YOOtheme Builder layout lost when saving with The SEO Framework

[zibelian]

Description:
When using YOOtheme Builder with WordPress, saving a page after editing SEO data in The SEO Framework causes the YOOtheme layout to be removed. The content remains, but the page is no longer linked to YOOtheme Builder and falls back to the default WordPress editor.

Steps to reproduce:

1. Create a page using YOOtheme Builder
2. Save the layout
3. Open the page in the WordPress editor
4. Edit SEO settings using The SEO Framework
5. Click “Update”

Expected result:
The YOOtheme layout should remain intact.

Actual result:
The YOOtheme layout is lost, and the page reverts to the default WordPress editor (block/classic). The structured layout must be rebuilt.

Notes:

• This issue does NOT occur with Yoast SEO
• Likely related to how save_post / metabox saving is handled
• Possibly triggered by Gutenberg + metabox interaction

Environment:

• WordPress (latest)
• YOOtheme Pro (latest)
• The SEO Framework (latest)

[sybrew]

Hello!

TSF only updates its own post meta (SEO fields) during save. It never modifies post content or triggers additional post updates. This makes it unlikely that TSF is removing YOOtheme's layout data. They may have added special compatibility for Yoast SEO due to its sheer size (Yoast SEO is a poor litmus test for comparing bugs because of that), instead of fixing an underlying bug.

Could you test saving the page with TSF deactivated to confirm the layout persists? If it does, please also report this to YOOtheme -- they may be storing layout data in a way that's sensitive to other plugins hooking into save_post. I don't have access to YOOtheme's code (it's gated), so they'd need to investigate on their end.

Thank you!

[zibelian]

I’ve tested most SEO plugins and none cause this, saving the page with TSF deactivated works normally. I believe this is caused by the wrong kind of “Save” / a metabox conflict.

What’s actually happening

• YOOtheme stores its layout as JSON in post meta.
• When TSF runs a standard save_post without taking that into account:
  ➡️ WordPress overwrites the content into post_content
  ➡️ The YOOtheme layout is ignored
  ➡️ The page then opens in the block editor

Why this may happen with The SEO Framework

• It might be because TSF uses its own metaboxes or triggers a save even when you’re not in the YOOtheme editor.

Temporary workaround I used

1. Installed Classic Editor
2. Disabled Gutenberg completely
3. Tested again with The SEO Framework 👉 The bug disappears = 100% Gutenberg/save conflict.

[sybrew]

Thank you for the thorough debugging -- disabling Gutenberg was the key test.

You're right that this is a Gutenberg save conflict, but TSF's save_post handler isn't the cause. TSF only updates its own post meta -- it never touches post_content.

What's actually actually happening: TSF registers a classic PHP metabox. Gutenberg can't save classic metaboxes natively, so it uses a secondary save mechanism (the meta-box-loader) that runs wp_update_post() after the main REST API save. YOOtheme likely handles the REST save properly, but doesn't account for this secondary save, which overwrites its JSON data.

I experienced this exact issue building Troy's plugin-page builder as well, also in combination with The SEO Framework. Here's my fix: sybrew/troy@7241121. Note that I had to move the save handlers from the admin area to the front end, since Gutenberg's administration doesn't occur in the admin area.

Yoast SEO fills metadata via the REST API, which is why it doesn't cause a conflict—it's not using the meta-box-loader.

The SEO Framework isn't the only plugin still relying on the meta box. I've already planned a transition to the sidebar, but Gutenberg is still too volatile. But now, with AI, I can quickly research quirks.

The fix for this still needs to come from YOOtheme. They should protect their layout data from the meta-box-loader's secondary wp_update_post() — e.g., by using wp_insert_post_data to preserve their JSON when post_content is about to be overwritten, or by hooking into rest_after_insert_post for their primary save logic instead of save_post.

Please note that this is (educated) speculation since I have no access to YOOtheme Builder. Please forward this issue to them.