fix(local): remove keys set to null in set_payload, like the server

[Yuilona]

When set_payload receives a top-level null value, the server removes that key from the target object; local mode stores the null instead.

from qdrant_client import QdrantClient, models

for client in (QdrantClient("http://localhost:6333"), QdrantClient(":memory:")):
    if client.collection_exists("demo"):
        client.delete_collection("demo")
    client.create_collection("demo", vectors_config=models.VectorParams(size=2, distance=models.Distance.DOT))
    client.upsert("demo", [models.PointStruct(id=1, vector=[1, 0], payload={"a": 1, "keep": 1})], wait=True)
    client.set_payload("demo", payload={"a": None, "b": None}, points=[1], wait=True)
    print(client.retrieve("demo", [1])[0].payload)

server: {'keep': 1}
local:  {'a': None, 'keep': 1, 'b': None}

On the server, every set_payload ends in merge_map, which removes a key whose value is Value::Null instead of inserting it. That covers the no-key case (Payload::merge) and every path handled by JsonPath::value_set, including paths whose target is not an object and gets replaced by a new one. Local mode merged with dict.update() / {**a, **b} and kept the nulls. The same applies to SetPayloadOperation in batch_update_points.

This adds a merge_payload helper with the server's semantics and uses it everywhere local mode merges a set_payload value: the no-key path and the terminal writes of the key, index and wildcard setters. Nulls nested inside a value ({"e": {"f": None}}) are still stored, as on the server. overwrite_payload and upsert keep nulls on both sides and are not changed.

Tests

• test_set_value_by_key_null_removes_key: one case per setter branch (dict target, non-dict target replaced, missing path, index, wildcard). All 7 fail before this change.
• test_set_payload_null_removes_key (congruence): the same request with no key and with b, a.x, arr[0], arr[1], arr[] and new.path, over REST and gRPC. It fails before this change and passes after.

Local runs against Qdrant v1.19.1 (merge_map and value_set are identical on dev):

pytest qdrant_client/local/tests                      146 passed
pytest tests/congruence_tests/test_payload.py tests/congruence_tests/test_updates.py \
       tests/congruence_tests/test_delete_points.py tests/congruence_tests/test_uuids.py   68 passed

I found this with a small script that runs random set_payload / overwrite_payload / delete_payload / clear_payload calls against both a server and :memory: and compares the payloads afterwards. Before the change, 7 of 300 rounds diverged, all because of nulls; after the change, 0 of 900 diverged. ruff format (v0.4.3, line length 99) and mypy report no issues for the changed files.

All Submissions:

• Contributions should target the dev branch. Did you create your branch from dev?
• Have you followed the guidelines in our Contributing document?
• Have you checked to ensure there aren't other open Pull Requests for the same update/change?

Changes to Core Features:

• Have you added an explanation of what your changes do and why you'd like us to include them?
• Have you written new tests for your core changes, as applicable?
• Have you successfully ran tests with your changes locally?

AI-assisted: the comparison script, fix and tests were prepared and run with Claude Code.

🤖 Generated with Claude Code

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• Configuration used: Organization UI
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• Plan: Advanced
• Run ID: eb73eeeb-2d84-4c1c-b370-0d54ff9f4fdf

📥 Commits

Reviewing files that changed from the base of the PR and between d64b76d and 5f6e3f2.

📒 Files selected for processing (4)

• qdrant_client/local/local_collection.py
• qdrant_client/local/payload_value_setter.py
• qdrant_client/local/tests/test_payload_utils.py
• tests/congruence_tests/test_payload.py

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📝 Walkthrough

Walkthrough

Payload updates now remove destination keys when the matching source value is null. This behavior applies to unkeyed local collection updates and terminal key, index, and wildcard paths. Non-dictionary values at terminal paths are replaced with dictionaries that omit null-valued source keys. Tests cover local path cases and compare local and remote collection results.

Priority: ➖ Normal

Estimated code review effort: 2 (Simple) | ~12 minutes

Change: Bug fix

Merge Risk: ⚪ Minimal · up to 5f6e3

The null-removal change has no identified issue that needs resolution before merge. Proceed with normal checks.

Security Architecture Review

Security architecture risk: 🔵 Low · up to 5f6e3

The change intentionally replaces stored nulls with key deletion, so callers relying on the previous local behavior will observe different payloads. The inspected implementation preserves existing point selection and write scope; no new security boundary or privilege expansion was identified.

Retained concerns
No architecture-level concerns identified.

Security review details

Security Blast Radius

• inferred — The changed operation affects payloads of the selected existing points. A wildcard can update every element of its resolved array, and incompatible targets can be replaced, but those scopes predate this PR. The inspected change does not extend selection to other collections, services, or credentials.

Trust Boundaries and Controls

• inferred — Caller-supplied payloads and paths reach the existing selected-point mutation path. Null now means deletion inside that write scope, but does not grant a new operation over otherwise unreachable points or bypass the missing/deleted-point check. Authorization outside this local path was not established by the supplied topology.

Resilience and Maintainability Implications

• inferred — Mutation precedes persistence and commits remain per point, so interruption or persistence failure can leave a partially completed request. This ordering predates the null-removal change. Static inspection does not establish serialized concurrent calls or crash-tested recovery guarantees, and neither guarantee is added here.

🚥 Pre-merge checks | ✅ 4 | ❌ 1

❌ Failed checks (1 warning)

Check name	Status	Explanation	Resolution
Docstring Coverage	⚠️ Warning	Docstring coverage is 25.00% which is insufficient. The required threshold is 80.00%. Docstring coverage is scoped to functions touched by this diff. Analyzed 12 functions across 4 files.	Write docstrings for the functions missing them to satisfy the coverage threshold.

✅ Passed checks (4 passed)

Check name	Status	Explanation
Linked Issues check	✅ Passed	Check skipped because no linked issues were found for this pull request.
Out of Scope Changes check	✅ Passed	Check skipped because no linked issues were found for this pull request.
Title check	✅ Passed	The title clearly summarizes the main change: local set_payload now removes keys set to null, matching server behavior.
Description check	✅ Passed	The description explains the behavior difference, the fix, and the tests. It is directly related to the changeset.

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