stripe-python Support a customizable API request timeout

The Fix

pip install stripe==14.4.0a2

Based on closed stripe/stripe-python issue #186 · 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.

Open PR/Commit

@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@
 api_version = None
 verify_ssl_certs = True
+default_http_client = None
 
 # Resource

fix.md

Option A — Upgrade to fixed release\npip install stripe==14.4.0a2\nWhen NOT to use: This fix should not be used if a fixed timeout is required for specific use cases.\n\n

Why This Fix Works in Production

Trigger: Support a customizable API request timeout
Mechanism: The default API request timeout of 80 seconds can block payment system workers
Why the fix works: Introduces a configurable default HTTP client, allowing users to set their own timeout for API requests. (first fixed release: 14.4.0a2).

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 default API request timeout of 80 seconds can block payment system workers
Production symptom (often without a traceback): Support a customizable API request timeout

Proof / Evidence

GitHub issue: #186
Fix PR: https://github.com/stripe/stripe-python/pull/180
First fixed release: 14.4.0a2
Reproduced locally: No (not executed)
Last verified: 2026-02-08
Confidence: 0.85
Did this fix it?: Yes (upstream fix exists)
Own content ratio: 0.86

Discussion

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

Jump to Sources Open on GitHub

“Oh, seems like we can do this now! thanks! https://github.com/stripe/stripe-python/pull/180”

@bxm156 · 2015-11-19 · source

Failure Signature (Search String)

Support a customizable API request timeout

Copy-friendly signature

signature.txt

Failure Signature
-----------------
Support a customizable API request timeout

Error Message

Signature-only (no traceback captured)

error.txt

Error Message
-------------
Support a customizable API request timeout

What Broke

Workers can become tied up, leading to 503 errors and stalled systems.

Why It Broke

The default API request timeout of 80 seconds can block payment system workers

Fix Options (Details)

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

pip install stripe==14.4.0a2

When NOT to use: This fix should not be used if a fixed timeout is required for specific use cases.

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

Fix reference: https://github.com/stripe/stripe-python/pull/180

First fixed release: 14.4.0a2

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

When NOT to Use This Fix

This fix should not be used if a fixed timeout is required for specific use cases.

Did This Fix Work in Your Case?

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

Prevention

Make timeouts explicit and test them (unit + integration) to avoid silent behavior changes.
Instrument retries (attempt count + reason) and alert on spikes to catch dependency slowdowns.

Version Compatibility Table

Version	Status
14.4.0a2	Fixed

Related Issues

No related fixes found.

Cluster: stripe-python:configuration-error stripe-python hub stripe-python best practices All hubs All clusters

Related clusters: Data consistency Other Payments

Sources

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

stripe-python Support a customizable API request timeout (Fix)