Django request.user.is_authenticated provokes dictionary update sequence element #0 has length X; 2 is required

Every time my code reaches a certain line it seems to provoke a dictionary update sequence element #0 has length X; 2 is required error. The value X can change, but the error is almost always provoked when this is called:

if request.user.is_authenticated

It's python 3.6.7, django 2.1.7

Here is the error stack

    Traceback:

File "/path/to/venv/lib/python3.6/site-packages/django/core/handlers/exception.py" in inner
  34.             response = get_response(request)

File "/path/to/venv/lib/python3.6/site-packages/django/core/handlers/base.py" in _get_response
  126.                 response = self.process_exception_by_middleware(e, request)

File "/path/to/venv/lib/python3.6/site-packages/django/core/handlers/base.py" in _get_response
  124.                 response = wrapped_callback(request, *callback_args, **callback_kwargs)

File "./playerdata/api/tokens.py" in token_queries
  87.     if request.user.is_authenticated:

File "/path/to/venv/lib/python3.6/site-packages/django/utils/functional.py" in inner
  213.             self._setup()

File "/path/to/venv/lib/python3.6/site-packages/django/utils/functional.py" in _setup
  347.         self._wrapped = self._setupfunc()

File "/path/to/venv/lib/python3.6/site-packages/django/contrib/auth/middleware.py" in <lambda>
  24.         request.user = SimpleLazyObject(lambda: get_user(request))

File "/path/to/venv/lib/python3.6/site-packages/django/contrib/auth/middleware.py" in get_user
  12.         request._cached_user = auth.get_user(request)

File "/path/to/venv/lib/python3.6/site-packages/django/contrib/auth/__init__.py" in get_user
  189.             user = backend.get_user(user_id)

File "/path/to/venv/lib/python3.6/site-packages/django/contrib/auth/backends.py" in get_user
  98.             user = UserModel._default_manager.get(pk=user_id)

File "/path/to/venv/lib/python3.6/site-packages/django/db/models/manager.py" in manager_method
  82.                 return getattr(self.get_queryset(), name)(*args, **kwargs)

File "/path/to/venv/lib/python3.6/site-packages/django/db/models/query.py" in get
  390.         clone = self.filter(*args, **kwargs)

File "/path/to/venv/lib/python3.6/site-packages/django/db/models/query.py" in filter
  844.         return self._filter_or_exclude(False, *args, **kwargs)

File "/path/to/venv/lib/python3.6/site-packages/django/db/models/query.py" in _filter_or_exclude
  862.             clone.query.add_q(Q(*args, **kwargs))

File "/path/to/venv/lib/python3.6/site-packages/django/db/models/sql/query.py" in add_q
  1263.         clause, _ = self._add_q(q_object, self.used_aliases)

File "/path/to/venv/lib/python3.6/site-packages/django/db/models/sql/query.py" in _add_q
  1289.                 joinpromoter.add_votes(needed_inner)

File "/path/to/venv/lib/python3.6/site-packages/django/db/models/sql/query.py" in add_votes
  2171.         self.votes.update(votes)

File "/usr/lib/python3.6/collections/__init__.py" in update
  620.                     super(Counter, self).update(iterable) # fast path when counter is empty

Exception Type: ValueError
Exception Value: dictionary update sequence element #0 has length 9; 2 is required

The code around request.user.is_authenticated:

def token_queries(request):    
    data = None
    if request.user.is_authenticated:
        data = login_required(request)
    if data is None:
        data = anonymous(request)
    return json_response(data)

from Django request.user.is_authenticated provokes dictionary update sequence element #0 has length X; 2 is required