test hangs after entering keystore password (using configVariable + viem + Node)

[kanej]

If you connect to a network that leverages a config variable in its config, the test will hang after requesting the password.

This is based on the following discussion:

Discussed in https://github.com/NomicFoundation/hardhat/discussions/6833

^{Originally posted by Henri-Guillet June 9, 2025} Hi, I'm using Hardhat v3 alpha with Viem and Node.js.

I'm using the integrated keystore feature in Hardhat 3 to protect my RPC URL. I resolve it in my config using:

configVariable("BASE_URL")

When I run a script, everything works as expected:

I'm prompted for the keystore password,

I enter it in the terminal,

the script runs and deploys successfully.

However, when I run a test, I also get prompted for the password, I enter it — but then the test hangs, stuck right after this line:

const { viem, ignition, networkHelpers } = await network.connect("baseFork");

If I hardcode the RPC URL directly in my config instead of using the keystore + configVariable, the test works fine.

Thanks in advance for your help!

[kanej]

I have been able to reproduce this issue locally.

In hardhat.config.ts:

networks: {
    // ...
    sepolia: {
      type: "http",
      chainType: "l1",
      url: configVariable("SEPOLIA_RPC_URL"),
      accounts: [configVariable("SEPOLIA_PRIVATE_KEY")],
    },
    // ...
  },

Then in your node test runner test:

  // ...
  it("should not stall", async () => {
    // trigger the keystore interruption
    await network.connect("sepolia");

    // pass the test
    assert.equal(1, 1);
  });

Running the test:

> npx hardhat test node
Compiling your Solidity contracts
Compiled 1 Solidity file with solc 0.8.28 (evm target: cancun)

Running node:test tests

  Counter
    ✔ The sum of the Increment events should match the current value
[hardhat-keystore] Enter the password: My Password

Note: My password is appearing in the clear, which also an issue

[kanej]

We have added a development keystore to allow storing config variables without needing a password. If you try and use a config variable when in tests (e.g. connecting to a network that uses a config variable for the url), you will get an error if it is not present in the development keystore. We stop you accessing the production encrypted keystore from tests.