PYTHON-961 - Add warning to prevent deadlock during getaddrinfo.

doc/faq.rst

@@ -375,3 +375,20 @@ just that field::
 
   >>> cur = coll.find({}, projection={'dt': False})
 
+.. _multiprocessing:
+
+Using PyMongo with Multiprocessing
+----------------------------------
+There are a few things to be aware of when using multiprocessing with PyMongo.
+On certain platforms (`defined here <https://hg.python.org/cpython/file/d2b8354e87f5/Modules/socketmodule.c#l187>`_)
+:class:`~pymongo.mongo_client.MongoClient` MUST be initialized with ``connect=False`` if a :class:`~pymongo.mongo_client.MongoClient` used in a
+child process is initialized before forking. If ``connect`` cannot be False,
+then :class:`~pymongo.mongo_client.MongoClient` must be initialized AFTER forking.
+
+This is because CPython must acquire a lock before calling
+`getaddrinfo() <https://hg.python.org/cpython/file/d2b8354e87f5/Modules/socketmodule.c#l4203>`_.
+A deadlock will occur if the :class:`~pymongo.mongo_client.MongoClient`'s parent process forks (on the main
+thread) while its monitor thread is in the getaddrinfo() system call.
+
+PyMongo will issue a warning if there is a chance of this deadlock occurring.
+

pymongo/mongo_client.py

@@ -98,6 +98,9 @@ class MongoClient(common.BaseObject):
         passwords reserved characters like ':', '/', '+' and '@' must be
         escaped following RFC 2396.
 
+        .. warning:: When using PyMongo in a multiprocessing context, please
+          read :ref:`multiprocessing` first.
+
         :Parameters:
           - `host` (optional): hostname or IP address of the
             instance to connect to, or a mongodb URI, or a list of

pymongo/topology.py

@@ -14,8 +14,10 @@
 
 """Internal class to monitor a topology of one or more servers."""
 
+import os
 import random
 import threading
+import warnings
 
 from bson.py3compat import itervalues
 from pymongo import common
@@ -50,13 +52,31 @@ class Topology(object):
         self._lock = threading.Lock()
         self._condition = self._settings.condition_class(self._lock)
         self._servers = {}
+        self._pid = None
 
     def open(self):
         """Start monitoring, or restart after a fork.
 
         No effect if called multiple times.
+
+        .. warning:: To avoid a deadlock during Python's getaddrinfo call,
+          will generate a warning if open() is called from a different
+          process than the one that initialized the Topology. To prevent this
+          from happening, MongoClient must be created after any forking OR
+          MongoClient must be started with connect=False.
         """
         with self._lock:
+            if self._pid is None:
+                self._pid = os.getpid()
+            else:
+                if os.getpid() != self._pid:
+                    warnings.warn(
+                        "MongoClient opened before fork. Create MongoClient "
+                        "with connect=False, or create client after forking. "
+                        "See PyMongo's documentation for details: http://api."
+                        "mongodb.org/python/current/faq.html#using-pymongo-"
+                        "with-multiprocessing>")
+
             self._ensure_opened()
 
     def select_servers(self,