fix owners patch issue

openmetadata-service/src/main/java/org/openmetadata/service/jdbi3/EntityRepository.java

@@ -934,7 +934,10 @@ public final PatchResponse<T> patch(UriInfo uriInfo, UUID id, String user, JsonP
     updated.setUpdatedAt(System.currentTimeMillis());
 
     prepareInternal(updated, true);
-    populateOwners(updated.getOwners());
+    // Validate and populate owners
+    List<EntityReference> validatedOwners = getValidatedOwners(updated.getOwners());
+    updated.setOwners(validatedOwners);
+
     restorePatchAttributes(original, updated);
 
     // Update the attributes and relationships of an entity
@@ -966,7 +969,9 @@ public final PatchResponse<T> patch(UriInfo uriInfo, String fqn, String user, Js
     updated.setUpdatedAt(System.currentTimeMillis());
 
     prepareInternal(updated, true);
-    populateOwners(updated.getOwners());
+    // Validate and populate owners
+    List<EntityReference> validatedOwners = getValidatedOwners(updated.getOwners());
+    updated.setOwners(validatedOwners);
     restorePatchAttributes(original, updated);
 
     // Update the attributes and relationships of an entity
@@ -1972,21 +1977,17 @@ public final void inheritReviewers(T entity, Fields fields, EntityInterface pare
     }
   }
 
-  protected void populateOwners(List<EntityReference> owners) {
+  protected List<EntityReference> getValidatedOwners(List<EntityReference> owners) {
     if (nullOrEmpty(owners)) {
-      return;
+      return owners;
     }
     // populate owner entityRefs with all fields
     List<EntityReference> refs = validateOwners(owners);
     if (nullOrEmpty(refs)) {
-      return;
+      return owners;
     }
     refs.sort(Comparator.comparing(EntityReference::getName));
-    owners.sort(Comparator.comparing(EntityReference::getName));
-
-    for (int i = 0; i < owners.size(); i++) {
-      EntityUtil.copy(refs.get(i), owners.get(i));
-    }
+    return refs;
   }
 
   @Transaction

openmetadata-service/src/test/java/org/openmetadata/service/resources/EntityResourceTest.java

@@ -1557,6 +1557,37 @@ void patch_entityUpdateOwner_200(TestInfo test) throws IOException {
         CatalogExceptionMessage.invalidOwnerType(TEST_DEFINITION));
   }
 
+  @Test
+  @Execution(ExecutionMode.CONCURRENT)
+  void patch_entityUpdateOwnerFromNull_200(TestInfo test) throws IOException {
+    if (!supportsOwners || !supportsPatch) {
+      return; // Entity doesn't support ownership
+    }
+
+    // Create Entity with Null Owner
+    K request = createRequest(getEntityName(test), "description", "displayName", null);
+    T createdEntity = createAndCheckEntity(request, ADMIN_AUTH_HEADERS);
+    T entity = getEntity(createdEntity.getId(), allFields, ADMIN_AUTH_HEADERS);
+
+    List<EntityReference> previousOwners = entity.getOwners();
+    if (nullOrEmpty(previousOwners)) {
+      entity.setOwners(null);
+    }
+
+    // Check if the Owner is update to user1 and user 2
+    List<EntityReference> updateOwners =
+        List.of(
+            new EntityReference().withId(USER1.getId()).withType(USER),
+            new EntityReference().withId(USER2.getId()).withType(USER));
+
+    String json = JsonUtils.pojoToJson(entity);
+    entity.setOwners(updateOwners);
+    ChangeDescription change = getChangeDescription(entity, MINOR_UPDATE);
+    fieldAdded(change, FIELD_OWNERS, updateOwners);
+    entity = patchEntityAndCheck(entity, json, ADMIN_AUTH_HEADERS, MINOR_UPDATE, change);
+    assertEntityReferences(updateOwners, entity.getOwners());
+  }
+
   @Test
   @Execution(ExecutionMode.CONCURRENT)
   void put_entityUpdate_as_non_owner_4xx(TestInfo test) throws IOException {