[$250] Distance - App keep crashing after start GPS and switch to OD

[jponikarchuk]

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Version Number: v9.3.9-1
Reproducible in staging?: Yes
Reproducible in production?: Yes
If this was caught during regression testing, add the test name, ID and link from BrowserStack: #79587
Email or phone of affected tester (no customers): applausetester+vq+260103@applause.expensifail.com
Issue reported by: Applause Internal Team
Bug source: Exploratory - Significant User Experience Deterioration
Device used: Pixel 7 Pro /Android 16
App Component: Money Requests

Action Performed:

Preconditions: Use the Expensifail account to have the beta enabled for GPS

1. Open the Hybrid app
2. Tap on the FAB
3. Select Track distance
4. Select GPS and allow the background running
5. Tap on the Account > Troubleshoot
6. Switch to OD
7. Tap on the App to open again

Expected Result:

The app should display a warning about GPS when switching between ND and OD

Actual Result:

Android: The app keeps crashing.
iOS: No warning when the user switches to OD and logs out, after that, can't log in to the iOS app again with the Magic code

Workaround:

Unknown

Platforms:

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

Screenshots/Videos

Android_app.mp4

iOS_app.mp4

logs.txt

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• Upwork Job URL: https://www.upwork.com/jobs/~022016059787841281593
• Upwork Job ID: 2016059787841281593
• Last Price Increase: 2026-01-27

Issue Owner

Current Issue Owner: @suneox

[melvin-bot]

Job added to Upwork: https://www.upwork.com/jobs/~022016059787841281593

[melvin-bot]

Triggered auto assignment to @bfitzexpensify (Bug), see https://stackoverflow.com/c/expensify/questions/14418 for more details. Please add this bug to a GH project, as outlined in the SO.

[melvin-bot]

Triggered auto assignment to Contributor-plus team member for initial proposal review - @suneox (External)

[yatin-italy]

Proposal

Restate the problem this issue is trying to solve.

When GPS distance tracking is active and the user switches from NewDot to OldDot using Troubleshoot, the app does not handle the transition safely. On Android, the app crashes in a loop after the switch. On iOS, no GPS warning is shown, and after logout the user cannot log back in with the magic code. The system allows a mode switch while GPS tracking is still active.

What is the root cause of that problem?

The root cause is an incorrect assumption in src/libs/actions/HybridApp/index.ts inside the closeReactNativeApp() function. The code assumes it is safe to close the React Native app without stopping GPS tracking or clearing GPS_DRAFT_DETAILS. This assumption is wrong because GPS tracking state can still be active. When the app closes with isTracking: true persisted in Onyx, the background GPS service continues to run. This creates inconsistent state that directly causes crashes on reopen and blocks login flows.

What changes do you think we should make in order to solve the problem?

• Stop GPS tracking and clear GPS state before closing the React Native app.
• Ensure GPS state is also cleared when returning from OldDot to NewDot.
• Show a GPS warning modal before switching modes if GPS tracking is active.

File 1: src/libs/actions/HybridApp/index.ts
Add GPS cleanup in closeReactNativeApp() before closing the app.

import HybridAppModule from '@expensify/react-native-hybrid-app';
import Onyx from 'react-native-onyx';
import Navigation from '@libs/Navigation/Navigation';
import {resetGPSDraftDetails, setIsTracking} from '@libs/actions/GPSDraftDetails';
import CONFIG from '@src/CONFIG';
import ONYXKEYS from '@src/ONYXKEYS';
import type {HybridApp} from '@src/types/onyx';
import type HybridAppSettings from './types';

// ... existing code ...

function closeReactNativeApp({shouldSetNVP}: {shouldSetNVP: boolean}) {
    Navigation.clearPreloadedRoutes();

    // Stop GPS tracking and clean up GPS tracking state before switching modes
    setIsTracking(false);
    resetGPSDraftDetails();

    if (CONFIG.IS_HYBRID_APP) {
        Onyx.merge(ONYXKEYS.HYBRID_APP, {closingReactNativeApp: true});
    }

    // eslint-disable-next-line no-restricted-properties
    HybridAppModule.closeReactNativeApp({shouldSetNVP});
}

File 2: src/libs/actions/Session/index.ts
Clean up GPS state when transitioning back to NewDot.

import {resetGPSDraftDetails, setIsTracking} from '@libs/actions/GPSDraftDetails';

// ... existing imports ...

function setupNewDotAfterTransitionFromOldDot(hybridAppSettings: HybridAppSettings, tryNewDot?: TryNewDot) {
    const {hybridApp, ...newDotOnyxValues} = hybridAppSettings;

    const clearOnyxIfSigningIn = () => {
        if (!hybridApp.useNewDotSignInPage) {
            return Promise.resolve();
        }

        Log.info(`[HybridApp] Clearing onyx after transition from OldDot. useNewDotSignInPage set to ${hybridApp.useNewDotSignInPage}`);
        return redirectToSignIn();
    };

    const resetDidUserLoginDuringSessionIfNeeded = () => {
        if (newDotOnyxValues.nvp_tryNewDot === undefined || tryNewDot?.classicRedirect?.dismissed !== true) {
            return Promise.resolve();
        }

        Log.info("[HybridApp] OpenApp hasn't been called yet. Calling `resetDidUserLogInDuringSession`");
        resetDidUserLogInDuringSession();
    };

    return clearOnyxIfSigningIn()
        .then(() => {
            // Stop GPS tracking and clean up GPS tracking state during mode transitions
            setIsTracking(false);
            resetGPSDraftDetails();

            const currentUserEmail = getCurrentUserEmail();

            if (hybridApp?.delegateAccessData?.oldDotCurrentUserEmail === currentUserEmail) {
                Log.info('[HybridApp] User did not switch account on OldDot side');
                return;
            }

            // ... rest of existing transition logic ...
        })
        .then(resetDidUserLoginDuringSessionIfNeeded)
        .then(() =>
            Promise.all([
                HybridAppActions.prepareHybridAppAfterTransitionToNewDot({
                    ...hybridApp,
                    closingReactNativeApp: false,
                }),
                ...Object.entries(newDotOnyxValues).map(([key, value]) => Onyx.merge(key as OnyxKey, value ?? {})),
            ]),
        )
        .then(() => {
            Log.info('[HybridApp] Setup after transition from OldDot finished');
            isHybridAppSetupFinished = true;
            return Promise.resolve();
        })
        .catch((error) => {
            Log.hmmm('[HybridApp] Initialization of HybridApp has failed. Forcing transition', {error});
        });
}

File 3: src/pages/settings/Troubleshoot/TroubleshootPage.tsx
Show a GPS warning modal before switching to OldDot.

import {resetGPSDraftDetails, setIsTracking} from '@libs/actions/GPSDraftDetails';

// ... existing imports ...

function TroubleshootPage() {
    const [isGpsWarningModalVisible, setIsGpsWarningModalVisible] = useState(false);
    const [gpsDraftDetails] = useOnyx(ONYXKEYS.GPS_DRAFT_DETAILS, {canBeMissing: true});

    const handleSwitchToOldDot = useCallback(() => {
        if (gpsDraftDetails?.isTracking) {
            setIsGpsWarningModalVisible(true);
            return;
        }
        closeReactNativeApp({shouldSetNVP: true});
    }, [gpsDraftDetails?.isTracking]);

    const handleConfirmGpsWarning = useCallback(() => {
        setIsGpsWarningModalVisible(false);
        setIsTracking(false);
        resetGPSDraftDetails();
        closeReactNativeApp({shouldSetNVP: true});
    }, []);

    // ... existing code ...

    return (
        <ScreenWrapper
            shouldEnablePickerAvoiding={false}
            shouldShowOfflineIndicatorInWideScreen
            testID="TroubleshootPage"
        >
            {/* ... existing JSX ... */}

            <ConfirmModal
                danger
                title={translate('gps.stopGpsTrackingModal.title')}
                isVisible={isGpsWarningModalVisible}
                onConfirm={handleConfirmGpsWarning}
                onCancel={() => setIsGpsWarningModalVisible(false)}
                confirmText={translate('gps.stopGpsTrackingModal.confirm')}
                cancelText={translate('gps.stopGpsTrackingModal.cancel')}
                prompt={translate('gps.stopGpsTrackingModal.prompt')}
            />

            {/* ... rest of existing JSX ... */}
        </ScreenWrapper>
    );
}

File 4: src/components/ConfirmNavigateExpensifyClassicModal/BaseConfirmNavigateExpensifyClassicModal.tsx
Block navigation and show GPS warning if tracking is active.

import React, {useCallback, useState} from 'react';
import ConfirmModal from '@components/ConfirmModal';
import useLocalize from '@hooks/useLocalize';
import useOnyx from '@hooks/useOnyx';
import {closeReactNativeApp} from '@libs/actions/HybridApp';
import {resetGPSDraftDetails, setIsTracking} from '@libs/actions/GPSDraftDetails';
import {setIsOpenConfirmNavigateExpensifyClassicModalOpen} from '@libs/actions/isOpenConfirmNavigateExpensifyClassicModal';
import {openOldDotLink} from '@libs/actions/Link';
import CONFIG from '@src/CONFIG';
import CONST from '@src/CONST';
import ONYXKEYS from '@src/ONYXKEYS';

function BaseConfirmNavigateExpensifyClassicModal() {
    const [isOpenAppConfirmNavigateExpensifyClassicModalOpen = false] = useOnyx(
        ONYXKEYS.IS_OPEN_CONFIRM_NAVIGATE_EXPENSIFY_CLASSIC_MODAL_OPEN,
        {canBeMissing: true},
    );
    const [gpsDraftDetails] = useOnyx(ONYXKEYS.GPS_DRAFT_DETAILS, {canBeMissing: true});
    const [isGpsWarningModalVisible, setIsGpsWarningModalVisible] = useState(false);
    const {translate} = useLocalize();

    const handleConfirm = useCallback(() => {
        setIsOpenConfirmNavigateExpensifyClassicModalOpen(false);

        if (CONFIG.IS_HYBRID_APP) {
            if (gpsDraftDetails?.isTracking) {
                setIsGpsWarningModalVisible(true);
                return;
            }
            closeReactNativeApp({shouldSetNVP: true});
            return;
        }

        openOldDotLink(CONST.OLDDOT_URLS.INBOX);
    }, [gpsDraftDetails?.isTracking]);

    const handleConfirmGpsWarning = useCallback(() => {
        setIsGpsWarningModalVisible(false);
        setIsTracking(false);
        resetGPSDraftDetails();
        closeReactNativeApp({shouldSetNVP: true});
    }, []);

    const handleCancel = useCallback(() => {
        setIsOpenConfirmNavigateExpensifyClassicModalOpen(false);
    }, []);

    return (
        <>
            <ConfirmModal
                prompt={translate('sidebarScreen.redirectToExpensifyClassicModal.description')}
                isVisible={isOpenAppConfirmNavigateExpensifyClassicModalOpen}
                onConfirm={handleConfirm}
                onCancel={handleCancel}
                title={translate('sidebarScreen.redirectToExpensifyClassicModal.title')}
                confirmText={translate('exitSurvey.goToExpensifyClassic')}
                cancelText={translate('common.cancel')}
            />
            <ConfirmModal
                danger
                title={translate('gps.stopGpsTrackingModal.title')}
                isVisible={isGpsWarningModalVisible}
                onConfirm={handleConfirmGpsWarning}
                onCancel={() => setIsGpsWarningModalVisible(false)}
                confirmText={translate('gps.stopGpsTrackingModal.confirm')}
                cancelText={translate('gps.stopGpsTrackingModal.cancel')}
                prompt={translate('gps.stopGpsTrackingModal.prompt')}
            />
        </>
    );
}

export default BaseConfirmNavigateExpensifyClassicModal;

What alternative solutions did you explore? (Optional)

• Preserving GPS_DRAFT_DETAILS across transitions was rejected because GPS state must not persist between modes.
• Adding cleanup only in native code was rejected because GPS state is owned in the JS layer.
• Showing the warning only on iOS was rejected to keep behavior consistent and safer on all platforms.

[GCyganek]

Part of GPS feature that I'm responsible for as a Software Mansion engineer, will take care of this