Wrap overlong 'from ... import *' with a backslash continuation

Instead of leaving the statement untouched (which left a line exceeding
line_length), split it at 'import *' and move the wildcard onto a
continuation line. Parenthesis-based wrapping is not valid for a wildcard
import, so a backslash continuation is the correct way to keep the line
valid Python while still respecting line_length when possible.

Co-Authored-By: CodeBuddy Code <noreply@codebuddy.ai>

Author: 2 people

CHANGELOG.md

@@ -8,9 +8,7 @@ Find out more about isort's release policy [here](docs/major_releases/release_po
 
 ### Unreleased
 
-  - Fix `from ... import *` statements being word-wrapped into invalid Python when exceeding `line_length` (#2267)
-
-### 8.0.0 February 19 2026 
+### 8.0.0 February 19 2026
 
   - Removed `--old-finders` and `--magic-placement` flags and `old_finders` configuration option. The legacy finder logic that relied on environment introspection has been removed (#2445) @joao-faria-dev
   - Update the `plone` profile to not clash with `black` (#2456) @ale-rt

isort/wrap.py

@@ -70,14 +70,20 @@ def import_statement(
 
 def line(content: str, line_separator: str, config: Config = DEFAULT_CONFIG) -> str:
     """Returns a line wrapped to the specified line-length, if possible."""
-    # A ``from ... import *`` statement cannot be split across multiple lines
-    # because the wildcard ``*`` has no valid continuation.  Word-wrapping it
-    # would move ``import *`` onto a continuation line and produce invalid
-    # Python.  Leave such lines untouched even if they exceed ``line_length``.
+    # A ``from ... import *`` statement cannot use parenthesis-based wrapping
+    # because the wildcard ``*`` has no valid continuation in that mode.
+    # Use a backslash continuation instead so the statement is split across
+    # lines while remaining valid Python.
     # See https://github.com/PyCQA/isort/issues/2267
     bare = content.split("#", 1)[0].rstrip()
     if bare.startswith("from ") and bare.endswith(" import *"):
-        return content
+        if len(content) <= config.line_length:
+            return content
+        line_without_comment, _, comment = content.partition("#")
+        prefix = line_without_comment.rstrip()
+        comment_suffix = f"  #{comment}" if comment else ""
+        module_path = prefix[: -len(" import *")]
+        return f"{module_path} import \\{line_separator}{config.indent}*{comment_suffix}"
     wrap_mode = config.multi_line_output
     if len(content) > config.line_length and wrap_mode != Modes.NOQA:
         line_without_comment = content

tests/unit/test_wrap.py

@@ -50,27 +50,36 @@ def test_line__comment_with_brackets__expects_unchanged_comment(multi_line_outpu
     assert wrap.line(content=content, line_separator="\n", config=config) == expected
 
 
-def test_line__star_import_not_wrapped():
-    # A ``from ... import *`` statement cannot be split across lines, so even
-    # when it exceeds ``line_length`` it must be returned unchanged instead of
-    # being word-wrapped into invalid Python. See issue #2267.
+def test_line__star_import_wrapped_with_backslash():
+    # A ``from ... import *`` statement cannot use parenthesis-based wrapping,
+    # so isort falls back to a backslash continuation when the line exceeds
+    # ``line_length``.  See issue #2267.
     content = "from very.very.very.very.very.very.very.very.very.very.very.long.line import *"
     config = Config(line_length=20)
-    assert wrap.line(content=content, line_separator="\n", config=config) == content
+    expected = (
+        "from very.very.very.very.very.very.very.very.very.very.very.long.line import \\"
+        "\n    *"
+    )
+    assert wrap.line(content=content, line_separator="\n", config=config) == expected
 
 
-def test_line__star_import_with_comment_not_wrapped():
+def test_line__star_import_with_comment_wrapped_with_backslash():
     content = (
         "from very.very.very.very.very.very.very.very.very.very.very.long.line import *"
         "  # noqa: F401"
     )
     config = Config(line_length=20)
-    assert wrap.line(content=content, line_separator="\n", config=config) == content
+    expected = (
+        "from very.very.very.very.very.very.very.very.very.very.very.long.line import \\"
+        "\n    *  # noqa: F401"
+    )
+    assert wrap.line(content=content, line_separator="\n", config=config) == expected
 
 
-def test_star_import_not_wrapped_end_to_end():
+def test_star_import_wrapped_end_to_end():
     source = "from very.very.very.very.very.very.very.very.very.very.very.very.long.line import *\n"
     result = code(source, line_length=20, force_single_line=True)
-    # The wildcard import must stay on a single line and remain valid Python.
-    assert "import *" in result.splitlines()[0]
-    assert result.strip() == source.strip()
+    # The wildcard import should be split with a backslash continuation.
+    lines = result.strip().splitlines()
+    assert lines[0].rstrip().endswith("import \\")
+    assert lines[1].strip() == "*"