'await' works, but calling task.Result hangs/deadlocks

Question

I have the following four tests and the last one hangs when I run it. Why does this happen:

[Test]
public void CheckOnceResultTest()
{
    Assert.IsTrue(CheckStatus().Result);
}

[Test]
public async void CheckOnceAwaitTest()
{
    Assert.IsTrue(await CheckStatus());
}

[Test]
public async void CheckStatusTwiceAwaitTest()
{
    Assert.IsTrue(await CheckStatus());
    Assert.IsTrue(await CheckStatus());
}

[Test]
public async void CheckStatusTwiceResultTest()
{
    Assert.IsTrue(CheckStatus().Result); // This hangs
    Assert.IsTrue(await CheckStatus());
}

private async Task<bool> CheckStatus()
{
    var restClient = new RestClient(@"https://api.test.nordnet.se/next/1");
    Task<IRestResponse<DummyServiceStatus>> restResponse = restClient.ExecuteTaskAsync<DummyServiceStatus>(new RestRequest(Method.GET));
    IRestResponse<DummyServiceStatus> response = await restResponse;
    return response.Data.SystemRunning;
}

---

I use this extension method for restsharp RestClient :

public static class RestClientExt
{
    public static Task<IRestResponse<T>> ExecuteTaskAsync<T>(this RestClient client, IRestRequest request) where T : new()
    {
        var tcs = new TaskCompletionSource<IRestResponse<T>>();
        RestRequestAsyncHandle asyncHandle = client.ExecuteAsync<T>(request, tcs.SetResult);
        return tcs.Task;
    }
}

public class DummyServiceStatus
{
    public string Message { get; set; }
    public bool ValidVersion { get; set; }
    public bool SystemRunning { get; set; }
    public bool SkipPhrase { get; set; }
    public long Timestamp { get; set; }
}

Why does the last test hang?

Answer 1

Acquiring a value via an async method:

var result = Task.Run(() => asyncGetValue()).Result;

Syncronously calling an async method

Task.Run( () => asyncMethod()).Wait();

No deadlock issues will occur due to the use of Task.Run.

Answer 2

You're running into the standard deadlock situation that I describe on my blog and in an MSDN article : the async method is attempting to schedule its continuation onto a thread that is being blocked by the call to Result .

In this case, your SynchronizationContext is the one used by NUnit to execute async void test methods. I would try using async Task test methods instead.

Answer 3

You can avoid deadlock adding ConfigureAwait(false) to this line:

IRestResponse<DummyServiceStatus> response = await restResponse;

=>

IRestResponse<DummyServiceStatus> response = await restResponse.ConfigureAwait(false);

I've described this pitfall in my blog post Pitfalls of async/await

Answer 4

You are blocking the UI by using Task.Result property. In MSDN Documentation they have clearly mentioned that,

"The Result property is a blocking property. If you try to access it before its task is finished, the thread that's currently active is blocked until the task completes and the value is available. In most cases, you should access the value by using Await or await instead of accessing the property directly."

The best solution for this scenario would be to remove both await & async from methods & use only Task where you're returning result. It won't mess your execution sequence.

Answer 5

If you don't get any callbacks or the control hangs up, after calling the service/API async function, you have to configure Context to return a result on the same called context.

Use TestAsync().ConfigureAwait(continueOnCapturedContext: false);

You will be facing this issue only in web applications, but not in static void main .

Answer 6

An addition to the answer given by @HermanSchoenfeld. Unfortunately the quote below is not true:

No deadlock issues will occur due to the use of Task.Run.

public String GetSqlConnString(RubrikkUser user, RubrikkDb db) 
{ 
    // deadlock if called from threadpool, 
    // works fine on UI thread, works fine from console main 
    return Task.Run(() => 
        GetSqlConnStringAsync(user, db)).Result; 
}

The execution is wrapped inside a Task.Run, this will schedule the task on the threadpool the block the calling thread. This is okay, as long as the calling thread is not a threadpool thread. If the calling thread is from the threadpool then the following disaster happens: A new task is queued to the end of the queue, and the threadpool thread which would eventually execute the Task is blocked until the Task is executed.

In library code there is no easy solution as you cannot assume under what context your code is called. The best solution is to only call async code from async code, blocking sync APIs from sync methods, don't mix them.

Source:

https://medium.com/rubrikkgroup/understanding-async-avoiding-deadlocks-e41f8f2c6f5d