From cf5e86e2abfdd063f22f46ae17068a7b5533d47e Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Lichao Chen <lichao_chen@outlook.com>
Date: Thu, 8 Oct 2026 09:05:44 -0700
Subject: [PATCH] fix: preserve empty dict handler output

Only keep 'output': {} when the handler itself returned {}; output emptied by popping 'error'/'refresh_worker' is still dropped, so main's existing results are unchanged ({'error': 'test'} does not gain 'output': {}). Strengthen the refresh_worker test to assert the exact result {'stopPod': true}.
---
 runpod/serverless/modules/rp_job.py           |  3 ++-
 .../test_modules/test_fastapi.py              | 21 +++++++++++++++++++
 .../test_serverless/test_modules/test_job.py  |  2 +-
 3 files changed, 24 insertions(+), 2 deletions(-)

diff --git a/runpod/serverless/modules/rp_job.py b/runpod/serverless/modules/rp_job.py
index 108efc4a6..8557184c5 100644
--- a/runpod/serverless/modules/rp_job.py
+++ b/runpod/serverless/modules/rp_job.py
@@ -264,6 +264,7 @@ async def run_job(handler: Callable, job: Dict[str, Any]) -> Dict[str, Any]:
             )
 
             log.debug(f"Handler output: {job_output}", job["id"])
+            empty_handler_output = isinstance(job_output, dict) and not job_output
 
             if isinstance(job_output, dict):
                 error_msg = job_output.pop("error", None)
@@ -281,7 +282,7 @@ async def run_job(handler: Callable, job: Dict[str, Any]) -> Dict[str, Any]:
             else:
                 run_result = {"output": job_output}
 
-            if run_result.get("output") == {}:
+            if run_result.get("output") == {} and not empty_handler_output:
                 run_result.pop("output")
 
             check_return_size(run_result)  # Checks the size of the return body.
diff --git a/tests/test_serverless/test_modules/test_fastapi.py b/tests/test_serverless/test_modules/test_fastapi.py
index 4830b9df0..938d9ab43 100644
--- a/tests/test_serverless/test_modules/test_fastapi.py
+++ b/tests/test_serverless/test_modules/test_fastapi.py
@@ -198,6 +198,17 @@ def test_runsync(self):
                 "output": {"result": "success"},
             }
 
+            empty_handler = Mock(return_value={})
+            empty_worker_api = rp_fastapi.WorkerAPI({"handler": empty_handler})
+            empty_runsync_return = asyncio.run(
+                empty_worker_api._sim_runsync(default_input_object)
+            )
+            assert empty_runsync_return == {
+                "id": "test-123",
+                "status": "COMPLETED",
+                "output": {},
+            }
+
             # Test with generator handler
             def generator_handler(job):
                 del job
@@ -330,6 +341,16 @@ def test_status(self):
                 "output": {"result": "success"},
             }
 
+            empty_handler = Mock(return_value={})
+            empty_worker_api = rp_fastapi.WorkerAPI({"handler": empty_handler})
+            asyncio.run(empty_worker_api._sim_run(default_input_object))
+            empty_status_return = asyncio.run(empty_worker_api._sim_status("test-123"))
+            assert empty_status_return == {
+                "id": "test-123",
+                "status": "COMPLETED",
+                "output": {},
+            }
+
             # Test webhook caller sent
             asyncio.run(worker_api._sim_run(input_object_with_webhook))
             asyncio.run(worker_api._sim_status("test-123"))
diff --git a/tests/test_serverless/test_modules/test_job.py b/tests/test_serverless/test_modules/test_job.py
index 1ec5ce353..238acc70f 100644
--- a/tests/test_serverless/test_modules/test_job.py
+++ b/tests/test_serverless/test_modules/test_job.py
@@ -334,7 +334,7 @@ async def test_job_with_refresh_worker(self):
 
         job_result = await rp_job.run_job(mock_handler, self.sample_job)
 
-        assert job_result["stopPod"] is True
+        assert job_result == {"stopPod": True}
 
     async def test_job_bool_output(self):
         """