[Due for payment 2026-04-02] [Due for payment 2026-04-01] [RCA #77636] Chat - Error when opening chat with non-existing user

[nlemma]

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Version Number: 9.3.43-0
Reproducible in staging?: Yes
Reproducible in production?: No
If this was caught during regression testing, add the test name, ID and link from BrowserStack: #84391
Email or phone of affected tester (no customers): snodijosdnjoijiosnj@gmail.com
Issue reported by: Applause Internal Team
Bug source: Exploratory - Significant User Experience Deterioration
Device used: Mac 26.2 / Chrome
App Component: Chat Report View

Action Performed:

1. Go to staging.new.expensify.com
2. Open search.
3. Enter email that does not have Expensify account.
4. Tap on the user.

Expected Result:

Chat will open without issue.

Actual Result:

Chat is grayed out and opened with "Email not found" error.

This issue also happens when opening chat with non-existing user from FAB > Start chat.

Workaround:

Unknown

Platforms:

• Android: App
• Android: mWeb Chrome
• iOS: App
• iOS: mWeb Safari
• iOS: mWeb Chrome
• Windows: Chrome
• MacOS: Chrome / Safari

Screenshots/Videos

Bug7111682_1774354155398.1.mp4

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Issue Owner

Current Issue Owner: @mallenexpensify

[melvin-bot]

You have been assigned to this deploy blocker because you recently merged this PR: #84391

[melvin-bot]

💬 A slack conversation has been started in #expensify-open-source

[github-actions]

👋 Friendly reminder that deploy blockers are time-sensitive ⏱ issues! Check out the open `StagingDeployCash` deploy checklist to see the list of PRs included in this release, then work quickly to do one of the following:

1. Identify the pull request that introduced this issue and revert it.
2. Find someone who can quickly fix the issue.
3. Fix the issue yourself.

[OSBotify]

Investigation Summary

Classification: Frontend bug
Causing PR: #77636 - "Part 1: Remove Onyx.connect() for the key: ONYXKEYS.PERSONAL_DETAILS_LIST in src/libs/actions/Report.ts" by @narefyev91 (High confidence)
Related Issues: None

Recommendation: REVERT

PR #77636 should be reverted. The PR introduced a breaking change in how navigateToAndOpenReportWithAccountIDs handles personal details, which breaks the flow for creating chats with new users who do not have personal details loaded yet.

Labels: This is a frontend bug. PR #77636 is an App PR that needs to be reverted. Keeping DeployBlockerCash label as-is.

Detailed Analysis

Evidence

The issue reports that opening a chat with a non-existing user (email without Expensify account) from search or FAB > Start chat results in an "Email not found" error and a grayed-out chat. This is reproducible on staging (v9.3.43-0) but NOT on production.

PR #77636 was merged on March 23, 2026 and is included in the staging deploy. The PR modified how personal details are passed to navigateToAndOpenReportWithAccountIDs and related functions.

Verification

File affected by the bug: /home/runner/_work/App/App/src/libs/actions/Report/index.ts (lines 2085-2124)

PR #77636 modifies this file: Confirmed - it changes navigateToAndOpenReportWithAccountIDs function and adds a personalDetails parameter.

The breaking change: In /home/runner/_work/App/App/src/components/PromotedActionsBar.tsx line 87, the function is called WITHOUT passing personalDetails:

navigateToAndOpenReportWithAccountIDs([accountID], currentUserAccountID, introSelected, betas);

Inside navigateToAndOpenReportWithAccountIDs (Report/index.ts lines 2101-2112), when personalDetails is not passed, it falls back to allPersonalDetails. However, the code filters out any participant whose login cannot be found:

const participants = participantAccountIDs
    .map((accountID): ParticipantInfo | null => {
        const personalDetail = detailsToUse?.[accountID];
        if (!personalDetail?.login) {
            return null;  // Filters out this participant
        }
        return {
            login: personalDetail.login,
            accountID,
        };
    })
    .filter((p): p is ParticipantInfo => p !== null);

For new users or users without Expensify accounts, personalDetail?.login will be undefined, causing them to be filtered out. This results in calling openReport with an empty or incomplete participants array, which causes the "Email not found" error.

Root Cause

PR #77636 attempted to remove the dependency on Onyx.connect() for personal details, but missed updating all call sites. Specifically:

1. PromotedActionsBar.tsx line 87 does not pass personalDetails to navigateToAndOpenReportWithAccountIDs
2. WorkspaceWorkflowsPayerPage.tsx line 361 also does not pass personalDetails
3. When personal details are not passed and fall back to allPersonalDetails, the new filtering logic incorrectly excludes participants who do not yet have personal details loaded

This breaks the flow for creating chats with new or non-existing users.