pytest-dev/pytest · error · AttributeError

cls not available in

Error message

cls not available in {self.scope}-scoped context

What it means

request.cls returns the class in which the test function was collected, but only for 'class' or 'function' scopes. In a module/session/package scope there is no single class context, so pytest raises AttributeError naming the scope.

Solutions

1. Move the request.cls access into a class- or function-scoped fixture.
2. If you need class data in a wider scope, pass it up via an explicit fixture dependency rather than reaching through request.
3. Guard with 'if request.scope in ("class", "function"):'.

Example fix

// before
@pytest.fixture(scope='module')
def mod(request):
    return request.cls
// after
@pytest.fixture
def per_class(request):
    return request.cls

null

def has_cls_scope(request) -> bool:
    return getattr(request, 'scope', None) in ('class', 'function')

if has_cls_scope(request):
    cls = request.cls

null

When it happens

Trigger: Calling request.cls inside a session-scoped fixture; a module-scoped fixture that tries to read the test class.

Common situations: Promoting a function-scoped fixture to module scope; running a fixture from a non-class test where cls would be None anyway.

Related errors

• function not available in
• module not available in
• path not available in
• Error evaluating while defining fixture ' '. Expected a…
• is the lower-most scope

AI-assisted analysis of pytest-dev/pytest@0d6fbdeffa (2026-08-11). Data as JSON: /api/errors/3a244824306af4a2. Report an issue: GitHub.

Appendix: source

Thrown at src/_pytest/fixtures.py:591

    @property
    def config(self) -> Config:
        """The pytest config object associated with this request."""
        return self._pyfuncitem.config

    @property
    def function(self):
        """Test function object if the request has a per-function scope."""
        if self.scope != "function":
            raise AttributeError(
                f"function not available in {self.scope}-scoped context"
            )
        return self._pyfuncitem.obj

    @property
    def cls(self):
        """Class (can be None) where the test function was collected."""
        if self.scope not in ("class", "function"):
            raise AttributeError(f"cls not available in {self.scope}-scoped context")
        clscol = self._pyfuncitem.getparent(_pytest.python.Class)
        if clscol:
            return clscol.obj

    @property
    def instance(self):
        """Instance (can be None) on which test function was collected."""
        if self.scope != "function":
            return None
        return getattr(self._pyfuncitem, "instance", None)

    @property
    def module(self):
        """Python module object where the test function was collected."""
        if self.scope not in ("function", "class", "module"):
            raise AttributeError(f"module not available in {self.scope}-scoped context")
        mod = self._pyfuncitem.getparent(_pytest.python.Module)
        assert mod is not None

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