Title: Elementor editor fatal error: in_array() null in widget-creation/module.php
Last modified: October 13, 2026

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# Elementor editor fatal error: in_array() null in widget-creation/module.php

 *  [solvdebt](https://wordpress.org/support/users/solvdebt/)
 * (@solvdebt)
 * [1 day, 19 hours ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/elementor-editor-fatal-error-in_array-null-in-widget-creation-module-php/)
 * Hello Elementor Support Team,We are experiencing a persistent fatal error when
   attempting to open the Elementor editor on our WordPress website, solvdebt.com.
   Our hosting provider, Rocket.net, investigated the issue and identified the following
   PHP fatal error:PHP Fatal error: Uncaught TypeError: in_array(): Argument #2 (
   $haystack) must be of type array, null givenError location: wp-content/plugins/
   elementor/modules/widget-creation/module.php:128The stack trace points to: Elementor\
   Modules\WidgetCreation\Module->custom_widgets_category_has_widgets()Environment:•
   Elementor: 4.2.4• Elementor Pro: 3.32.3• PHP: 8.3.35• Theme: TheGem Elementor
   Child• WPML installedTroubleshooting already performed:Rocket.net tested rolling
   back and updating plugin versions, but the issue persists.Their engineers confirmed
   that no WPML-related errors are currently appearing. They also identified a potential
   compatibility concern between Elementor 4.2.4 and Elementor Pro 3.32.3.The Elementor
   Pro license currently shows “Mismatch”, but we have not established whether this
   is related to the editor failure.Could you please advise:1. Is this a known bug
   in the Widget Creation module?2. Could the Elementor and Elementor Pro version
   combination be causing the problem?3. Is there a safe fix or workaround that 
   we can test on staging?4. Can the Widget Creation module be temporarily disabled
   without affecting existing Elementor layouts?We have a staging environment and
   a backup available for safe testing.Our priority is to restore the Elementor 
   editor without losing existing page designs or content.Thank you for your assistance.
 * The page I need help with: _[[log in](https://login.wordpress.org/?redirect_to=https%3A%2F%2Fwordpress.org%2Fsupport%2Ftopic%2Felementor-editor-fatal-error-in_array-null-in-widget-creation-module-php%2F%3Foutput_format%3Dmd&locale=en_US)
   to see the link]_

Viewing 1 replies (of 1 total)

 *  Plugin Support [Enrique](https://wordpress.org/support/users/eenrique/)
 * (@eenrique)
 * [1 day, 13 hours ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/elementor-editor-fatal-error-in_array-null-in-widget-creation-module-php/#post-19044282)
 * Hi [@solvdebt](https://wordpress.org/support/users/solvdebt/),
 * Thank you for reaching out and providing such detailed information regarding 
   the issue you’re experiencing on solvdebt.com. The stack trace and environment
   details were exactly what I needed to pinpoint the problem.
 * I have analyzed the error logs and the server environment. The issue is entirely
   related to a compatibility bug within the Elementor plugin itself when running
   on PHP 8.3.
 * What is happening:
 * Starting with PHP 8.0, the rules for how code handles missing or empty data became
   much stricter. Elementor’s “Widget Creation” module is trying to check a list
   of custom widgets. Because you likely don’t have any custom widgets created yet,
   the system returns a null (empty) value instead of an empty list. PHP 8.3 strictly
   refuses to process this null value in that specific function, which causes the
   entire script to crash and prevents the editor from loading.
 * Answering your questions:
 * Is this a known bug in the Widget Creation module? Yes, this is a bug in the 
   Elementor core code (specifically regarding PHP 8+ compatibility).
 * Could the Elementor and Elementor Pro version combination be causing the problem?
   No. I can confirm the “Mismatch” warning for your Elementor Pro license is unrelated
   to this fatal error. This issue exists within the free version of Elementor (
   v4.2.4). Upgrading to 4.2.5 is recommended.
 * Is there a safe fix or workaround that we can test on staging? Yes, but it involves
   editing the plugin, and this falls outside our support scope. Upgrading to 4.2.5
   is recommended.
 * Can the Widget Creation module be temporarily disabled? Not directly through 
   the interface without loading the dashboard, and disabling it entirely isn’t 
   the safest route.
 * I’m here to help, so please don’t hesitate to reach out if you have further comments
   or questions on this. I want to make sure you have everything you need to move
   forward successfully.
 * I’ll stay tuned for your update!
 * Kind regards,

Viewing 1 replies (of 1 total)

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 * 1 reply
 * 2 participants
 * Last reply from: [Enrique](https://wordpress.org/support/users/eenrique/)
 * Last activity: [1 day, 13 hours ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/elementor-editor-fatal-error-in_array-null-in-widget-creation-module-php/#post-19044282)
 * Status: not resolved