Summary

Fixes #7224.

When JSON.parse fails in strict mode (responseType: 'json' or silentJSONParsing: false), the thrown AxiosError had error.response and error.status both as undefined, making it impossible for callers to inspect the HTTP response status without re-examining the raw response.

Root cause

transformResponse runs inside transformData.call(config, ...) where this is the config object. AxiosError.from uses this.response to populate the error — but config.response is never set in dispatchRequest, so it is always undefined.

Fix

In dispatchRequest, temporarily assign config.response = response before calling transformData, then clean it up in a finally block. This makes this.response available inside transformResponse when building the AxiosError.

Changes

• lib/core/dispatchRequest.js: set/clean config.response around transformData calls for both resolution and rejection paths
• tests/unit/transformResponse.test.js: 3 new tests — ERR_BAD_RESPONSE code, response/status attached, config.response cleaned up after

Summary by cubic

Ensures AxiosError includes error.response and error.status on strict JSON parse failures by temporarily exposing the response during transform. Restores consistent error behavior for responseType: 'json'.

Description

• Summary of changes
  • In lib/core/dispatchRequest.js, set config.response = response before transformData.call(config, config.transformResponse, ...) on both resolve and reject paths, then delete it in finally.
• Reasoning
  • AxiosError.from reads this.response inside transformResponse; without it, parse failures lacked response details.
• Additional context
  • Covers adapter resolve and reject paths; expands malformed JSON tests.

Docs

• No docs changes needed. If desired, add a short note in /docs/ about consistent AxiosError fields on JSON parse errors.

Testing

• Added tests/unit/core/dispatchRequest.test.js:
  • Asserts error.response and error.status are set on JSON parse failure (both paths).
  • Verifies config.response is cleaned up after throws and after success.
• Updated tests/unit/transformResponse.test.js:
  • Asserts ERR_BAD_RESPONSE and attaches the original response.

Semantic version impact

• Patch: bug fix with no API changes.

^{Written for commit cc0d8fc. Summary will update on new commits.}