A job does not release its memory after being ran

[momala454]

Laravel Version

12.21.0

PHP Version

8.4

Database Driver & Version

No response

Description

I have this job which fill a variable with a lot of data data

<?php

declare(strict_types=1);

namespace App\Jobs;

use Illuminate\Bus\Queueable;
use Illuminate\Foundation\Bus\Dispatchable;
use Illuminate\Queue\InteractsWithQueue;
use Illuminate\Queue\SerializesModels;

#[\Illuminate\Container\Attributes\Scoped]
class TestBug implements \Illuminate\Contracts\Queue\ShouldQueue
{
    use Dispatchable;
    use InteractsWithQueue;
    use Queueable;
    use SerializesModels;

    protected string $bla;


    /**
     * Execute the job.
     */
    public function handle(): void
    {
        $this->bla = str_repeat('aaaaa', 10000000);
    }
}

I am monitoring the memory usage on AppServiceProvider

\Illuminate\Support\Facades\Queue::before(function (\Illuminate\Queue\Events\JobProcessing $job) {
            \Illuminate\Support\Facades\Log::info('Before ' . json_encode($job->job->payload()) . ' Memory : ' .
                        \Symfony\Component\Console\Helper\Helper::formatMemory(memory_get_usage())
                        . ' real : ' . \Symfony\Component\Console\Helper\Helper::formatMemory(memory_get_usage(true))
                        . ' peak : ' . \Symfony\Component\Console\Helper\Helper::formatMemory(memory_get_peak_usage(true)) . ' ' . gethostname());
        });

\Illuminate\Support\Facades\Queue::after(function (\Illuminate\Queue\Events\JobProcessed $job) {
            \Illuminate\Support\Facades\Log::info('After ' . json_encode($job->job->payload()) . ' Memory : ' .
                        \Symfony\Component\Console\Helper\Helper::formatMemory(memory_get_usage())
                        . ' real : ' . \Symfony\Component\Console\Helper\Helper::formatMemory(memory_get_usage(true))
                        . ' peak : ' . \Symfony\Component\Console\Helper\Helper::formatMemory(memory_get_peak_usage(true)) . ' ' . gethostname());
        });

I am running the worker using artisan queue:work --timeout 0 --tries 20
And scheduling it every second

$schedule->job(new \App\Jobs\TestBug())->everySecond()->withoutOverlapping(720)->onOneServer();

And the memory used during the job is not released

[2025-07-24 10:04:53] development.INFO: Before {"uuid":"b08f49b2-1c6b-4995-ba59-5bba6165a54a","displayName":"App\\Jobs\\TestBug","job":"Illuminate\\Queue\\CallQueuedHandler@call","maxTries":null,"maxExceptions":null,"failOnTimeout":false,"backoff":null,"timeout":null,"retryUntil":null,"data":{"commandName":"App\\Jobs\\TestBug","command":"O:16:\"App\\Jobs\\TestBug\":0:{}"},"createdAt":1753351001,"delay":null} Memory : 45.3 MiB real : 49.0 MiB peak : 49.0 MiB 62f8244a68b7  

  2025-07-24 10:04:53 App\Jobs\TestBug ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................... RUNNING
[2025-07-24 10:04:53] development.INFO: After {"uuid":"b08f49b2-1c6b-4995-ba59-5bba6165a54a","displayName":"App\\Jobs\\TestBug","job":"Illuminate\\Queue\\CallQueuedHandler@call","maxTries":null,"maxExceptions":null,"failOnTimeout":false,"backoff":null,"timeout":null,"retryUntil":null,"data":{"commandName":"App\\Jobs\\TestBug","command":"O:16:\"App\\Jobs\\TestBug\":0:{}"},"createdAt":1753351001,"delay":null} Memory : 94.1 MiB real : 96.7 MiB peak : 96.7 MiB 62f8244a68b7  

  2025-07-24 10:04:53 App\Jobs\TestBug .................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 21.57ms DONE
[2025-07-24 10:04:53] development.INFO: Before {"uuid":"454b175e-536c-47ee-a4a6-0f69306cba73","displayName":"App\\Jobs\\TestBug","job":"Illuminate\\Queue\\CallQueuedHandler@call","maxTries":null,"maxExceptions":null,"failOnTimeout":false,"backoff":null,"timeout":null,"retryUntil":null,"data":{"commandName":"App\\Jobs\\TestBug","command":"O:16:\"App\\Jobs\\TestBug\":0:{}"},"createdAt":1753351002,"delay":null} Memory : 94.1 MiB real : 96.7 MiB peak : 96.7 MiB 62f8244a68b7  

  2025-07-24 10:04:53 App\Jobs\TestBug ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................... RUNNING
[2025-07-24 10:04:53] development.INFO: After {"uuid":"454b175e-536c-47ee-a4a6-0f69306cba73","displayName":"App\\Jobs\\TestBug","job":"Illuminate\\Queue\\CallQueuedHandler@call","maxTries":null,"maxExceptions":null,"failOnTimeout":false,"backoff":null,"timeout":null,"retryUntil":null,"data":{"commandName":"App\\Jobs\\TestBug","command":"O:16:\"App\\Jobs\\TestBug\":0:{}"},"createdAt":1753351002,"delay":null} Memory : 94.1 MiB real : 96.7 MiB peak : 96.7 MiB 62f8244a68b7  

Once reached 97mb, it is never releasing it.

I even tried the attribute Scoped to prevent a singleton to being kept, but it didn't made any change.

The only way to prevent this memory leak is to unset $this->bla inside the handle method.
Unsetting bla in the destructor does not change anything. The destructor is even called before the handle is called

Steps To Reproduce

see above

[momala454]

@macropay-solutions i tried your commit in local, but it doesn't make any change in the memory consumption

[macropay-solutions]

@momala454 can you pls try to call this after that unset
gc_collect_cycles();
https://www.php.net/manual/en/function.gc-collect-cycles.php#130422

[momala454]

it's the same even with gc_collect_cycles

[macropay-solutions]

Your monitor is not catching the unset. It is called before the unset
see \Illuminate\Queue\Worker::process

[momala454]

what is "my monitor" ?
I have modified the code to show the memory usage after the unset :

but its still showing 94Mb usage

[2025-07-24 13:29:17] development.INFO: Before {"uuid":"bb62e48b-445a-48db-abaf-08af42f141f4","displayName":"App\\Jobs\\TestBug","job":"Illuminate\\Queue\\CallQueuedHandler@call","maxTries":null,"maxExceptions":null,"failOnTimeout":false,"backoff":null,"timeout":null,"retryUntil":null,"data":{"commandName":"App\\Jobs\\TestBug","command":"O:16:\"App\\Jobs\\TestBug\":9:{s:10:\"connection\";N;s:5:\"queue\";N;s:5:\"delay\";N;s:11:\"afterCommit\";N;s:10:\"middleware\";a:0:{}s:7:\"chained\";a:0:{}s:15:\"chainConnection\";N;s:10:\"chainQueue\";N;s:19:\"chainCatchCallbacks\";N;}"},"createdAt":1753363686,"delay":null} Memory : 45.3 MiB real : 49.0 MiB peak : 49.0 MiB 05342e1787b0  

  2025-07-24 13:29:17 App\Jobs\TestBug ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................... RUNNING
 unserialize Memory : 46.4 MiB real : 49.0 MiB peak : 49.0 MiB
HANDLE
[2025-07-24 13:29:17] development.INFO: After {"uuid":"bb62e48b-445a-48db-abaf-08af42f141f4","displayName":"App\\Jobs\\TestBug","job":"Illuminate\\Queue\\CallQueuedHandler@call","maxTries":null,"maxExceptions":null,"failOnTimeout":false,"backoff":null,"timeout":null,"retryUntil":null,"data":{"commandName":"App\\Jobs\\TestBug","command":"O:16:\"App\\Jobs\\TestBug\":9:{s:10:\"connection\";N;s:5:\"queue\";N;s:5:\"delay\";N;s:11:\"afterCommit\";N;s:10:\"middleware\";a:0:{}s:7:\"chained\";a:0:{}s:15:\"chainConnection\";N;s:10:\"chainQueue\";N;s:19:\"chainCatchCallbacks\";N;}"},"createdAt":1753363686,"delay":null} Memory : 94.0 MiB real : 96.7 MiB peak : 96.7 MiB 05342e1787b0  

  2025-07-24 13:29:17 App\Jobs\TestBug .................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 23.15ms DONE
 AFTER UNSET Memory : 94.0 MiB real : 96.7 MiB peak : 96.7 MiB
[2025-07-24 13:29:17] development.INFO: Before {"uuid":"66da80e4-4972-427e-b7d0-175a04cafad5","displayName":"App\\Jobs\\TestBug","job":"Illuminate\\Queue\\CallQueuedHandler@call","maxTries":null,"maxExceptions":null,"failOnTimeout":false,"backoff":null,"timeout":null,"retryUntil":null,"data":{"commandName":"App\\Jobs\\TestBug","command":"O:16:\"App\\Jobs\\TestBug\":9:{s:10:\"connection\";N;s:5:\"queue\";N;s:5:\"delay\";N;s:11:\"afterCommit\";N;s:10:\"middleware\";a:0:{}s:7:\"chained\";a:0:{}s:15:\"chainConnection\";N;s:10:\"chainQueue\";N;s:19:\"chainCatchCallbacks\";N;}"},"createdAt":1753363687,"delay":null} Memory : 94.0 MiB real : 96.7 MiB peak : 96.7 MiB 05342e1787b0  

  2025-07-24 13:29:17 App\Jobs\TestBug ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................... RUNNING
 unserialize Memory : 94.0 MiB real : 96.7 MiB peak : 96.7 MiB
DESTRUCT
HANDLE
[2025-07-24 13:29:17] development.INFO: After {"uuid":"66da80e4-4972-427e-b7d0-175a04cafad5","displayName":"App\\Jobs\\TestBug","job":"Illuminate\\Queue\\CallQueuedHandler@call","maxTries":null,"maxExceptions":null,"failOnTimeout":false,"backoff":null,"timeout":null,"retryUntil":null,"data":{"commandName":"App\\Jobs\\TestBug","command":"O:16:\"App\\Jobs\\TestBug\":9:{s:10:\"connection\";N;s:5:\"queue\";N;s:5:\"delay\";N;s:11:\"afterCommit\";N;s:10:\"middleware\";a:0:{}s:7:\"chained\";a:0:{}s:15:\"chainConnection\";N;s:10:\"chainQueue\";N;s:19:\"chainCatchCallbacks\";N;}"},"createdAt":1753363687,"delay":null} Memory : 94.0 MiB real : 96.7 MiB peak : 96.7 MiB 05342e1787b0  

  2025-07-24 13:29:17 App\Jobs\TestBug ................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 7.22ms DONE
 AFTER UNSET Memory : 94.0 MiB real : 96.7 MiB peak : 96.7 MiB
[2025-07-24 13:29:17] development.INFO: Before {"uuid":"4b783c16-a464-47da-ab8b-a13671e64704","displayName":"App\\Jobs\\TestBug","job":"Illuminate\\Queue\\CallQueuedHandler@call","maxTries":null,"maxExceptions":null,"failOnTimeout":false,"backoff":null,"timeout":null,"retryUntil":null,"data":{"commandName":"App\\Jobs\\TestBug","command":"O:16:\"App\\Jobs\\TestBug\":9:{s:10:\"connection\";N;s:5:\"queue\";N;s:5:\"delay\";N;s:11:\"afterCommit\";N;s:10:\"middleware\";a:0:{}s:7:\"chained\";a:0:{}s:15:\"chainConnection\";N;s:10:\"chainQueue\";N;s:19:\"chainCatchCallbacks\";N;}"},"createdAt":1753363688,"delay":null} Memory : 94.0 MiB real : 96.7 MiB peak : 96.7 MiB 05342e1787b0  

  2025-07-24 13:29:17 App\Jobs\TestBug ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................... RUNNING
 unserialize Memory : 94.1 MiB real : 96.7 MiB peak : 96.7 MiB
DESTRUCT
HANDLE
[2025-07-24 13:29:17] development.INFO: After {"uuid":"4b783c16-a464-47da-ab8b-a13671e64704","displayName":"App\\Jobs\\TestBug","job":"Illuminate\\Queue\\CallQueuedHandler@call","maxTries":null,"maxExceptions":null,"failOnTimeout":false,"backoff":null,"timeout":null,"retryUntil":null,"data":{"commandName":"App\\Jobs\\TestBug","command":"O:16:\"App\\Jobs\\TestBug\":9:{s:10:\"connection\";N;s:5:\"queue\";N;s:5:\"delay\";N;s:11:\"afterCommit\";N;s:10:\"middleware\";a:0:{}s:7:\"chained\";a:0:{}s:15:\"chainConnection\";N;s:10:\"chainQueue\";N;s:19:\"chainCatchCallbacks\";N;}"},"createdAt":1753363688,"delay":null} Memory : 94.0 MiB real : 96.7 MiB peak : 96.7 MiB 05342e1787b0  

  2025-07-24 13:29:17 App\Jobs\TestBug ................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 6.42ms DONE
 AFTER UNSET Memory : 94.0 MiB real : 96.7 MiB peak : 96.7 MiB

[macropay-solutions]

If it remains at 96 that means it is not rising.

Is this happening also for non scheduled jobs (normal dispatched jobs)?

\Illuminate\Queue\CallQueuedHandler::dispatchThroughMiddleware

->then(function ($command) use ($job) {

The above might keep the job in memory.

It is called from
\Illuminate\Queue\Jobs\Job::fire

    ($this->instance = $this->resolve($class))->{$method}($this, $payload['data']);

,"job":"Illuminate\Queue\CallQueuedHandler@call"

[momala454]

I think the class Illuminate\Pipeline keeps a reference of the job in the property passable, because I notice that when the worker run for the second time this job, it replace passable with an instance of the job.

I replaced my "bla" property with a class with a destructor to be able to trace that :

#0 /app/vendor/laravel/framework/src/Illuminate/Pipeline/Pipeline.php(69): class@anonymous->__destruct()
#1 /app/vendor/laravel/framework/src/Illuminate/Bus/Dispatcher.php(136): Illuminate\Pipeline\Pipeline->send(Object(App\Jobs\TestBug))
#2 /app/vendor/laravel/framework/src/Illuminate/Queue/CallQueuedHandler.php(134): Illuminate\Bus\Dispatcher->dispatchNow(Object(App\Jobs\TestBug), false)
#3 /app/vendor/laravel/framework/src/Illuminate/Pipeline/Pipeline.php(169): Illuminate\Queue\CallQueuedHandler->{closure:Illuminate\Queue\CallQueuedHandler::dispatchThroughMiddleware():127}(Object(App\Jobs\TestBug))
#4 /app/vendor/laravel/framework/src/Illuminate/Pipeline/Pipeline.php(126): Illuminate\Pipeline\Pipeline->{closure:Illuminate\Pipeline\Pipeline::prepareDestination():167}(Object(App\Jobs\TestBug))
#5 /app/vendor/laravel/framework/src/Illuminate/Queue/CallQueuedHandler.php(127): Illuminate\Pipeline\Pipeline->then(Object(Closure))
#6 /app/vendor/laravel/framework/src/Illuminate/Queue/CallQueuedHandler.php(68): Illuminate\Queue\CallQueuedHandler->dispatchThroughMiddleware(Object(Illuminate\Queue\Jobs\DatabaseJob), Object(App\Jobs\TestBug))

i will try what you asked

[macropay-solutions]

@momala454

    public function call(Job $job, array $data)
    {
        try {
            $command = $this->setJobInstanceIfNecessary(
                $job,
                $this->getCommand($data) //.... this returns your job so you might try unset($command)  at the end of the call function but it might have unexpected behavior....
            );

[momala454]

unset($command); + gc_collect_cycles at the end of "call" is not improving memory usage

Jobs created without using scheduler but with "PendingDispatch" are having the same problem too

[2025-07-24 14:54:13] development.INFO: Before {"uuid":"777f12a5-4d14-455c-a94c-fb6e8c9ee4ad","displayName":"App\\Jobs\\TestBug","job":"Illuminate\\Queue\\CallQueuedHandler@call","maxTries":null,"maxExceptions":null,"failOnTimeout":false,"backoff":null,"timeout":null,"retryUntil":null,"data":{"commandName":"App\\Jobs\\TestBug","command":"O:16:\"App\\Jobs\\TestBug\":10:{s:6:\"\u0000*\u0000bla\";N;s:10:\"connection\";N;s:5:\"queue\";N;s:5:\"delay\";N;s:11:\"afterCommit\";N;s:10:\"middleware\";a:0:{}s:7:\"chained\";a:0:{}s:15:\"chainConnection\";N;s:10:\"chainQueue\";N;s:19:\"chainCatchCallbacks\";N;}"},"createdAt":1753368828,"delay":null} Memory : 45.3 MiB real : 49.0 MiB peak : 49.0 MiB dbf54e5d1b5d  

  2025-07-24 14:54:13 App\Jobs\TestBug ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................... RUNNING
 unserialize Memory : 46.4 MiB real : 49.0 MiB peak : 49.0 MiB
HANDLE
[2025-07-24 14:54:14] development.INFO: After {"uuid":"777f12a5-4d14-455c-a94c-fb6e8c9ee4ad","displayName":"App\\Jobs\\TestBug","job":"Illuminate\\Queue\\CallQueuedHandler@call","maxTries":null,"maxExceptions":null,"failOnTimeout":false,"backoff":null,"timeout":null,"retryUntil":null,"data":{"commandName":"App\\Jobs\\TestBug","command":"O:16:\"App\\Jobs\\TestBug\":10:{s:6:\"\u0000*\u0000bla\";N;s:10:\"connection\";N;s:5:\"queue\";N;s:5:\"delay\";N;s:11:\"afterCommit\";N;s:10:\"middleware\";a:0:{}s:7:\"chained\";a:0:{}s:15:\"chainConnection\";N;s:10:\"chainQueue\";N;s:19:\"chainCatchCallbacks\";N;}"},"createdAt":1753368828,"delay":null} Memory : 94.0 MiB real : 96.7 MiB peak : 96.7 MiB dbf54e5d1b5d  

  2025-07-24 14:54:14 App\Jobs\TestBug .................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 21.39ms DONE
 AFTER UNSET Memory : 94.0 MiB real : 96.7 MiB peak : 96.7 MiB
[2025-07-24 14:54:14] development.INFO: Before {"uuid":"7e97d4f9-1c36-43f8-a8b7-45e6c3d475d2","displayName":"App\\Jobs\\TestBug","job":"Illuminate\\Queue\\CallQueuedHandler@call","maxTries":null,"maxExceptions":null,"failOnTimeout":false,"backoff":null,"timeout":null,"retryUntil":null,"data":{"commandName":"App\\Jobs\\TestBug","command":"O:16:\"App\\Jobs\\TestBug\":10:{s:6:\"\u0000*\u0000bla\";N;s:10:\"connection\";N;s:5:\"queue\";N;s:5:\"delay\";N;s:11:\"afterCommit\";N;s:10:\"middleware\";a:0:{}s:7:\"chained\";a:0:{}s:15:\"chainConnection\";N;s:10:\"chainQueue\";N;s:19:\"chainCatchCallbacks\";N;}"},"createdAt":1753368829,"delay":null} Memory : 94.0 MiB real : 96.7 MiB peak : 96.7 MiB dbf54e5d1b5d  

  2025-07-24 14:54:14 App\Jobs\TestBug ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................... RUNNING
 unserialize Memory : 94.0 MiB real : 96.7 MiB peak : 96.7 MiB
DESTRUCT
HANDLE
[2025-07-24 14:54:14] development.INFO: After {"uuid":"7e97d4f9-1c36-43f8-a8b7-45e6c3d475d2","displayName":"App\\Jobs\\TestBug","job":"Illuminate\\Queue\\CallQueuedHandler@call","maxTries":null,"maxExceptions":null,"failOnTimeout":false,"backoff":null,"timeout":null,"retryUntil":null,"data":{"commandName":"App\\Jobs\\TestBug","command":"O:16:\"App\\Jobs\\TestBug\":10:{s:6:\"\u0000*\u0000bla\";N;s:10:\"connection\";N;s:5:\"queue\";N;s:5:\"delay\";N;s:11:\"afterCommit\";N;s:10:\"middleware\";a:0:{}s:7:\"chained\";a:0:{}s:15:\"chainConnection\";N;s:10:\"chainQueue\";N;s:19:\"chainCatchCallbacks\";N;}"},"createdAt":1753368829,"delay":null} Memory : 94.0 MiB real : 96.7 MiB peak : 96.7 MiB dbf54e5d1b5d  

  2025-07-24 14:54:14 App\Jobs\TestBug ................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 5.94ms DONE
 AFTER UNSET Memory : 94.0 MiB real : 96.7 MiB peak : 96.7 MiB
[2025-07-24 14:54:14] development.INFO: Before {"uuid":"6c3c243e-a12b-43ae-b9d3-770010cf912e","displayName":"App\\Jobs\\TestBug","job":"Illuminate\\Queue\\CallQueuedHandler@call","maxTries":null,"maxExceptions":null,"failOnTimeout":false,"backoff":null,"timeout":null,"retryUntil":null,"data":{"commandName":"App\\Jobs\\TestBug","command":"O:16:\"App\\Jobs\\TestBug\":10:{s:6:\"\u0000*\u0000bla\";N;s:10:\"connection\";N;s:5:\"queue\";N;s:5:\"delay\";N;s:11:\"afterCommit\";N;s:10:\"middleware\";a:0:{}s:7:\"chained\";a:0:{}s:15:\"chainConnection\";N;s:10:\"chainQueue\";N;s:19:\"chainCatchCallbacks\";N;}"},"createdAt":1753368831,"delay":null} Memory : 94.0 MiB real : 96.7 MiB peak : 96.7 MiB dbf54e5d1b5d  

  2025-07-24 14:54:14 App\Jobs\TestBug ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................... RUNNING
 unserialize Memory : 94.1 MiB real : 96.7 MiB peak : 96.7 MiB
DESTRUCT
HANDLE
[2025-07-24 14:54:14] development.INFO: After {"uuid":"6c3c243e-a12b-43ae-b9d3-770010cf912e","displayName":"App\\Jobs\\TestBug","job":"Illuminate\\Queue\\CallQueuedHandler@call","maxTries":null,"maxExceptions":null,"failOnTimeout":false,"backoff":null,"timeout":null,"retryUntil":null,"data":{"commandName":"App\\Jobs\\TestBug","command":"O:16:\"App\\Jobs\\TestBug\":10:{s:6:\"\u0000*\u0000bla\";N;s:10:\"connection\";N;s:5:\"queue\";N;s:5:\"delay\";N;s:11:\"afterCommit\";N;s:10:\"middleware\";a:0:{}s:7:\"chained\";a:0:{}s:15:\"chainConnection\";N;s:10:\"chainQueue\";N;s:19:\"chainCatchCallbacks\";N;}"},"createdAt":1753368831,"delay":null} Memory : 94.0 MiB real : 96.7 MiB peak : 96.7 MiB dbf54e5d1b5d  

  2025-07-24 14:54:14 App\Jobs\TestBug ................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 5.94ms DONE
 AFTER UNSET Memory : 94.0 MiB real : 96.7 MiB peak : 96.7 MiB
 AFTER UNSET Memory : 94.0 MiB real : 96.7 MiB peak : 96.7 MiB

[macropay-solutions]

So it keeps last 2 jobs in memory because 94 ~2*46. Can that be considered a bug?

[momala454]

not, it starts at 45mb usage. If i modify the job to use 100mb, i end up with 145mb used when finished.
The bug is it does not destroy the job once finished

[macropay-solutions]

Ok, but if you have multiple jobs in the same daemon run, it will use max 94 (145) mb, right?

[momala454]

yes

[macropay-solutions]

That is a limitation from php. The __destruct will be called by the garbage collector once the object is no longer referenced.