Fixed flaky data seeder test

ghost/core/core/server/data/seeders/importers/comment-reports-importer.js

@@ -49,9 +49,7 @@ class CommentReportsImporter extends TableImporter {
             return null;
         }
 
-        const commentCreatedAt = new Date(this.model.created_at);
-        const now = new Date();
-        const reportTime = faker.date.between(commentCreatedAt, now);
+        const reportTime = dateToDatabaseString.randomBetween(this.model.created_at, new Date());
 
         const reporter = this.possibleReporters[faker.datatype.number(this.possibleReporters.length - 1)];
 

ghost/core/core/server/data/seeders/importers/comments-importer.js

@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ class CommentsImporter extends TableImporter {
 
     setReferencedModel(model) {
         this.model = model;
+        const publishedAt = dateToDatabaseString.parse(model.published_at);
 
         this.commentIds = []; // Store [id, parent_id, timestamp] tuples for reply-to-reply
 
@@ -32,11 +33,11 @@ class CommentsImporter extends TableImporter {
             trend: 'negative',
             // Use commentsPerPost as a baseline with some variance (+/- 20%)
             total: Math.round(this.commentsPerPost * faker.datatype.float({min: 0.8, max: 1.2})),
-            startTime: new Date(model.published_at),
+            startTime: publishedAt,
             endTime: new Date()
         }).sort((a, b) => a.getTime() - b.getTime()); // Sort chronologically so replies always come after their targets
 
-        this.possibleMembers = this.members.filter(member => new Date(member.created_at) < new Date(model.published_at));
+        this.possibleMembers = this.members.filter(member => dateToDatabaseString.parse(member.created_at) < publishedAt);
     }
 
     generate() {

ghost/core/core/server/data/seeders/importers/email-batches-importer.js

@@ -20,8 +20,8 @@ class EmailBatchesImporter extends TableImporter {
     }
 
     generate() {
-        const emailSentDate = new Date(this.model.created_at);
-        const latestUpdatedDate = new Date(this.model.created_at);
+        const emailSentDate = dateToDatabaseString.parse(this.model.created_at);
+        const latestUpdatedDate = dateToDatabaseString.parse(this.model.created_at);
         latestUpdatedDate.setHours(latestUpdatedDate.getHours() + 1);
 
         return {
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ class EmailBatchesImporter extends TableImporter {
             provider_id: `${new Date().toISOString().split('.')[0].replace(/[^0-9]/g, '')}.${faker.datatype.hexadecimal({length: 16, prefix: '', case: 'lower'})}@m.example.com`,
             status: 'submitted', // TODO: introduce failures
             created_at: this.model.created_at,
-            updated_at: dateToDatabaseString(faker.date.between(emailSentDate, latestUpdatedDate))
+            updated_at: dateToDatabaseString(dateToDatabaseString.randomBetween(emailSentDate, latestUpdatedDate))
         };
     }
 }

ghost/core/core/server/data/seeders/importers/email-recipients-importer.js

@@ -111,7 +111,7 @@ class EmailRecipientsImporter extends TableImporter {
 
             if (!(memberSubscribeEvent.created_at instanceof Date)) {
                 // SQLite fix
-                memberSubscribeEvent.created_at = new Date(memberSubscribeEvent.created_at);
+                memberSubscribeEvent.created_at = dateToDatabaseString.parse(memberSubscribeEvent.created_at);
             }
             this.membersSubscribeEventsCreatedAtsByNewsletterId.get(memberSubscribeEvent.newsletter_id).push(memberSubscribeEvent.created_at.getTime());
         }
@@ -125,8 +125,8 @@ class EmailRecipientsImporter extends TableImporter {
         this.batchIndex = this.batch.index;
 
         // Shallow clone members list so we can shuffle and modify it
-        const earliestOpenTime = new Date(this.batch.updated_at);
-        const latestOpenTime = new Date(this.batch.updated_at);
+        const earliestOpenTime = dateToDatabaseString.parse(this.batch.updated_at);
+        const latestOpenTime = dateToDatabaseString.parse(this.batch.updated_at);
         latestOpenTime.setDate(latestOpenTime.getDate() + 14);
 
         // Get all members that were subscribed to this newsletter BEFORE the batch was sent
@@ -164,7 +164,7 @@ class EmailRecipientsImporter extends TableImporter {
         }
 
         // The events are generated for a different time, so we need to move them to the batch time
-        timestamp = new Date(timestamp.getTime() - this.eventStartTimeUsed.getTime() + new Date(this.batch.updated_at).getTime());
+        timestamp = new Date(timestamp.getTime() - this.eventStartTimeUsed.getTime() + dateToDatabaseString.parse(this.batch.updated_at).getTime());
 
         if (timestamp > new Date()) {
             timestamp = new Date();
@@ -187,9 +187,9 @@ class EmailRecipientsImporter extends TableImporter {
 
         let deliveredTime;
         if (status === emailStatus.opened) {
-            const startDate = this.batch.updated_at;
+            const startDate = dateToDatabaseString.parse(this.batch.updated_at);
             const endDate = timestamp;
-            deliveredTime = faker.date.between(startDate, endDate);
+            deliveredTime = dateToDatabaseString.randomBetween(startDate, endDate);
         }
 
         return {

ghost/core/core/server/data/seeders/importers/emails-importer.js

@@ -42,19 +42,20 @@ class EmailsImporter extends TableImporter {
                 : this.newsletters[1];
         }
 
+        const publishedAt = dateToDatabaseString.parse(this.model.published_at);
         const timestamp = luck(60)
-            ? new Date(this.model.published_at)
+            ? publishedAt
             : generateEvents({
                 shape: 'ease-out',
                 trend: 'negative',
                 total: 1,
-                startTime: new Date(this.model.published_at),
+                startTime: publishedAt,
                 endTime: new Date()
             })[0];
 
         const recipientCount = this.membersSubscribeEvents
             .filter(entry => entry.newsletter_id === newsletter.id)
-            .filter(entry => new Date(entry.created_at) < timestamp).length;
+            .filter(entry => dateToDatabaseString.parse(entry.created_at) < timestamp).length;
         const deliveredCount = Math.ceil(recipientCount * faker.datatype.float({
             max: 1,
             min: 0.9,

ghost/core/core/server/data/seeders/importers/members-click-events-importer.js

@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ class MembersClickEventsImporter extends TableImporter {
         }
         this.amount -= 1;
 
-        const openedAt = new Date(this.model.opened_at);
+        const openedAt = dateToDatabaseString.parse(this.model.opened_at);
         const laterOn = new Date(openedAt.getTime() + 1000 * 60 * 15);
         const clickTime = faker.date.between(openedAt.getTime(), laterOn.getTime()); //added getTime here because it threw random errors
 

ghost/core/core/server/data/seeders/importers/members-created-events-importer.js

@@ -47,7 +47,8 @@ class MembersCreatedEventsImporter extends TableImporter {
         };
 
         if (source === 'member' && luck(30)) {
-            const post = this.posts.find(p => p.visibility === 'public' && new Date(p.published_at) < new Date(this.model.created_at));
+            const memberCreatedAt = dateToDatabaseString.parse(this.model.created_at);
+            const post = this.posts.find(p => p.visibility === 'public' && dateToDatabaseString.parse(p.published_at) < memberCreatedAt);
             if (post) {
                 attribution = {
                     attribution_id: post.id,

ghost/core/core/server/data/seeders/importers/members-feedback-importer.js

@@ -1,5 +1,4 @@
 const TableImporter = require('./table-importer');
-const {faker} = require('@faker-js/faker');
 const {luck} = require('../utils/random');
 const dateToDatabaseString = require('../utils/database-date');
 
@@ -25,10 +24,10 @@ class MembersFeedbackImporter extends TableImporter {
             return null;
         }
 
-        const openedAt = new Date(this.model.opened_at);
-        const laterOn = new Date(this.model.opened_at);
+        const openedAt = dateToDatabaseString.parse(this.model.opened_at);
+        const laterOn = dateToDatabaseString.parse(this.model.opened_at);
         laterOn.setMinutes(laterOn.getMinutes() + 60);
-        const feedbackTime = faker.date.between(openedAt, laterOn);
+        const feedbackTime = dateToDatabaseString.randomBetween(openedAt, laterOn);
 
         const postId = this.emails.find(email => email.id === this.model.email_id).post_id;
         return {

ghost/core/core/server/data/seeders/importers/members-login-events-importer.js

@@ -35,9 +35,10 @@ class MembersLoginEventsImporter extends TableImporter {
 
     setReferencedModel(model) {
         this.model = model;
+        const memberCreatedAt = dateToDatabaseString.parse(model.created_at);
 
         const endDate = new Date();
-        const daysBetween = Math.ceil((endDate.valueOf() - new Date(model.created_at).valueOf()) / (1000 * 60 * 60 * 24));
+        const daysBetween = Math.ceil((endDate.valueOf() - memberCreatedAt.valueOf()) / (1000 * 60 * 60 * 24));
 
         // Assuming most people either subscribe and lose interest, or maintain steady readership
         const shape = luck(40) ? 'ease-out' : 'flat';
@@ -47,7 +48,7 @@ class MembersLoginEventsImporter extends TableImporter {
             // Steady readers login more, readers who lose interest read less overall.
             // ceil because members will all have logged in at least once
             total: Math.min(5, shape === 'flat' ? Math.ceil(daysBetween / 3) : Math.ceil(daysBetween / 7)),
-            startTime: new Date(model.created_at),
+            startTime: memberCreatedAt,
             endTime: endDate
         });
     }

ghost/core/core/server/data/seeders/importers/members-status-events-importer.js

@@ -1,5 +1,4 @@
 const TableImporter = require('./table-importer');
-const {faker} = require('@faker-js/faker');
 const dateToDatabaseString = require('../utils/database-date');
 
 class MembersStatusEventsImporter extends TableImporter {
@@ -41,7 +40,7 @@ class MembersStatusEventsImporter extends TableImporter {
                 member_id: model.id,
                 from_status: 'free',
                 to_status: model.status,
-                created_at: dateToDatabaseString(faker.date.between(new Date(model.created_at), new Date()))
+                created_at: dateToDatabaseString(dateToDatabaseString.randomBetween(model.created_at, new Date()))
             });
         }
     }

ghost/core/core/server/data/seeders/importers/members-stripe-customers-importer.js

@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 const {faker} = require('@faker-js/faker');
 const TableImporter = require('./table-importer');
+const dateToDatabaseString = require('../utils/database-date');
 
 class MembersStripeCustomersImporter extends TableImporter {
     static table = 'members_stripe_customers';
@@ -35,7 +36,7 @@
             // Only 30% of free members should have a stripe customer = have had a subscription in the past or tried to subscribe
             // The number should increase the older the member is
 
-            const daysSinceMemberCreated = Math.floor((new Date() - new Date(this.model.created_at)) / (1000 * 60 * 60 * 24));
+            const daysSinceMemberCreated = Math.floor((new Date() - dateToDatabaseString.parse(this.model.created_at)) / (1000 * 60 * 60 * 24));
             const shouldHaveStripeCustomer = faker.datatype.number({min: 0, max: 100}) < Math.max(Math.min(daysSinceMemberCreated / 60, 15), 2);
 
             if (!shouldHaveStripeCustomer) {

ghost/core/core/server/data/seeders/importers/members-stripe-customers-subscriptions-importer.js

@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ class MembersStripeCustomersSubscriptionsImporter extends TableImporter {
             this.members = await this.transaction.select('id', 'status', 'created_at').from('members').whereIn('id', membersStripeCustomers.map(m => m.member_id));
 
             if (this.members.length === 0) {
+                offset += limit;
                 continue;
             }
 
@@ -95,6 +96,7 @@ class MembersStripeCustomersSubscriptionsImporter extends TableImporter {
                 (isMonthly ? price.interval === 'month' : price.interval === 'year');
         });
         const mrr = createValid ? (isMonthly ? stripePrice.amount : Math.floor(stripePrice.amount / 12)) : 0;
+        const memberCreatedAt = dateToDatabaseString.parse(member.created_at);
 
         const referenceEndDate = this.lastSubscriptionStart ?? new Date();
 
@@ -106,15 +108,15 @@ class MembersStripeCustomersSubscriptionsImporter extends TableImporter {
             }
         }
 
-        if (referenceEndDate < member.created_at) {
+        if (referenceEndDate < memberCreatedAt) {
             // Not possible to create an invalid subscription here
             return;
         }
 
         const [startDate] = generateEvents({
             total: 1,
             trend: 'negative',
-            startTime: new Date(member.created_at),
+            startTime: memberCreatedAt,
             endTime: referenceEndDate,
             shape: 'ease-out'
         });

ghost/core/core/server/data/seeders/importers/members-subscribe-events-importer.js

@@ -1,5 +1,4 @@
 const TableImporter = require('./table-importer');
-const {faker} = require('@faker-js/faker');
 const {luck} = require('../utils/random');
 const dateToDatabaseString = require('../utils/database-date');
 
@@ -52,7 +51,7 @@ class MembersSubscribeEventsImporter extends TableImporter {
             return null;
         }
 
-        const createdAt = dateToDatabaseString(faker.date.between(new Date(this.model.created_at), new Date()));
+        const createdAt = dateToDatabaseString(dateToDatabaseString.randomBetween(this.model.created_at, new Date()));
         const newsletterId = this.newsletters[count % this.newsletters.length].id;
 
         return {

ghost/core/core/server/data/seeders/importers/members-subscription-created-events-importer.js

@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 const TableImporter = require('./table-importer');
 const {faker} = require('@faker-js/faker');
 const {luck} = require('../utils/random');
+const dateToDatabaseString = require('../utils/database-date');
 
 class MembersSubscriptionCreatedEventsImporter extends TableImporter {
     static table = 'members_subscription_created_events';
@@ -48,7 +49,8 @@ class MembersSubscriptionCreatedEventsImporter extends TableImporter {
         };
 
         if (luck(30)) {
-            const post = this.posts.find(p => p.visibility === 'public' && new Date(p.published_at) < new Date(this.model.created_at));
+            const createdAt = dateToDatabaseString.parse(this.model.created_at);
+            const post = this.posts.find(p => p.visibility === 'public' && dateToDatabaseString.parse(p.published_at) < createdAt);
             if (post) {
                 attribution = {
                     attribution_id: post.id,

ghost/core/core/server/data/seeders/importers/offer-redemptions-importer.js

@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ class OfferRedemptionsImporter extends TableImporter {
             this.subscriptionPool.push({
                 memberId,
                 subscriptionId: subscription.id,
-                subscriptionCreatedAt: new Date(subscription.created_at),
+                subscriptionCreatedAt: dateToDatabaseString.parse(subscription.created_at),
                 redemptionEndAt: this.getRedemptionEndDate(subscription.current_period_end),
                 availableOffers: [...matchingOffers],
                 lastRedeemedAt: null
@@ -78,15 +78,15 @@ class OfferRedemptionsImporter extends TableImporter {
 
     getRedemptionEndDate(currentPeriodEnd) {
         const now = new Date();
-        const endDate = currentPeriodEnd ? new Date(currentPeriodEnd) : now;
+        const endDate = currentPeriodEnd ? dateToDatabaseString.parse(currentPeriodEnd) : now;
 
         return endDate > now ? now : endDate;
     }
 
     getCreatedAt(subscriptionState, offer) {
         const candidateEarliest = new Date(Math.max(
             subscriptionState.subscriptionCreatedAt.valueOf(),
-            new Date(offer.created_at).valueOf(),
+            dateToDatabaseString.parse(offer.created_at).valueOf(),
             subscriptionState.lastRedeemedAt ? subscriptionState.lastRedeemedAt.valueOf() + 1000 : 0
         ));
         const earliest = new Date(Math.min(

ghost/core/core/server/data/seeders/utils/database-date.js

@@ -1,7 +1,32 @@
-module.exports = function dateToDatabaseString(date) {
+const {faker} = require('@faker-js/faker');
+
+const databaseDatePattern = /^\d{4}-\d{2}-\d{2} \d{2}:\d{2}:\d{2}(?:\.\d+)?$/;
+
+function dateToDatabaseString(date) {
     if (typeof date === 'string') {
         // SQLite fix when reusing other dates from the db
         return date;
     }
     return date.toISOString().replace('Z','').replace('T', ' ');
+}
+
+dateToDatabaseString.parse = function parseDatabaseDate(date) {
+    if (date instanceof Date) {
+        return new Date(date);
+    }
+
+    if (typeof date === 'string' && databaseDatePattern.test(date)) {
+        return new Date(date.replace(' ', 'T') + 'Z');
+    }
+
+    return new Date(date);
+};
+
+dateToDatabaseString.randomBetween = function randomBetween(start, end) {
+    const earliest = dateToDatabaseString.parse(start);
+    const latest = dateToDatabaseString.parse(end);
+
+    return latest > earliest ? faker.date.between(earliest, latest) : earliest;
 };
+
+module.exports = dateToDatabaseString;

ghost/core/test/unit/server/data/seeders/data-generator.test.js

@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 const assert = require('node:assert/strict');
+const {spawnSync} = require('node:child_process');
 
 const knex = require('knex').default;
 
@@ -9,6 +10,7 @@ const StripeProductsImporter = importers.find(i => i.table === 'stripe_products'
 const StripePricesImporter = importers.find(i => i.table === 'stripe_prices');
 
 const generateEvents = require('../../../../../core/server/data/seeders/utils/event-generator');
+const dateToDatabaseString = require('../../../../../core/server/data/seeders/utils/database-date');
 
 const DataGenerator = require('../../../../../core/server/data/seeders/data-generator');
 
@@ -253,6 +255,30 @@ describe('Importer', function () {
 });
 
 describe('Events Generator', function () {
+    it('Parses database timestamps as UTC in non-UTC timezones', function () {
+        const script = `
+            const dateToDatabaseString = require(${JSON.stringify(require.resolve('../../../../../core/server/data/seeders/utils/database-date'))});
+            process.stdout.write(dateToDatabaseString.parse('2026-03-26 11:50:00.000').toISOString());
+        `;
+        const result = spawnSync(process.execPath, ['-e', script], {
+            env: {
+                ...process.env,
+                TZ: 'America/New_York'
+            },
+            encoding: 'utf8'
+        });
+
+        assert.equal(result.status, 0);
+        assert.equal(result.stdout, '2026-03-26T11:50:00.000Z');
+    });
+
+    it('Returns the start date when a range is inverted', function () {
+        const startDate = new Date('2026-03-26T11:50:00.000Z');
+        const endDate = new Date('2026-03-26T10:00:00.000Z');
+
+        assert.equal(dateToDatabaseString.randomBetween(startDate, endDate).toISOString(), startDate.toISOString());
+    });
+
     it('Generates a set of timestamps which meet the criteria', function () {
         const startTime = new Date();
         startTime.setDate(startTime.getDate() - 30);