stripe-python Manipulation with api response with empty

The Fix

pip install stripe==14.4.0a2

Based on closed stripe/stripe-python issue #259 · PR/commit linked

Jump to Verify Open PR/Commit

@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import warnings
 import sys
+from copy import deepcopy
 
 from stripe import api_requestor, error, util, upload_api_base

repro.py

Error
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "/home/user/Projects/env27/local/lib/python2.7/site-packages/mock/mock.py", line 1305, in patched
    return func(*args, **keywargs)
  File "/home/user/Projects/tests.py", line 759, in test_charge_api_response_body_parsing_errors
    deepcopy(event)
  File "/usr/lib/python2.7/copy.py", line 190, in deepcopy
    y = _reconstruct(x, rv, 1, memo)
  File "/usr/lib/python2.7/copy.py", line 334, in _reconstruct
    state = deepcopy(state, memo)
  File "/usr/lib/python2.7/copy.py", line 163, in deepcopy
    y = copier(x, memo)
  File "/usr/lib/python2.7/copy.py", line 257, in _deepcopy_dict
    y[deepcopy(key, memo)] = deepcopy(value, memo)
  File "/usr/lib/python2.7/copy.py", line 190, in deepcopy
    y = _reconstruct(x, rv, 1, memo)
  File "/usr/lib/python2.7/copy.py", line 357, in _reconstruct
    value = deepcopy(value, memo)
  File "/usr/lib/python2.7/copy.py", line 190, in deepcopy
    y = _reconstruct(x, rv, 1, memo)
  File "/usr/lib/python2.7/copy.py", line 357, in _reconstruct
    value = deepcopy(value, memo)
  File "/usr/lib/python2.7/copy.py", line 190, in deepcopy
    y = _reconstruct(x, rv, 1, memo)
  File "/usr/lib/python2.7/copy.py", line 357, in _reconstruct
    value = deepcopy(value, memo)
  File "/usr/lib/python2.7/copy.py", line 190, in deepcopy
    y = _reconstruct(x, rv, 1, memo)
  File "/usr/lib/python2.7/copy.py", line 358, in _reconstruct
    y[key] = value
  File "/home/user/Projects/env27/local/lib/python2.7/site-packages/stripe/resource.py", line 110, in __setitem__
    k, str(self), k))
ValueError: You cannot set address_zip to an empty string. We interpret empty strings as None in requests.You may set {
  "address_country": null, 
  "address_line1": null, 
  "address_line1_check": null, 
  "address_line2": null, 
  "address_state": null, 
  "address_zip_check": null, 
  "brand": "Visa", 
  "cvc_check": "pass", 
  "dynamic_last4": null, 
  "exp_month": 11, 
  "exp_year": 2015, 
  "fingerprint": "****************", 
  "funding": "credit", 
  "id": "card_************************", 
  "last4": "4242", 
  "metadata": {}, 
  "object": "card", 
  "tokenization_method": null
}.address_zip = None to delete the property

verify

Re-run the minimal reproduction on your broken version, then apply the fix and re-run.

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 empty string values are expected to be valid.\n\nOption C — Workaround\n`event_dict = json.loads(str(event))`. This will return a `dict` with all nested `StripeObject`s cast as `dict` themselves.\nWhen NOT to use: This fix should not be used if empty string values are expected to be valid.\n\n

Why This Fix Works in Production

Trigger: Error
Mechanism: Deepcopy fails on StripeObject when empty string values are present due to overridden setters
Why the fix works: Implemented copy and deepcopy overrides on StripeObject to prevent exceptions when copying objects with empty string values. (first fixed release: 14.4.0a2).

Production impact:

If left unfixed, this can cause silent data inconsistencies that propagate (bad cache entries, incorrect downstream decisions).

Why This Breaks in Prod

Shows up under Python 2.7 in real deployments (not just unit tests).
Deepcopy fails on StripeObject when empty string values are present due to overridden setters
Surfaces as: Error

Proof / Evidence

GitHub issue: #259
Fix PR: https://github.com/stripe/stripe-python/pull/260
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: 0.29

Discussion

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

Jump to Sources Open on GitHub

“Interesting. I think what's happening here is that deepcopy casts event to a dict, but the nested object in the data key is still a…”

@olivierbellone · 2016-10-25 · source

“Terrible workaround: event_dict = json.loads(str(event)). This will return a dict with all nested StripeObjects cast as dict themselves.”

@olivierbellone · 2016-10-25 · source

“> Interesting”

@brandur · 2016-10-25 · source

Failure Signature (Search String)

Error

Error Message

Stack trace

error.txt

Error Message
-------------
Error
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "/home/user/Projects/env27/local/lib/python2.7/site-packages/mock/mock.py", line 1305, in patched
    return func(*args, **keywargs)
  File "/home/user/Projects/tests.py", line 759, in test_charge_api_response_body_parsing_errors
    deepcopy(event)
  File "/usr/lib/python2.7/copy.py", line 190, in deepcopy
    y = _reconstruct(x, rv, 1, memo)
  File "/usr/lib/python2.7/copy.py", line 334, in _reconstruct
    state = deepcopy(state, memo)
  File "/usr/lib/python2.7/copy.py", line 163, in deepcopy
    y = copier(x, memo)
  File "/usr/lib/python2.7/copy.py", line 257, in _deepcopy_dict
    y[deepcopy(key, memo)] = deepcopy(value, memo)
  File "/usr/lib/python2.7/copy.py", line 190, in deepcopy
    y = _reconstruct(x, rv, 1, memo)
  File "/usr/lib/python2.7/copy.py", line 357, in _reconstruct
    value = deepcopy(value, memo)
  File "/usr/lib/python2.7/copy.py", line 190, in deepcopy
    y = _reconstruct(x, rv, 1, memo)
  File "/usr/lib/python2.7/copy.py", line 357, in _reconstruct
    value = deepcopy(value, memo)
  File "/usr/lib/python2.7/copy.py", line 190, in deepcopy
    y = _reconstruct(x, rv, 1, memo)
  File "/usr/lib/python2.7/copy.py", line 357, in _reconstruct
    value = deepcopy(value, memo)
  File "/usr/lib/python2.7/copy.py", line 190, in deepcopy
    y = _reconstruct(x, rv, 1, memo)
  File "/usr/lib/python2.7/copy.py"
... (truncated) ...

Minimal Reproduction

repro.py

Error
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "/home/user/Projects/env27/local/lib/python2.7/site-packages/mock/mock.py", line 1305, in patched
    return func(*args, **keywargs)
  File "/home/user/Projects/tests.py", line 759, in test_charge_api_response_body_parsing_errors
    deepcopy(event)
  File "/usr/lib/python2.7/copy.py", line 190, in deepcopy
    y = _reconstruct(x, rv, 1, memo)
  File "/usr/lib/python2.7/copy.py", line 334, in _reconstruct
    state = deepcopy(state, memo)
  File "/usr/lib/python2.7/copy.py", line 163, in deepcopy
    y = copier(x, memo)
  File "/usr/lib/python2.7/copy.py", line 257, in _deepcopy_dict
    y[deepcopy(key, memo)] = deepcopy(value, memo)
  File "/usr/lib/python2.7/copy.py", line 190, in deepcopy
    y = _reconstruct(x, rv, 1, memo)
  File "/usr/lib/python2.7/copy.py", line 357, in _reconstruct
    value = deepcopy(value, memo)
  File "/usr/lib/python2.7/copy.py", line 190, in deepcopy
    y = _reconstruct(x, rv, 1, memo)
  File "/usr/lib/python2.7/copy.py", line 357, in _reconstruct
    value = deepcopy(value, memo)
  File "/usr/lib/python2.7/copy.py", line 190, in deepcopy
    y = _reconstruct(x, rv, 1, memo)
  File "/usr/lib/python2.7/copy.py", line 357, in _reconstruct
    value = deepcopy(value, memo)
  File "/usr/lib/python2.7/copy.py", line 190, in deepcopy
    y = _reconstruct(x, rv, 1, memo)
  File "/usr/lib/python2.7/copy.py", line 358, in _reconstruct
    y[key] = value
  File "/home/user/Projects/env27/local/lib/python2.7/site-packages/stripe/resource.py", line 110, in __setitem__
    k, str(self), k))
ValueError: You cannot set address_zip to an empty string. We interpret empty strings as None in requests.You may set {
  "address_country": null, 
  "address_line1": null, 
  "address_line1_check": null, 
  "address_line2": null, 
  "address_state": null, 
  "address_zip_check": null, 
  "brand": "Visa", 
  "cvc_check": "pass", 
  "dynamic_last4": null, 
  "exp_month": 11, 
  "exp_year": 2015, 
  "fingerprint": "****************", 
  "funding": "credit", 
  "id": "card_************************", 
  "last4": "4242", 
  "metadata": {}, 
  "object": "card", 
  "tokenization_method": null
}.address_zip = None to delete the property

Environment

Python: 2.7

What Broke

Attempting to deepcopy an event object raises an exception, causing application errors.

Why It Broke

Deepcopy fails on StripeObject when empty string values are present due to overridden setters

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 empty string values are expected to be valid.

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

Option C — Workaround Temporary workaround

`event_dict = json.loads(str(event))`. This will return a `dict` with all nested `StripeObject`s cast as `dict` themselves.

When NOT to use: This fix should not be used if empty string values are expected to be valid.

Use only if you cannot change versions today. Treat this as a stopgap and remove once upgraded.

Fix reference: https://github.com/stripe/stripe-python/pull/260

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 empty string values are expected to be valid.

Verify Fix

verify

Re-run the minimal reproduction on your broken version, then apply the fix and re-run.

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
14.4.0a2	Fixed

Related Issues

No related fixes found.

Cluster: stripe-python:data-consistency stripe-python hub stripe-python best practices All hubs All clusters

Related clusters: Configuration error Other Payments

Sources

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

stripe-python Manipulation with api response with empty string values raise exception (Fix)