The Fix
Upgrade to version 0.13.4 or later.
Based on closed Kludex/starlette issue #154 · 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%.
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ ujson
black
codecov
+isort
mypy
pytest
Option A — Upgrade to fixed release\nUpgrade to version 0.13.4 or later.\nWhen NOT to use: This fix is not suitable if the project requires a specific import order for functionality.\n\n
Why This Fix Works in Production
- Trigger: Add `isort` to `scripts/lint` (In which case it should modify the files in-place) and to `scripts/test` (In which case it should check import ordering and…
- Mechanism: The project lacked consistent import ordering, leading to potential confusion and errors
- Why the fix works: Adds `isort` to the linting and testing scripts for consistent import ordering, addressing issue #154. (first fixed release: 0.13.4).
- 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 project lacked consistent import ordering, leading to potential confusion and errors
- Production symptom (often without a traceback): Add `isort` to `scripts/lint` (In which case it should modify the files in-place) and to `scripts/test` (In which case it should check import ordering and fail/succeed).
Proof / Evidence
- GitHub issue: #154
- Fix PR: https://github.com/kludex/starlette/pull/156
- First fixed release: 0.13.4
- Reproduced locally: No (not executed)
- Last verified: 2026-02-09
- Confidence: 0.70
- Did this fix it?: Yes (upstream fix exists)
- Own content ratio: 0.83
Discussion
High-signal excerpts from the issue thread (symptoms, repros, edge-cases).
“Might be a good one for a contributor to jump on. Add isort to scripts/lint (In which case it should modify the files in-place) and to scripts/test (In which case it should check import ordering and fail/succeed). Then run isort over all ou”
Failure Signature (Search String)
- Add `isort` to `scripts/lint` (In which case it should modify the files in-place) and to `scripts/test` (In which case it should check import ordering and fail/succeed).
Copy-friendly signature
Failure Signature
-----------------
Add `isort` to `scripts/lint` (In which case it should modify the files in-place) and to `scripts/test` (In which case it should check import ordering and fail/succeed).
Error Message
Signature-only (no traceback captured)
Error Message
-------------
Add `isort` to `scripts/lint` (In which case it should modify the files in-place) and to `scripts/test` (In which case it should check import ordering and fail/succeed).
What Broke
Inconsistent import ordering could lead to confusion during development and maintenance.
Why It Broke
The project lacked consistent import ordering, leading to potential confusion and errors
Fix Options (Details)
Option A — Upgrade to fixed release Safe default (recommended)
Upgrade to version 0.13.4 or later.
Use when you can deploy the upstream fix. It is usually lower-risk than long-lived workarounds.
Fix reference: https://github.com/kludex/starlette/pull/156
First fixed release: 0.13.4
Last verified: 2026-02-09. Validate in your environment.
When NOT to Use This Fix
- This fix is not suitable if the project requires a specific import order for functionality.
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 |
|---|---|
| 0.13.4 | Fixed |
Related Issues
No related fixes found.
Sources
We don’t republish the full GitHub discussion text. Use the links above for context.