Merge "Merge branch 'stable-3.0'"
diff --git a/java/com/google/gerrit/json/SqlTimestampDeserializer.java b/java/com/google/gerrit/json/SqlTimestampDeserializer.java
index 0148226..e1cf382 100644
--- a/java/com/google/gerrit/json/SqlTimestampDeserializer.java
+++ b/java/com/google/gerrit/json/SqlTimestampDeserializer.java
@@ -44,7 +44,15 @@
       throw new JsonParseException("Expected string for timestamp type");
     }
 
-    return JavaSqlTimestampHelper.parseTimestamp(p.getAsString());
+    String input = p.getAsString();
+    if (input.trim().isEmpty()) {
+      // Magic timestamp to indicate no timestamp. (-> null object)
+      // Always create a new object as timestamps are mutable. Don't use TimeUtil.never() to not
+      // introduce an undesired dependency.
+      return new Timestamp(0);
+    }
+
+    return JavaSqlTimestampHelper.parseTimestamp(input);
   }
 
   @Override
diff --git a/java/com/google/gerrit/server/util/time/BUILD b/java/com/google/gerrit/server/util/time/BUILD
index 1d1305d..c7cd89e 100644
--- a/java/com/google/gerrit/server/util/time/BUILD
+++ b/java/com/google/gerrit/server/util/time/BUILD
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
     srcs = glob(["**/*.java"]),
     visibility = ["//visibility:public"],
     deps = [
+        "//java/com/google/gerrit/common:annotations",
         "//lib:guava",
         "//lib/jgit/org.eclipse.jgit:jgit",
     ],
diff --git a/java/com/google/gerrit/server/util/time/TimeUtil.java b/java/com/google/gerrit/server/util/time/TimeUtil.java
index 645dbb9..b9d2d8a 100644
--- a/java/com/google/gerrit/server/util/time/TimeUtil.java
+++ b/java/com/google/gerrit/server/util/time/TimeUtil.java
@@ -15,6 +15,8 @@
 package com.google.gerrit.server.util.time;
 
 import com.google.common.annotations.VisibleForTesting;
+import com.google.gerrit.common.UsedAt;
+import com.google.gerrit.common.UsedAt.Project;
 import java.sql.Timestamp;
 import java.time.Instant;
 import java.util.function.LongSupplier;
@@ -43,6 +45,17 @@
     return new Timestamp(nowMs());
   }
 
+  /**
+   * Returns the magic timestamp representing no specific time.
+   *
+   * <p>This "null object" is helpful in contexts where using {@code null} directly is not possible.
+   */
+  @UsedAt(Project.PLUGIN_CHECKS)
+  public static Timestamp never() {
+    // Always create a new object as timestamps are mutable.
+    return new Timestamp(0);
+  }
+
   public static Timestamp truncateToSecond(Timestamp t) {
     return new Timestamp((t.getTime() / 1000) * 1000);
   }
diff --git a/javatests/com/google/gerrit/json/BUILD b/javatests/com/google/gerrit/json/BUILD
index 2d95652..575f575 100644
--- a/javatests/com/google/gerrit/json/BUILD
+++ b/javatests/com/google/gerrit/json/BUILD
@@ -5,7 +5,9 @@
     srcs = glob(["*.java"]),
     deps = [
         "//java/com/google/gerrit/json",
+        "//java/com/google/gerrit/server/util/time",
         "//java/com/google/gerrit/testing:gerrit-test-util",
+        "//lib:gson",
         "//lib:guava",
         "//lib/truth",
     ],
diff --git a/javatests/com/google/gerrit/json/SqlTimestampDeserializerTest.java b/javatests/com/google/gerrit/json/SqlTimestampDeserializerTest.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..2699c3b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/javatests/com/google/gerrit/json/SqlTimestampDeserializerTest.java
@@ -0,0 +1,33 @@
+// Copyright (C) 2019 The Android Open Source Project
+//
+// Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+// you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+// You may obtain a copy of the License at
+//
+// http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+//
+// Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+// distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+// WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+// See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+// limitations under the License.
+
+package com.google.gerrit.json;
+
+import static com.google.common.truth.Truth.assertThat;
+
+import com.google.gerrit.server.util.time.TimeUtil;
+import com.google.gson.JsonPrimitive;
+import java.sql.Timestamp;
+import org.junit.Test;
+
+public class SqlTimestampDeserializerTest {
+
+  private final SqlTimestampDeserializer deserializer = new SqlTimestampDeserializer();
+
+  @Test
+  public void emptyStringIsDeserializedToMagicTimestamp() {
+    Timestamp timestamp = deserializer.deserialize(new JsonPrimitive(""), Timestamp.class, null);
+    assertThat(timestamp).isEqualTo(TimeUtil.never());
+  }
+}