fix: prevent mutation of original dict when record.msg is a dict

docs/changelog.md

@@ -4,6 +4,12 @@ All notable changes to this project will be documented in this file.
 The format is based on [Keep a Changelog](https://keepachangelog.com/en/1.0.0/),
 and this project adheres to [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/spec/v2.0.0.html).
 
+## [4.1.1](https://github.com/nhairs/python-json-logger/compare/v4.1.0...v4.1.1) - UNRELEASED
+
+### Fixed
+- Logging a `dict` no longer modifies it. `exc_info` and `stack_info` were previously added to the caller's `dict`. [#66](https://github.com/nhairs/python-json-logger/pull/66)
+  - The `dict` is shallow copied; nested values are still shared with the caller.
+
 ## [4.1.0](https://github.com/nhairs/python-json-logger/compare/v4.0.0...v4.1.0) - 2026-03-29
 
 ### Added

docs/quickstart.md

@@ -79,6 +79,11 @@ logger.info({
 !!! warning
     Be aware that if you log using a `dict`, other formatters may not be able to handle it.
 
+!!! note
+    Your `dict` is not modified - the formatter takes a shallow copy of it before adding fields
+    such as `exc_info`. Nested values are shared with your `dict` rather than copied, so avoid
+    mutating them until the record has been handled.
+
 You can also add additional message fields using the `extra` argument.
 
 ```python

pyproject.toml

@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ build-backend = "setuptools.build_meta"
 
 [project]
 name = "python-json-logger"
-version = "4.1.0"
+version = "4.1.1.dev1"
 description = "JSON Log Formatter for the Python Logging Package"
 authors = [
     {name = "Zakaria Zajac", email = "zak@madzak.com"},

src/pythonjsonlogger/core.py

@@ -236,14 +236,22 @@ def __init__(
     def format(self, record: logging.LogRecord) -> str:
         """Formats a log record and serializes to json
 
+        When `record.msg` is a `dict` it is shallow copied, so adding `exc_info` and
+        `stack_info` does not modify the caller's dict. Nested values are shared with
+        the caller rather than copied, and must not be mutated until the record has
+        been handled.
+
         Args:
             record: the record to format
+
+        *Changed in 4.1.1*: a `dict` `record.msg` is shallow copied instead of modified
+        in place.
         """
         message_dict: dict[str, Any] = {}
         # TODO: logging.LogRecord.msg and logging.LogRecord.message in typeshed
         #        are always type of str. We shouldn't need to override that.
         if isinstance(record.msg, dict):
-            message_dict = record.msg
+            message_dict = record.msg.copy()
             record.message = ""
         else:
             record.message = record.getMessage()

tests/test_formatters.py

@@ -393,6 +393,43 @@ def test_log_dict_defaults(env: LoggingEnvironment, class_: type[BaseJsonFormatt
     return
 
 
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("class_", ALL_FORMATTERS)
+def test_log_dict_not_modified(env: LoggingEnvironment, class_: type[BaseJsonFormatter]):
+    env.set_formatter(class_())
+
+    msg = {"text": "testing logging", "nested": {"more": "data"}}
+    try:
+        raise ValueError("test")
+    except ValueError:
+        env.logger.exception(msg, stack_info=True)
+    log_json = env.load_json()
+
+    assert log_json["exc_info"]
+    assert log_json["stack_info"]
+    assert msg == {"text": "testing logging", "nested": {"more": "data"}}
+    return
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("class_", ALL_FORMATTERS)
+def test_log_dict_shallow_copied(env: LoggingEnvironment, class_: type[BaseJsonFormatter]):
+    captured: list[Any] = []
+
+    class CaptureJsonFormatter(class_):  # type: ignore[valid-type,misc]
+
+        def process_log_record(self, log_data):
+            captured.append(log_data)
+            return super().process_log_record(log_data)
+
+    env.set_formatter(CaptureJsonFormatter())
+
+    nested = {"more": "data"}
+    env.logger.info({"nested": nested})
+
+    # nested values are shared with the caller, not copied
+    assert captured[0]["nested"] is nested
+    return
+
+
 @pytest.mark.parametrize("class_", ALL_FORMATTERS)
 def test_log_extra(env: LoggingEnvironment, class_: type[BaseJsonFormatter]):
     env.set_formatter(class_())