Godot.Collections.Dictionary Returns Null for GodotObject-Derived Value Types at Runtime

[Weiged]

Tested versions

• Reproducible in: v4.4.stable.mono.official [e36cb51]

System information

Redot v4.4.stable.mono - macOS Unknown (26.2.0) - Multi-window, 2 monitors - Metal (Forward+) - integrated Apple M4 (Apple9) - Apple M4 (10 threads)

Issue description

When using Godot.Collections.Dictionary<string, T> where T is a class that inherits from GodotObject (such as Container), the dictionary returns null values at runtime even though the values are properly set in the Redot editor.

Expected behavior:
The dictionary should return the actual Container objects that were assigned in the editor. The output should display the container objects with their proper string representations.

Example expected output:

container1: Container:<Container#12345>
container2: Container:<Container#67890>

Actual behavior:
The dictionary returns null for all values, even though the keys are present and the values were set in the editor.

Actual output:

container1: null
container2: null

Additional context:

• The issue specifically occurs when the value type T in Dictionary<string, T> is a class that inherits from GodotObject
• The keys in the dictionary are accessible and correct
• Only the values are returning null
• This appears to be a serialization/deserialization issue with GodotObject-derived types in dictionaries

---

Steps to reproduce

1. Create a C# script that inherits from a Godot node (e.g., Control)
2. Add an exported field of type Godot.Collections.Dictionary<string, Container> where Container is a class inheriting from GodotObject
3. Populate the dictionary in the Redot editor with key-value pairs
4. Access the dictionary values at runtime in the _Ready() method
5. Observe that the values are null instead of the expected Container objects

Code example:

using Godot;

public partial class TestGodotDictionary : Control
{
	[Export] private Godot.Collections.Dictionary<string, Container> _containers;

	// Called when the node enters the scene tree for the first time.
	public override void _Ready()
	{
		foreach (var container in _containers)
		{
			GD.Print($"{container.Key}: {(container.Value == null ? "null" : container.Value.ToString())}");
		}
	}
}

Minimal reproduction project (MRP)

godotdictionaryreturnnull_2025-12-22_16-45-28.zip

[Weiged]

BTW. Type NodePath is ok for value.

[PhyTensor]

observing the same behaviour, any workarounds to this?

[speratus]

I don't think the MRP actually contains a bug. I think what's happening in the MRP is actually a timing problem. My guess is that you can't add instantiated nodes directly as values of a dictionary because the nodes don't exist at the time the exported values are inserted into it. Instead, you would have to do something like export node paths which you would then resolve when the TestGodotDictionary node is ready. This would ensure that the child nodes would actually be instantiated by the time TestGodotDictionary reaches the ready signal.

The reason I think this is a timing problem and not a bug is that I used a step debugger to examine the contents of the _container field within the _Ready() method. What I found is that the dictionary actually contained null values instead of the nodes that I expected. So essentially, I think the values were null when they were inserted into the dictionary which is why they are null when they are retrieved.

In this specific case, I think using a NodePath instead of a Node directly would be a more robust solution.