diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 4600c0d..7e18ace 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -1,5 +1,23 @@
 ## parse-stack-next Changelog
 
+### 5.4.1
+
+#### Webhook after_save callback fix
+
+- **FIXED**: an `afterSave` webhook handler that returns a `Parse::Object`
+  (instead of `true` or `nil`) no longer suppresses the model's `after_create`
+  and `after_save` callbacks on client-initiated saves. Parse Server discards
+  the `afterSave` response body entirely — it resolves the request as a success
+  even when the handler raises — so the handler's return value must not gate
+  callback dispatch. The decision now depends only on the request origin: a
+  trusted Ruby-initiated save still skips the webhook-side callbacks (the local
+  `run_callbacks :save` fires them, avoiding a double-run), while a
+  client-initiated save always fires them. Returning the object — the
+  recommended `beforeSave` pattern, easy to copy into an `afterSave` by mistake
+  — previously skipped an `after_save :send_email` and similar side effects
+  silently. The result is also normalized to `true`, so a returned object can
+  no longer leak into the response body or the debug log.
+
 ### 5.4.0
 
 #### Parse Server 8.x / 9.x compatibility fixes
diff --git a/lib/parse/stack/version.rb b/lib/parse/stack/version.rb
index dca8b8c..1cb7056 100644
--- a/lib/parse/stack/version.rb
+++ b/lib/parse/stack/version.rb
@@ -6,6 +6,6 @@ module Parse
   # The Parse Server SDK for Ruby
   module Stack
     # The current version.
-    VERSION = "5.4.0"
+    VERSION = "5.4.1"
   end
 end
diff --git a/lib/parse/webhooks.rb b/lib/parse/webhooks.rb
index 4362e9c..c3a75a5 100644
--- a/lib/parse/webhooks.rb
+++ b/lib/parse/webhooks.rb
@@ -454,7 +454,7 @@ def call_route(type, className, payload = nil)
           end
         end
 
-        if type == :after_save && (result == true || result.nil?) && payload&.parse_object.present? && payload.parse_object.is_a?(Parse::Object)
+        if type == :after_save && payload&.parse_object.present? && payload.parse_object.is_a?(Parse::Object)
           # Handle after_save callbacks intelligently based on request origin.
           # For trusted-Ruby-initiated saves (both `_RB_` header AND master
           # key), Parse Stack's local `run_callbacks :save` will fire
@@ -464,6 +464,14 @@ def call_route(type, className, payload = nil)
           # per save). For everything else -- client-initiated saves, or a
           # spoofed `_RB_` from a non-master client -- Parse Stack never had
           # a chance to run callbacks, so we fire them here.
+          #
+          # The decision depends ONLY on request origin, never on what the
+          # handler returned. Parse Server discards the afterSave response
+          # body entirely (it resolves {success} even if the handler throws),
+          # so a handler that returns the parse_object -- the recommended
+          # before_save pattern, easy to copy by mistake -- must NOT silently
+          # suppress these callbacks. We normalize the result to `true` below
+          # so a returned object never leaks into the response or the log.
           is_new = payload.original.nil?
           unless trusted_ruby_initiated
             payload.parse_object.run_after_create_callbacks if is_new
diff --git a/test/lib/parse/webhook_callbacks_test.rb b/test/lib/parse/webhook_callbacks_test.rb
index 9840ad5..e2413ad 100644
--- a/test/lib/parse/webhook_callbacks_test.rb
+++ b/test/lib/parse/webhook_callbacks_test.rb
@@ -278,6 +278,71 @@ def test_after_save_callback_handling
     puts "✅ Client-initiated existing object calls after_save"
   end
 
+  def test_after_save_handler_returning_object_still_fires_callbacks
+    puts "\n=== Testing After Save Callback Handling (handler returns object) ==="
+
+    # Regression: Parse Server discards the afterSave response body, so the
+    # handler's return value must NOT gate callback dispatch. A handler that
+    # returns the parse_object (the recommended before_save pattern, easy to
+    # copy by mistake) must still fire the model's after_create/after_save
+    # callbacks for client-initiated saves, and the result must normalize to
+    # `true` so the object never leaks into the response/log.
+    after_create_called = false
+    after_save_called = false
+
+    test_object = Object.new
+    test_object.define_singleton_method(:run_after_create_callbacks) { after_create_called = true }
+    test_object.define_singleton_method(:run_after_save_callbacks) { after_save_called = true }
+    test_object.define_singleton_method(:is_a?) { |klass| klass == Parse::Object }
+
+    # Handler returns the object instead of true/nil (the mistake we now tolerate).
+    Parse::Webhooks.route(:after_save, "TestObject") do |payload|
+      payload.parse_object
+    end
+
+    # Client-initiated new object: both callbacks must fire despite the object return.
+    client_new_payload_data = {
+      "triggerName" => "afterSave",
+      "object" => { "className" => "TestObject", "objectId" => "obj_return_new" },
+      "original" => nil,
+      "headers" => { "x-parse-request-id" => "client_obj_return_new" },
+    }
+    client_new_payload = Parse::Webhooks::Payload.new(client_new_payload_data)
+    client_new_payload.define_singleton_method(:parse_object) { test_object }
+    client_new_payload.define_singleton_method(:original) { nil }
+
+    result = Parse::Webhooks.call_route(:after_save, "TestObject", client_new_payload)
+
+    assert after_create_called, "after_create must fire even when handler returns the object"
+    assert after_save_called, "after_save must fire even when handler returns the object"
+    assert_equal true, result, "Result must normalize to true so the object never leaks into the response"
+    refute_kind_of Parse::Object, result, "Returned object must not leak into the response body"
+    puts "✅ Object-returning handler still fires client-initiated callbacks and normalizes result"
+
+    # Trusted-ruby-initiated object: still skips webhook callbacks (Ruby fires them locally),
+    # and still normalizes the result regardless of the object return.
+    after_create_called = false
+    after_save_called = false
+
+    ruby_payload_data = {
+      "triggerName" => "afterSave",
+      "master" => true,
+      "object" => { "className" => "TestObject", "objectId" => "obj_return_ruby" },
+      "original" => nil,
+      "headers" => { "x-parse-request-id" => "_RB_obj_return_ruby" },
+    }
+    ruby_payload = Parse::Webhooks::Payload.new(ruby_payload_data)
+    ruby_payload.define_singleton_method(:parse_object) { test_object }
+    ruby_payload.define_singleton_method(:original) { nil }
+
+    result = Parse::Webhooks.call_route(:after_save, "TestObject", ruby_payload)
+
+    refute after_create_called, "after_create must stay suppressed for trusted-ruby-initiated saves"
+    refute after_save_called, "after_save must stay suppressed for trusted-ruby-initiated saves"
+    assert_equal true, result, "Result must normalize to true even for the trusted-ruby path"
+    puts "✅ Trusted-ruby-initiated handler keeps suppression and normalizes result"
+  end
+
   def test_webhook_integration_with_request_idempotency
     puts "\n=== Testing Webhook Integration with Request Idempotency ==="