur · 2023-01-03 · source

“Hi, would it be possible to reconsider this behavioral change? I think many people could be relying on netrc files to add a minimum authentication…”

@ShaoyiZhang · 2023-04-20 · source

“Okay, so we've got two outstanding netrc bugs..”

@lovelydinosaur · 2023-01-02 · source

Failure Signature (Search String)

NetRCInfo.netrc_info() doesn't work when run in a systemd service with DynamicUser=true
When the code is running in a systemd service with `DynamicUser=true`, there is no home directory. This means `expanduser()` will always raise an exception.

Copy-friendly signature

signature.txt

Failure Signature
-----------------
NetRCInfo.netrc_info() doesn't work when run in a systemd service with DynamicUser=true
When the code is running in a systemd service with `DynamicUser=true`, there is no home directory. This means `expanduser()` will always raise an exception.

Error Message

Signature-only (no traceback captured)

error.txt

Error Message
-------------
NetRCInfo.netrc_info() doesn't work when run in a systemd service with DynamicUser=true
When the code is running in a systemd service with `DynamicUser=true`, there is no home directory. This means `expanduser()` will always raise an exception.

What Broke

Users experience authentication failures when using netrc in systemd services without a home directory.

Why It Broke

The function netrc_info() raises an exception when home directory is unavailable in systemd services with DynamicUser=true

Fix Options (Details)

Option A — Upgrade to fixed release Safe default (recommended)

Upgrade to version 0.24.0 or later.

When NOT to use: This fix is not suitable if netrc authentication should remain automatic without explicit control.

Use when you can deploy the upstream fix. It is usually lower-risk than long-lived workarounds.

Fix reference: https://github.com/encode/httpx/pull/2535

First fixed release: 0.24.0

Last verified: 2026-02-08. Validate in your environment.

When NOT to Use This Fix

This fix is not suitable if netrc authentication should remain automatic without explicit control.

Did This Fix Work in Your Case?

Quick signal helps us prioritize which fixes to verify and improve.

Prevention

Add a CI check that diffs key outputs after upgrades (OpenAPI schema snapshots, JSON payload shapes, CLI output).
Upgrade behind a canary and run integration tests against the canary before 100% rollout.

Version Compatibility Table

Version	Status
0.24.0	Fixed

Related Issues

No related fixes found.

Cluster: httpx:configuration-error All hubs All clusters

Related clusters: Data consistency Other Timeout

Sources

We don’t republish the full GitHub discussion text. Use the links above for context.

httpx NetRCInfo.netrc_info() doesn't work when run in a systemd service with DynamicUser=true (Fix)