4 files changed, 77 insertions, 0 deletions
diff --git a/src/nvim/generators/gen_api_dispatch.lua b/src/nvim/generators/gen_api_dispatch.lua
index 969c19aedb..3ebcd2d1c4 100644
--- a/src/nvim/generators/gen_api_dispatch.lua
+++ b/src/nvim/generators/gen_api_dispatch.lua
@@ -349,6 +349,7 @@ output:write([[
 #include "nvim/api/private/defs.h"
 #include "nvim/api/private/helpers.h"
 #include "nvim/lua/converter.h"
+#include "nvim/lua/executor.h"
 ]])
 include_headers(output, headers)
 output:write('\n')
@@ -372,6 +373,14 @@ local function process_function(fn)
     binding=lua_c_function_name,
     api=fn.name
   }
+
+  if not fn.fast then
+    write_shifted_output(output, string.format([[
+    if (!nlua_is_deferred_safe(lstate)) {
+      return luaL_error(lstate, e_luv_api_disabled, "%s");
+    }
+    ]], fn.name))
+  end
   local cparams = ''
   local free_code = {}
   for j = #fn.parameters,1,-1 do
diff --git a/src/nvim/globals.h b/src/nvim/globals.h
index 0b5fafd7c0..139ffe2144 100644
--- a/src/nvim/globals.h
+++ b/src/nvim/globals.h
@@ -1061,6 +1061,9 @@ EXTERN char_u e_cmdmap_key[] INIT(=N_(
 EXTERN char_u e_api_error[] INIT(=N_(
     "E5555: API call: %s"));
 
+EXTERN char e_luv_api_disabled[] INIT(=N_(
+    "E5560: %s must not be called in a lua loop callback"));
+
 EXTERN char_u e_floatonly[] INIT(=N_(
     "E5601: Cannot close window, only floating window would remain"));
 EXTERN char_u e_floatexchange[] INIT(=N_(
diff --git a/src/nvim/lua/executor.c b/src/nvim/lua/executor.c
index ae872c1540..0127bfae7c 100644
--- a/src/nvim/lua/executor.c
+++ b/src/nvim/lua/executor.c
@@ -33,6 +33,8 @@
 
 #include "luv/luv.h"
 
+static int in_fast_callback = 0;
+
 typedef struct {
   Error err;
   String lua_err_str;
@@ -110,6 +112,50 @@ static int nlua_stricmp(lua_State *const lstate) FUNC_ATTR_NONNULL_ALL
   return 1;
 }
 
+static void nlua_luv_error_event(void **argv)
+{
+  char *error = (char *)argv[0];
+  msg_ext_set_kind("lua_error");
+  emsgf_multiline("Error executing luv callback:\n%s", error);
+  xfree(error);
+}
+
+static int nlua_luv_cfpcall(lua_State *lstate, int nargs, int nresult,
+                            int flags)
+  FUNC_ATTR_NONNULL_ALL
+{
+  int retval;
+
+  // luv callbacks might be executed at any os_breakcheck/line_breakcheck
+  // call, so using the API directly here is not safe.
+  in_fast_callback++;
+
+  int top = lua_gettop(lstate);
+  int status = lua_pcall(lstate, nargs, nresult, 0);
+  if (status) {
+    if (status == LUA_ERRMEM && !(flags & LUVF_CALLBACK_NOEXIT)) {
+      // consider out of memory errors unrecoverable, just like xmalloc()
+      mch_errmsg(e_outofmem);
+      mch_errmsg("\n");
+      preserve_exit();
+    }
+    const char *error = lua_tostring(lstate, -1);
+
+    multiqueue_put(main_loop.events, nlua_luv_error_event,
+                   1, xstrdup(error));
+    lua_pop(lstate, 1);  // error mesage
+    retval = -status;
+  } else {  // LUA_OK
+    if (nresult == LUA_MULTRET) {
+      nresult = lua_gettop(lstate) - top + nargs + 1;
+    }
+    retval = nresult;
+  }
+
+  in_fast_callback--;
+  return retval;
+}
+
 static void nlua_schedule_event(void **argv)
 {
   LuaRef cb = (LuaRef)(ptrdiff_t)argv[0];
@@ -180,6 +226,7 @@ static int nlua_state_init(lua_State *const lstate) FUNC_ATTR_NONNULL_ALL
 
   // vim.loop
   luv_set_loop(lstate, &main_loop.uv);
+  luv_set_callback(lstate, nlua_luv_cfpcall);
   luaopen_luv(lstate);
   lua_setfield(lstate, -2, "loop");
 
@@ -546,6 +593,13 @@ Object executor_exec_lua_cb(LuaRef ref, const char *name, Array args,
   }
 }
 
+/// check if the current execution context is safe for calling deferred API
+/// methods. Luv callbacks are unsafe as they are called inside the uv loop.
+bool nlua_is_deferred_safe(lua_State *lstate)
+{
+  return in_fast_callback == 0;
+}
+
 /// Run lua string
 ///
 /// Used for :lua.
diff --git a/src/nvim/lua/vim.lua b/src/nvim/lua/vim.lua
index 848bccaae6..46c96b455f 100644
--- a/src/nvim/lua/vim.lua
+++ b/src/nvim/lua/vim.lua
@@ -172,11 +172,22 @@ local function __index(t, key)
   end
 end
 
+--- Defers the wrapped callback until when the nvim API is safe to call.
+---
+--- See |vim-loop-callbacks|
+local function schedule_wrap(cb)
+  return (function (...)
+    local args = {...}
+    vim.schedule(function() cb(unpack(args)) end)
+  end)
+end
+
 local module = {
   _update_package_paths = _update_package_paths,
   _os_proc_children = _os_proc_children,
   _os_proc_info = _os_proc_info,
   _system = _system,
+  schedule_wrap = schedule_wrap,
 }
 
 setmetatable(module, {