Python native REPL ignoring workspace interpreter

[NatalieWeaver]

Type: Bug

After updating VS Code today, the Python native REPL no longer uses the selected Python interpreter/virtual environment for the workspace. Instead it always uses the global default interpreter path (which you can see by running sys.executable). This is a problem because I need the native REPL to use virtual environments for specific projects.

Extension version: 2025.10.1
VS Code version: Code 1.102.2 (c306e94f98122556ca081f527b466015e1bc37b0, 2025-07-22T12:15:48.520Z)
OS version: Windows_NT x64 10.0.26100
Modes:

• Python version (& distribution if applicable, e.g. Anaconda): 3.13.0
• Type of virtual environment used (e.g. conda, venv, virtualenv, etc.): System
• Value of the python.languageServer setting: Default

User Settings

languageServer: "Pylance"

Installed Extensions

Extension Name	Extension Id	Version
debugpy	ms-	2025.10.0
even-better-toml	tam	0.21.2
intellicode-api-usage-examples	Vis	0.2.9
java	red	1.43.1
js-debug	ms-	1.102.0
js-debug-companion	ms-	1.1.3
jupyter	ms-	2025.6.0
jupyter-keymap	ms-	1.1.2
jupyter-renderers	ms-	1.3.0
python	ms-	2025.10.1
r	REd	2.8.6
r-syntax	REd	0.1.3
rainbow-csv	mec	3.20.0
vscode-gradle	vsc	3.16.4
vscode-java-debug	vsc	0.58.2
vscode-java-dependency	vsc	0.24.1
vscode-java-pack	vsc	0.29.2
vscode-java-test	vsc	0.43.1
vscode-js-profile-table	ms-	1.0.10
vscode-jupyter-cell-tags	ms-	0.1.9
vscode-jupyter-slideshow	ms-	0.1.6
vscode-maven	vsc	0.44.0
vscode-pylance	ms-	2025.7.1
vscode-python-envs	ms-	1.2.0
vscodeintellicode	Vis	1.3.2

System Info

Item	Value
CPUs	13th Gen Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-1365U (12 x 2688)
GPU Status	2d_canvas: enabled canvas_oop_rasterization: enabled_on direct_rendering_display_compositor: disabled_off_ok gpu_compositing: enabled multiple_raster_threads: enabled_on opengl: enabled_on rasterization: enabled raw_draw: disabled_off_ok skia_graphite: disabled_off video_decode: enabled video_encode: enabled vulkan: disabled_off webgl: enabled webgl2: enabled webgpu: enabled webnn: disabled_off
Load (avg)	undefined
Memory (System)	31.67GB (16.35GB free)
Process Argv	--crash-reporter-id bad86640-caad-401d-8273-da88a560591e
Screen Reader	no
VM	0%

A/B Experiments

vsliv368cf:30146710
binariesv615:30325510
2e7ec940:31000449
nativeloc1:31344060
dwcopilot:31170013
6074i472:31201624
dwoutputs:31242946
hdaa2157:31222309
copilot_t_ci:31333650
e5gg6876:31282496
pythoneinst12:31285622
c7cif404:31314491
pythonpulldiag:31343502
996jf627:31283433
pythonrdcb7:31342333
usemplatestapi:31297334
0aa6g176:31307128
747dc170:31275177
aj953862:31281341
generatesymbolt:31295002
convertfstringf:31295003
pylancequickfixf:31350060
9d2cg352:31346308
convertlamdat:31350063
usemarketplace:31343026
nesew2to5:31336538
agentclaude:31335814
nes-diff-11:31337487
replacestringexc:31350595
nes-set-on:31340697
6abeh943:31336334
envsactivate1:31353494
yijiwantestdri0626-c:31336931
0927b901:31350571
ji9b5146:31348712
45650338:31356125
0cj2b977:31352657

[anthonykim1]

Do you get different behavior when you add python.useEnvironmentsExtension": false, to your settings.json

[github-actions]

Because we have not heard back with the information we requested, we are closing this issue for now. If you are able to provide the info later on, then we will be happy to re-open this issue to pick up where we left off.

Happy Coding!

[jevogel]

I just encountered this issue myself. If python.useEnvironmentsExtension is set to true (the default) and I open the native REPL, sys.prefix returns /usr, implying the REPL is not running inside a virtual environment. If I set it to false as requested, then sys.prefix resolves to my .venv directory as expected.

[matthewgson]

I also confirmed that now vscode honors the default python interepreter path setup when python.useEnvironmentExtension: false.

[anthonykim1]

I think there has been some changes to getActiveInterpreter to use new environment extension API recently. /cc @eleanorjboyd
Can you guys try with python.useEnvironmentsExtension to true, with the latest pre-release of env extension?
We want this to work regardless of env extension presence.

[vs-code-engineering]

Please diagnose the root cause of the issue by running the command F1 > Help: Troubleshoot Issue and following the instructions. Once you have done that, please update the issue with the results.

Happy Coding!