From 31ea4b98c54b199fba2dc033bc472b6377767d42 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Dana Powers <dana.powers@gmail.com>
Date: Sat, 21 Mar 2026 09:05:04 -0700
Subject: [PATCH] Use implicit bytes encoding for StickyAssignorUserData

---
 .../assignors/sticky/sticky_assignor.py       | 26 ++++++++++---------
 1 file changed, 14 insertions(+), 12 deletions(-)

diff --git a/kafka/coordinator/assignors/sticky/sticky_assignor.py b/kafka/coordinator/assignors/sticky/sticky_assignor.py
index e1726bc92..e9589221b 100644
--- a/kafka/coordinator/assignors/sticky/sticky_assignor.py
+++ b/kafka/coordinator/assignors/sticky/sticky_assignor.py
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
-import logging
 from collections import defaultdict, namedtuple
 from copy import deepcopy
+import logging
+import io
 
 from ..abstract import AbstractPartitionAssignor
 from .partition_movements import PartitionMovements
@@ -617,15 +618,17 @@ def parse_member_metadata(cls, metadata):
             return StickyAssignorMemberMetadataV1(
                 partitions=[], generation=cls.DEFAULT_GENERATION_ID, subscription=metadata.topics
             )
-
-        try:
-            decoded_user_data = StickyAssignorUserData.decode(user_data)
-        except Exception:
-            # ignore the consumer's previous assignment if it cannot be parsed
-            log.exception("Could not parse member data")
-            return StickyAssignorMemberMetadataV1(
-                partitions=[], generation=cls.DEFAULT_GENERATION_ID, subscription=metadata.topics
-            )
+        elif isinstance(user_data, StickyAssignorUserData):
+            decoded_user_data = user_data
+        else:
+            try:
+                decoded_user_data = StickyAssignorUserData.decode(user_data)
+            except Exception:
+                # ignore the consumer's previous assignment if it cannot be parsed
+                log.exception("Could not parse member data")
+                return StickyAssignorMemberMetadataV1(
+                    partitions=[], generation=cls.DEFAULT_GENERATION_ID, subscription=metadata.topics
+                )
 
         member_partitions = []
         for topic, partitions in decoded_user_data.previous_assignment:     # pylint: disable=no-member
@@ -648,8 +651,7 @@ def _metadata(cls, topics, member_assignment_partitions, generation=-1):
             partitions_by_topic = defaultdict(list)
             for topic_partition in member_assignment_partitions:
                 partitions_by_topic[topic_partition.topic].append(topic_partition.partition)
-            data = StickyAssignorUserData(list(partitions_by_topic.items()), generation)
-            user_data = data.encode()
+            user_data = StickyAssignorUserData(list(partitions_by_topic.items()), generation)
         return ConsumerProtocolSubscription(cls.version, list(topics), user_data)
 
     def on_assignment(self, assignment, generation):