Py_Initialize: can't initialize sys standard streams error when creating a kernel

Description of your problem

IPython console fails to start

What steps will reproduce the problem?

1. Launch Spyder 3.1.3 (same pb. with 3.1.4)
2. IPython console fails to start

**What is the expected output?

IPython console start

What do you see instead?**

An error ocurred while starting the kernel
Fatal Python error: Py_Initialize: can't initialize sys standard streams
OSError: [Errno 9] Bad file descriptor

Current thread 0x00007fffc12213c0 (most recent call first):
Fatal Python error: Py_Initialize: can't initialize sys standard streams
OSError: [Errno 9] Bad file descriptor

Please provide any additional information below

Versions and main components

• Spyder Version: 3.1.3 (BTW : I add the same pb. with 3.1.4)
• Python Version: 3.6.1
• Qt Version: 5.6.2
• PyQt Version: 5.6.0
• Operating system: Mac OS X 10.12.5

Dependencies

jedi =0.9.0 : 0.9.0 (OK) matplotlib >=1.0 : 2.0.2 (OK) nbconvert >=4.0 : 5.2.1 (OK) numpy >=1.7 : 1.13.0 (OK) pandas >=0.13.1 : 0.20.2 (OK) pep8 >=0.6 : 1.7.0 (OK) psutil >=0.3 : 5.2.2 (OK) pyflakes >=0.6.0 : 1.5.0 (OK) pygments >=2.0 : 2.2.0 (OK) pylint >=0.25 : 1.6.4 (OK) qtconsole >=4.2.0: 4.3.0 (OK) rope >=0.9.4 : 0.9.4-1 (OK) sphinx >=0.6.6 : 1.6.2 (OK) sympy >=0.7.3 : None (NOK)

[sebma]

I don’t want any spyder on my carpet ! Let them do what they were created for : catching mosquitoes from their web and eating them. LOL

[ccordoba12]

@takluyver, yep, that’s my feeling about this situation 😉

@sebma, I don’t know how we could fix this because if you abruptly remove the carpet under which Spyder is running, then things are expected to fail.

@takluyver, thanks a lot for chiming in!