Repository navigation
JSError.ThrowError(Exception) aborts the process when a Worker terminates during a .NET call #505
Description
Summary
Calling worker.terminate() while a Node.js Worker is executing a .NET call through
node-api-dotnet reliably aborts the entire process with an unhandled
Microsoft.JavaScript.NodeApi.JSException.
The static JSError.ThrowError(Exception) callback error path is not safe when the Node-API
environment is terminating. It attempts to inspect or create JavaScript error values after V8 has
started terminating the Worker. Those Node-API operations return napi_pending_exception, causing
another JSException to escape the native callback boundary. CoreCLR then terminates the process
with SIGABRT (exit code 134).
This reproduces on node-api-dotnet 0.9.27 and is still present on the current main branch.
Environment
| Component | Version |
|---|---|
| node-api-dotnet | 0.9.27 |
| Node.js | 24.13.0 |
| .NET SDK/runtime | 10.0.302 / Microsoft.NETCore.App 10.0.10 |
| OS | Ubuntu 24.04.4 LTS, glibc 2.39, x64 |
| Container | mcr.microsoft.com/dotnet/sdk:10.0 |
The package includes the worker teardown fixes from #487, #492, and #495.
Minimal reproduction
minimal-worker.cjs:
'use strict';
const dotnet = require('node-api-dotnet/net10.0');
const { parentPort } = require('worker_threads');
parentPort.postMessage('ready');
for (;;) {
dotnet.System.String.Join(',', ['a', 'b', 'c']);
}minimal.cjs:
'use strict';
const { Worker } = require('worker_threads');
(async () => {
for (let i = 0; i < 200; i++) {
const worker = new Worker(`${__dirname}/minimal-worker.cjs`);
await new Promise((resolve) => worker.once('message', resolve));
await new Promise((resolve) => setTimeout(resolve, 15));
await worker.terminate();
}
console.log('ALL_CLEAN');
})();Run:
node minimal.cjsObserved on the first iteration:
Cannot print exception string because Exception.ToString() failed.
Aborted (core dumped)
Exit code: 134 / SIGABRT.
The delay can be varied from 0 through 200 ms without changing the result.
Controls
| Worker state during teardown | Result |
|---|---|
| Pure JavaScript; node-api-dotnet never loaded | Clean exit |
| node-api-dotnet loaded, but no .NET call in flight | Clean exit |
| .NET call in flight | SIGABRT / exit 134 |
The same abort occurs with process.exit(0) while a Worker has a .NET call in flight, so this is
not specific to Worker.terminate().
Managed stack
An UnhandledException handler that avoids the overridden JSException.StackTrace property
captures:
Microsoft.JavaScript.NodeApi.JSException
An exception is pending: Error in HasOwnProperty at .../JSValue.cs:570
at Microsoft.JavaScript.NodeApi.JSValue.HasOwnProperty(JSValue key)
at Microsoft.JavaScript.NodeApi.JSError.get_Value()
at Microsoft.JavaScript.NodeApi.JSError.CreateErrorValueForException(Exception exception, ...)
at Microsoft.JavaScript.NodeApi.JSError.ThrowError(Exception exception)
at Microsoft.JavaScript.NodeApi.JSValue.InvokeCallback[TDescriptor](...)
at Microsoft.JavaScript.NodeApi.JSValue.InvokeJSMethod(...)
Under gdb, the process receives SIGABRT from CoreCLR's unhandled-managed-exception policy. This is
not a segmentation fault in the minimal reproduction.
Root cause
The callback path is:
- A JS-to-.NET call is executing in
JSValue.InvokeCallback. - Worker/environment termination begins.
- The managed callback fails and
InvokeCallbackcatches the exception. - The catch block calls static
JSError.ThrowError(Exception). ThrowError(Exception)callsCreateErrorValueForExceptionbefore checking whether the
environment already has a pending exception or is closing.- For a
JSException,CreateErrorValueForExceptionevaluatesError.Value. JSError.ValuecallsHasOwnProperty, which returnsnapi_pending_exceptionduring teardown.ThrowIfFailedcreates and throws anotherJSException.- That exception escapes the unmanaged callback boundary and the process aborts.
CreateErrorValueForException also performs additional Node-API operations for
Error.captureStackTrace and DefineProperties, which can fail if termination starts after an
initial state check.
The instance JSError.ThrowError() already handles the equivalent condition:
if (status == napi_status.napi_pending_exception)
{
// The environment must be terminating...
return;
}The static overload does not provide the same protection before constructing the JavaScript error.
Proposed fix
Make static JSError.ThrowError(Exception) termination-safe:
- Obtain the current runtime and environment.
- Call the raw
IsExceptionPendingruntime API before constructing a JavaScript error. - Return if an exception is pending, or if the status is
napi_pending_exceptionor
napi_closing. - If termination starts while constructing or augmenting the JavaScript
Error, catch the
resultingJSExceptionand fall back to the direct runtimeThrowError(env, code, message)
API, which does not inspect existing JavaScript error objects. - Treat
napi_pending_exceptionandnapi_closingfrom the final throw as expected teardown
outcomes.
A regression test can make the race deterministic by:
- Calling a managed method in a Worker.
- Having the managed method call back into JS to signal that it started.
- Blocking briefly in managed code and then throwing.
- Terminating the Worker from the parent after receiving the started signal.
Without the fix, the child process aborts. With the proposed fix, the hosted-CLR test exits cleanly.
Activity