Error overview
You may run into this Salesforce validation error when deploying Profile metadata.
An example of the error would look as below:
"EntityObject can not be initialized with null EntityInto"
This Salesforce validation error was reported to us in April 2025. This is the only occurrence we have seen to this date. Following testing, the user contacted Salesforce support about the issue, then they performed their own testing and the provided a solution.
Resolution
Salesforce's investigation indicated that this issue was caused by the Source Tracking in Sandboxes setting.
The Source Tracking in Sandboxes option greatly enhances Gearset's capabilities, but isn't required. This doc about using Source Tracking in Gearset explains in more detail.
On this occasion Salesforce support disabled the Source Tracking in Sandboxes setting which allowed the user to deploy the required profiles.
Note: This setting cannot be disabled by Salesforce org admins in your team. Salesforce support needs to be involved.
Disclaimer: This error is returned by Salesforce directly, rather than Gearset. Even so, we offer guidance based on our combined experience with the Metadata API. Where possible, we try to help guide you to fix or avoid this error. In the case that this isn't possible, we may need to direct you to Salesforce support for further clarification.