[Bug 2138772] [NEW] do-release-upgrade fails with "Your python3 install is corrupted"

[Ulli Horlacher]

Public bug reported:


I tried to upgrade from Ubuntu 22.04.5 to 24.04 with do-release-upgrade but it fails with:

Can not upgrade

Your python3 install is corrupted. Please fix the '/usr/bin/python3'
symlink.
=== Command detached from window (Tue Jan 20 14:06:37 2026) ===


My python3 seems to be ok:

root at obertux:~# ls -l /usr/bin/python3
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 25 Jan 20 14:43 /usr/bin/python3 -> /etc/alternatives/python3

root at obertux:~# ls -l /etc/alternatives/python3
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 19 Jan 20 14:43 /etc/alternatives/python3 -> /usr/bin/python3.10

root at obertux:~# ls -l /usr/bin/python3.10
-rwxr-xr-x 1 root root 5937672 Jan  8 07:52 /usr/bin/python3.10

root at obertux:~# /usr/bin/python3 --version
Python 3.10.12

I run "apt reinstall python3.10" but do-release-upgrade still fails.

I have reported it also at
https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/ubuntu-release-
upgrader/+bug/1825655 but this ticket is 7 years old and belongs to
Ubuntu 18

** Affects: ubuntu-release-upgrader (Ubuntu)
     Importance: Undecided
         Status: New

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https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/2138772

Title:
  do-release-upgrade fails with "Your python3 install is corrupted"

Status in ubuntu-release-upgrader package in Ubuntu:
  New

Bug description:
  
  I tried to upgrade from Ubuntu 22.04.5 to 24.04 with do-release-upgrade but it fails with:

  Can not upgrade

  Your python3 install is corrupted. Please fix the '/usr/bin/python3'
  symlink.
  === Command detached from window (Tue Jan 20 14:06:37 2026) ===

  
  My python3 seems to be ok:

  root at obertux:~# ls -l /usr/bin/python3
  lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 25 Jan 20 14:43 /usr/bin/python3 -> /etc/alternatives/python3

  root at obertux:~# ls -l /etc/alternatives/python3
  lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 19 Jan 20 14:43 /etc/alternatives/python3 -> /usr/bin/python3.10

  root at obertux:~# ls -l /usr/bin/python3.10
  -rwxr-xr-x 1 root root 5937672 Jan  8 07:52 /usr/bin/python3.10

  root at obertux:~# /usr/bin/python3 --version
  Python 3.10.12

  I run "apt reinstall python3.10" but do-release-upgrade still fails.

  I have reported it also at
  https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/ubuntu-release-
  upgrader/+bug/1825655 but this ticket is 7 years old and belongs to
  Ubuntu 18

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