catalog_product_save_before observer throws date-related error when using REST API without store-level values (getFinalPrice() issue)

[KushalDani]

Preconditions and environment

• Magento 2.4.6-p10 (Community Edition)
• Custom extension using catalog_product_save_before observer
• Using REST API: POST /rest/default/V1/products

Steps to reproduce

1. Create a custom module with an observer for catalog_product_save_before.
2. Inside the observer, call $product->getFinalPrice().
3. Save a product using REST API: POST /rest/default/V1/products
4. Use the following JSON payload (no store-level pricing):

{
  "product": {
    "sku": "testing-special-date",
    "price": 120,
    "status": 0,
    "visibility": 4,
    "type_id": "simple",
    "extension_attributes": {
      "stock_item": {
        "stock_id": 1,
        "qty": 207,
        "is_in_stock": true
      }
    },
    "custom_attributes": [
      {
        "attribute_code": "tax_class_id",
        "value": "2"
      },
      {
        "attribute_code": "special_price",
        "value": "100.00"
      }
    ]
  },
  "saveOptions": true
}

Testing.Special.Date._.Products._.Inventory._.Catalog._.Magento.Admin.mp4

Expected result

• The product is saved successfully.
• $product->getFinalPrice() returns the correct final price or null without error.

Actual result

• A date-related error is thrown during the API call.
• The error occurs inside the observer when $product->getFinalPrice() is invoked.
• The issue does not happen if the same product is saved via Admin panel.

Additional information

• The issue seems related to store scope context missing or pricing attributes being incomplete in API context.
• It may be caused by Magento trying to calculate special price without required store-level values.
• The same observer logic works when the product is saved via Admin.

Temporary Workaround:

• Avoid using $product->getFinalPrice() in catalog_product_save_before for API calls.
• Use $product->getData('final_price') or defer final price logic until after save.

Release note

When saving a product using the REST API, and calling $product->getFinalPrice() inside the catalog_product_save_before observer, a date-related error is thrown if store-level values like special_price are not defined.

This works as expected when saving the product via the Magento Admin panel.

Triage and priority

• Severity: S0 - Affects critical data or functionality and leaves users without workaround.
• Severity: S1 - Affects critical data or functionality and forces users to employ a workaround.
• Severity: S2 - Affects non-critical data or functionality and forces users to employ a workaround.
• Severity: S3 - Affects non-critical data or functionality and does not force users to employ a workaround.
• Severity: S4 - Affects aesthetics, professional look and feel, “quality” or “usability”.

[m2-assistant]

Hi @KushalDani. Thank you for your report.
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[engcom-Hotel]

Hello @KushalDani,

Thanks for the report and collaboration!

We have tried to reproduce this issue in the latest 2.4-develop branch and it is reproducible for us. We are getting the below error:

TypeError: strtotime(): Argument #1 ($datetime) must be of type string, DateTime given in lib/internal/Magento/Framework/Stdlib/DateTime/Timezone.php:275

Hence confirming the issue.

Thanks

[m2-assistant]

Hi @engcom-Hotel. Thank you for working on this issue.
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