Another 'Using null as an array offset is deprecated' error in module-catalog/Model/CategoryRepository

[siliconalchemy]

Preconditions and environment

• Mage-OS Magento version 3.40
• Anything else that would help a developer reproduce the bug: Create a new subcategory in Admin: Catalog -> Inventory -> Categories causes an exception with 'Using null as an array offset is deprecated, use an empty string instead' in vendor / mage-os / module-catalog / Model / CategoryRepository.php : 153

Steps to reproduce

1. Login to Admin
2. Go to Catalog->Inventory->Categories, choose a parent category and then click on 'Add Subcategory'

Expected result

I expect the subcategory to be created

Actual result

No subcategory is created, instead an exception is raised: 'Using null as an array offset is deprecated, use an empty string instead'

Additional information

No response

Release note

No response

Triage and priority

• Severity: S0 - Affects critical data or functionality and leaves users without workaround.
• Severity: S1 - Affects critical data or functionality and forces users to employ a workaround.
• Severity: S2 - Affects non-critical data or functionality and forces users to employ a workaround.
• Severity: S3 - Affects non-critical data or functionality and does not force users to employ a workaround.
• Severity: S4 - Affects aesthetics, professional look and feel, “quality” or “usability”.

[rhoerr]

Thank you for reporting this

[hostep]

@siliconalchemy: do you have a stacktrace?

This reminds me of Smile-SA/elasticsuite#3861 (comment), so maybe you can confirm if you have smile/elasticsuite installed? If yes, updating to latest version of smile elasticsuite should fix your issue.