fix(replication): load the stored tagging timestamp independently of remaining tags

Review: DeleteObjectTagging persists the tagging-timestamp internal key
but leaves the object tagless, and the outbound mapper only loaded the
key inside the user_tags-nonempty branch — the deletion's LWW timestamp
stayed at the epoch and the header was omitted, so the deletion could
never win conflict resolution on the replica. The stored key is now
loaded unconditionally; the mod_time fallback still applies only while
tags exist (MinIO parity), and a tagless object without the key keeps
the epoch default (no header). Deletion-path regression test added.

crates/ecstore/src/bucket/replication/replication_target_boundary.rs

@@ -259,15 +259,23 @@ pub(crate) fn replication_put_object_options(sc: &str, object_info: &ObjectInfo)
 
         if !tags.is_empty() {
             put_options.user_tags = tags;
-            put_options.internal.tagging_timestamp =
-                if let Some(timestamp) = get_str(&object_info.user_defined, SUFFIX_TAGGING_TIMESTAMP) {
-                    OffsetDateTime::parse(&timestamp, &Rfc3339)
-                        .map_err(|err| Error::other(format!("Failed to parse tagging timestamp: {err}")))?
-                } else {
-                    object_info.mod_time.unwrap_or(OffsetDateTime::UNIX_EPOCH)
-                };
         }
     }
+    // Load the stored tagging timestamp independently of whether any tags
+    // remain: DeleteObjectTagging leaves the object tagless but stamps this
+    // key, and the deletion's LWW timestamp must still reach the replica.
+    // With no stored key, fall back to mod_time only while tags exist
+    // (MinIO parity); a tagless object without the key was never tagged and
+    // keeps the epoch default (no header).
+    put_options.internal.tagging_timestamp = if let Some(timestamp) = get_str(&object_info.user_defined, SUFFIX_TAGGING_TIMESTAMP)
+    {
+        OffsetDateTime::parse(&timestamp, &Rfc3339)
+            .map_err(|err| Error::other(format!("Failed to parse tagging timestamp: {err}")))?
+    } else if !put_options.user_tags.is_empty() {
+        object_info.mod_time.unwrap_or(OffsetDateTime::UNIX_EPOCH)
+    } else {
+        OffsetDateTime::UNIX_EPOCH
+    };
 
     let metadata = &*object_info.user_defined;
 
@@ -694,6 +702,44 @@ mod tests {
         assert!(options.internal.replication_request);
     }
 
+    /// DeleteObjectTagging leaves the object tagless but stamps the
+    /// tagging-timestamp internal key; the deletion's LWW timestamp must
+    /// still be loaded (and therefore sent) so the replica can order the
+    /// deletion against concurrent tag edits.
+    #[test]
+    fn replication_put_options_carry_tagging_timestamp_after_tag_deletion() {
+        let mut metadata = std::collections::HashMap::new();
+        rustfs_utils::http::insert_str(&mut metadata, SUFFIX_TAGGING_TIMESTAMP, "2026-01-02T03:04:05Z".to_string());
+
+        let object_info = ObjectInfo {
+            user_defined: Arc::new(metadata),
+            user_tags: Arc::new(String::new()),
+            mod_time: Some(OffsetDateTime::UNIX_EPOCH),
+            version_id: Some(Uuid::nil()),
+            ..Default::default()
+        };
+
+        let (options, _) = replication_put_object_options("", &object_info).expect("build put options");
+
+        assert!(options.user_tags.is_empty());
+        assert_eq!(
+            options.internal.tagging_timestamp,
+            OffsetDateTime::parse("2026-01-02T03:04:05Z", &Rfc3339).expect("valid timestamp"),
+            "the stored tagging timestamp must load independently of remaining tags"
+        );
+
+        // A tagless object without the stored key was never tagged: the epoch
+        // default keeps the header unsent.
+        let untagged = ObjectInfo {
+            user_tags: Arc::new(String::new()),
+            mod_time: Some(OffsetDateTime::from_unix_timestamp(1_700_000_000).expect("timestamp")),
+            version_id: Some(Uuid::nil()),
+            ..Default::default()
+        };
+        let (options, _) = replication_put_object_options("", &untagged).expect("build put options");
+        assert_eq!(options.internal.tagging_timestamp, OffsetDateTime::UNIX_EPOCH);
+    }
+
     #[test]
     fn replication_put_options_strip_encryption_metadata_from_plaintext_objects() {
         use rustfs_utils::http::object_encryption_keys::{INTERNAL_ENCRYPTION_ORIGINAL_SIZE_HEADER, SSEC_ORIGINAL_SIZE_HEADER};