Events with same timestamps don't persist most recent event data

[andrejpavlovic]

Bug report

• I confirm this is a bug with Supabase, not with my own application.
• I confirm I have searched the Docs, GitHub Discussions, and Discord.

Describe the bug

Switching from a subscription in trial to another subscription, results in the subscription in trial still persisting in the database as the active subscription after webhook events are handled.

To Reproduce

1. Create a subscription to product with trial.
2. While in trial update to another subscription.
3. Note that the following webhook events trigger:

customer.subscription.trial_will_end
customer.subscription.updated
...

4. The webhook handler updates the subscription from the trial_will_end event.
5. The webhook ignores the subscription from updated event because it has the exact same timestamp as trial_will_end event

Expected behavior

Subscription from customer.subscription.updated event should be the last one to be persisted in database, not trial_will_end

Additional context

Changing this comparison to <= seems to resolve this issue:
https://github.com/supabase/stripe-sync-engine/blob/10955c71fdfb52be84c977ef8ca6b6841c6f0ba3/packages/sync-engine/src/database/postgres.ts#L203

[kevcodez]

Changing to <= won't necessarily help and can cause other side effects, if Stripe sends these events in a different order (trial_will_end last), it would persist the last entry and override, leading to wrong state again

For strong consistency, you can opt in to the flag revalidateObjectsViaStripeApi which will always pull data via API before persisting

If a subscription.update event is always triggered, I suppose you could also not listen to trial_will_end event 🤔

Could you post the JSON webhook bodies for both of these events (strip any actual ids/sensitive data)?

[andrejpavlovic]

@kevcodez , good point about the revalidateObjectsViaStripeApi, I added subscription to it instead of patching the last_synced_at query.

Here are the sample events:

customer.subscription.trial_will_end

{
  "id": "evt_PLACEHOLDER",
  "object": "event",
  "api_version": "2025-12-15.clover",
  "created": 1770392160,
  "data": {
    "object": {
      "id": "sub_PLACEHOLDER",
      "object": "subscription",
      "application": null,
      "application_fee_percent": null,
      "automatic_tax": {
        "disabled_reason": null,
        "enabled": false,
        "liability": null
      },
      "billing_cycle_anchor": 1772984133,
      "billing_cycle_anchor_config": null,
      "billing_mode": {
        "flexible": {
          "proration_discounts": "included"
        },
        "type": "flexible",
        "updated_at": 1770392133
      },
      "billing_thresholds": null,
      "cancel_at": null,
      "cancel_at_period_end": false,
      "canceled_at": null,
      "cancellation_details": {
        "comment": null,
        "feedback": null,
        "reason": null
      },
      "collection_method": "charge_automatically",
      "created": 1770392133,
      "currency": "cad",
      "customer": "cus_PLACEHOLDER",
      "customer_account": null,
      "days_until_due": null,
      "default_payment_method": null,
      "default_source": null,
      "default_tax_rates": [],
      "description": null,
      "discounts": [],
      "ended_at": null,
      "invoice_settings": {
        "account_tax_ids": null,
        "issuer": {
          "type": "self"
        }
      },
      "items": {
        "object": "list",
        "data": [
          {
            "id": "si_PLACEHOLDER",
            "object": "subscription_item",
            "billing_thresholds": null,
            "created": 1770392133,
            "current_period_end": 1772984133,
            "current_period_start": 1770392133,
            "discounts": [],
            "metadata": {},
            "plan": {
              "id": "price_PLACEHOLDER",
              "object": "plan",
              "active": true,
              "amount": 4900,
              "amount_decimal": "4900",
              "billing_scheme": "per_unit",
              "created": 1769231317,
              "currency": "cad",
              "interval": "month",
              "interval_count": 1,
              "livemode": false,
              "metadata": {},
              "meter": null,
              "nickname": "GraceNotes Plus",
              "product": "prod_PLACEHOLDER",
              "tiers_mode": null,
              "transform_usage": null,
              "trial_period_days": null,
              "usage_type": "licensed"
            },
            "price": {
              "id": "price_PLACEHOLDER",
              "object": "price",
              "active": true,
              "billing_scheme": "per_unit",
              "created": 1769231317,
              "currency": "cad",
              "custom_unit_amount": null,
              "livemode": false,
              "lookup_key": "gracenotes_plus_monthly",
              "metadata": {},
              "nickname": "GraceNotes Plus",
              "product": "prod_PLACEHOLDER",
              "recurring": {
                "interval": "month",
                "interval_count": 1,
                "meter": null,
                "trial_period_days": null,
                "usage_type": "licensed"
              },
              "tax_behavior": "unspecified",
              "tiers_mode": null,
              "transform_quantity": null,
              "type": "recurring",
              "unit_amount": 4900,
              "unit_amount_decimal": "4900"
            },
            "quantity": 1,
            "subscription": "sub_PLACEHOLDER",
            "tax_rates": []
          }
        ],
        "has_more": false,
        "total_count": 1,
        "url": "/v1/subscription_items?subscription=sub_PLACEHOLDER"
      },
      "latest_invoice": "in_PLACEHOLDER",
      "livemode": false,
      "metadata": {},
      "next_pending_invoice_item_invoice": null,
      "on_behalf_of": null,
      "pause_collection": null,
      "payment_settings": {
        "payment_method_options": null,
        "payment_method_types": null,
        "save_default_payment_method": "on_subscription"
      },
      "pending_invoice_item_interval": null,
      "pending_setup_intent": "seti_PLACEHOLDER",
      "pending_update": null,
      "plan": {
        "id": "price_PLACEHOLDER",
        "object": "plan",
        "active": true,
        "amount": 4900,
        "amount_decimal": "4900",
        "billing_scheme": "per_unit",
        "created": 1769231317,
        "currency": "cad",
        "interval": "month",
        "interval_count": 1,
        "livemode": false,
        "metadata": {},
        "meter": null,
        "nickname": "GraceNotes Plus",
        "product": "prod_PLACEHOLDER",
        "tiers_mode": null,
        "transform_usage": null,
        "trial_period_days": null,
        "usage_type": "licensed"
      },
      "quantity": 1,
      "schedule": null,
      "start_date": 1770392133,
      "status": "trialing",
      "test_clock": null,
      "transfer_data": null,
      "trial_end": 1772984133,
      "trial_settings": {
        "end_behavior": {
          "missing_payment_method": "create_invoice"
        }
      },
      "trial_start": 1770392133
    }
  },
  "livemode": false,
  "pending_webhooks": 2,
  "request": {
    "id": null,
    "idempotency_key": "PLACEHOLDER_IDEMPOTENCY_KEY"
  },
  "type": "customer.subscription.trial_will_end"
}

customer.subscription.updated

{
  "id": "evt_PLACEHOLDER",
  "object": "event",
  "api_version": "2025-12-15.clover",
  "created": 1770392160,
  "data": {
    "object": {
      "id": "sub_PLACEHOLDER",
      "object": "subscription",
      "application": null,
      "application_fee_percent": null,
      "automatic_tax": {
        "disabled_reason": null,
        "enabled": false,
        "liability": null
      },
      "billing_cycle_anchor": 1770392159,
      "billing_cycle_anchor_config": null,
      "billing_mode": {
        "flexible": {
          "proration_discounts": "included"
        },
        "type": "flexible",
        "updated_at": 1770392133
      },
      "billing_thresholds": null,
      "cancel_at": null,
      "cancel_at_period_end": false,
      "canceled_at": null,
      "cancellation_details": {
        "comment": null,
        "feedback": null,
        "reason": null
      },
      "collection_method": "charge_automatically",
      "created": 1770392133,
      "currency": "cad",
      "customer": "cus_PLACEHOLDER",
      "customer_account": null,
      "days_until_due": null,
      "default_payment_method": null,
      "default_source": null,
      "default_tax_rates": [],
      "description": null,
      "discounts": [],
      "ended_at": null,
      "invoice_settings": {
        "account_tax_ids": null,
        "issuer": {
          "type": "self"
        }
      },
      "items": {
        "object": "list",
        "data": [
          {
            "id": "si_PLACEHOLDER",
            "object": "subscription_item",
            "billing_thresholds": null,
            "created": 1770392133,
            "current_period_end": 1772811359,
            "current_period_start": 1770392159,
            "discounts": [],
            "metadata": {},
            "plan": {
              "id": "price_PLACEHOLDER",
              "object": "plan",
              "active": true,
              "amount": 0,
              "amount_decimal": "0",
              "billing_scheme": "per_unit",
              "created": 1769231724,
              "currency": "cad",
              "interval": "month",
              "interval_count": 1,
              "livemode": false,
              "metadata": {},
              "meter": null,
              "nickname": "GraceNotes Starter",
              "product": "prod_PLACEHOLDER",
              "tiers_mode": null,
              "transform_usage": null,
              "trial_period_days": null,
              "usage_type": "licensed"
            },
            "price": {
              "id": "price_PLACEHOLDER",
              "object": "price",
              "active": true,
              "billing_scheme": "per_unit",
              "created": 1769231724,
              "currency": "cad",
              "custom_unit_amount": null,
              "livemode": false,
              "lookup_key": "gracenotes_starter_monthly",
              "metadata": {},
              "nickname": "GraceNotes Starter",
              "product": "prod_PLACEHOLDER",
              "recurring": {
                "interval": "month",
                "interval_count": 1,
                "meter": null,
                "trial_period_days": null,
                "usage_type": "licensed"
              },
              "tax_behavior": "unspecified",
              "tiers_mode": null,
              "transform_quantity": null,
              "type": "recurring",
              "unit_amount": 0,
              "unit_amount_decimal": "0"
            },
            "quantity": 1,
            "subscription": "sub_PLACEHOLDER",
            "tax_rates": []
          }
        ],
        "has_more": false,
        "total_count": 1,
        "url": "/v1/subscription_items?subscription=sub_PLACEHOLDER"
      },
      "latest_invoice": "in_PLACEHOLDER",
      "livemode": false,
      "metadata": {},
      "next_pending_invoice_item_invoice": null,
      "on_behalf_of": null,
      "pause_collection": null,
      "payment_settings": {
        "payment_method_options": null,
        "payment_method_types": null,
        "save_default_payment_method": "on_subscription"
      },
      "pending_invoice_item_interval": null,
      "pending_setup_intent": "seti_PLACEHOLDER",
      "pending_update": null,
      "plan": {
        "id": "price_PLACEHOLDER",
        "object": "plan",
        "active": true,
        "amount": 0,
        "amount_decimal": "0",
        "billing_scheme": "per_unit",
        "created": 1769231724,
        "currency": "cad",
        "interval": "month",
        "interval_count": 1,
        "livemode": false,
        "metadata": {},
        "meter": null,
        "nickname": "GraceNotes Starter",
        "product": "prod_PLACEHOLDER",
        "tiers_mode": null,
        "transform_usage": null,
        "trial_period_days": null,
        "usage_type": "licensed"
      },
      "quantity": 1,
      "schedule": null,
      "start_date": 1770392133,
      "status": "active",
      "test_clock": null,
      "transfer_data": null,
      "trial_end": 1770392158,
      "trial_settings": {
        "end_behavior": {
          "missing_payment_method": "create_invoice"
        }
      },
      "trial_start": 1770392133
    },
    "previous_attributes": {
      "billing_cycle_anchor": 1772984133,
      "items": {
        "data": [
          {
            "id": "si_PLACEHOLDER",
            "object": "subscription_item",
            "billing_thresholds": null,
            "created": 1770392133,
            "current_period_end": 1772984133,
            "current_period_start": 1770392133,
            "discounts": [],
            "metadata": {},
            "plan": {
              "id": "price_PLACEHOLDER",
              "object": "plan",
              "active": true,
              "amount": 4900,
              "amount_decimal": "4900",
              "billing_scheme": "per_unit",
              "created": 1769231317,
              "currency": "cad",
              "interval": "month",
              "interval_count": 1,
              "livemode": false,
              "metadata": {},
              "meter": null,
              "nickname": "GraceNotes Plus",
              "product": "prod_PLACEHOLDER",
              "tiers_mode": null,
              "transform_usage": null,
              "trial_period_days": null,
              "usage_type": "licensed"
            },
            "price": {
              "id": "price_PLACEHOLDER",
              "object": "price",
              "active": true,
              "billing_scheme": "per_unit",
              "created": 1769231317,
              "currency": "cad",
              "custom_unit_amount": null,
              "livemode": false,
              "lookup_key": "gracenotes_plus_monthly",
              "metadata": {},
              "nickname": "GraceNotes Plus",
              "product": "prod_PLACEHOLDER",
              "recurring": {
                "interval": "month",
                "interval_count": 1,
                "meter": null,
                "trial_period_days": null,
                "usage_type": "licensed"
              },
              "tax_behavior": "unspecified",
              "tiers_mode": null,
              "transform_quantity": null,
              "type": "recurring",
              "unit_amount": 4900,
              "unit_amount_decimal": "4900"
            },
            "quantity": 1,
            "subscription": "sub_PLACEHOLDER",
            "tax_rates": []
          }
        ]
      },
      "latest_invoice": "in_PLACEHOLDER",
      "plan": {
        "id": "price_PLACEHOLDER",
        "amount": 4900,
        "amount_decimal": "4900",
        "created": 1769231317,
        "nickname": "GraceNotes Plus",
        "product": "prod_PLACEHOLDER"
      },
      "status": "trialing",
      "trial_end": 1772984133
    }
  },
  "livemode": false,
  "pending_webhooks": 2,
  "request": {
    "id": null,
    "idempotency_key": "PLACEHOLDER_IDEMPOTENCY_KEY"
  },
  "type": "customer.subscription.updated"
}

I guess the optimal behavior would need to revalidate object if timestamps are exactly the same, otherwise assume latest?

[SumitKumar-17]

Can we implement a tie-break for subscription events with identical event.created timestamps. If a subscription upsert is skipped due to equal timestamp, we detect that conflict, refetch the subscription from Stripe, and persist the refetched state with a fresh sync timestamp.