diff --git a/datetime/src/main/java/com/fasterxml/jackson/datatype/jsr310/deser/DurationDeserializer.java b/datetime/src/main/java/com/fasterxml/jackson/datatype/jsr310/deser/DurationDeserializer.java
index 2a7945e8..79a1fc25 100644
--- a/datetime/src/main/java/com/fasterxml/jackson/datatype/jsr310/deser/DurationDeserializer.java
+++ b/datetime/src/main/java/com/fasterxml/jackson/datatype/jsr310/deser/DurationDeserializer.java
@@ -162,17 +162,20 @@ public Duration deserialize(JsonParser parser, DeserializationContext context) t
                 return _fromTimestamp(context, parser.getLongValue());
             case JsonTokenId.ID_STRING:
                 return _fromString(parser, context, parser.getText());
-            // 30-Sep-2020, tatu: New! "Scalar from Object" (mostly for XML)
-            case JsonTokenId.ID_START_OBJECT:
-                return _fromString(parser, context,
-                        context.extractScalarFromObject(parser, this, handledType()));
             case JsonTokenId.ID_EMBEDDED_OBJECT:
                 // 20-Apr-2016, tatu: Related to [databind#1208], can try supporting embedded
                 //    values quite easily
                 return (Duration) parser.getEmbeddedObject();
-
             case JsonTokenId.ID_START_ARRAY:
                 return _deserializeFromArray(parser, context);
+            // 30-Sep-2020, tatu: New! "Scalar from Object" (mostly for XML)
+            case JsonTokenId.ID_START_OBJECT:
+                // 17-May-2025, tatu: [databind#4656] need to check for `null`
+                String str = context.extractScalarFromObject(parser, this, handledType());
+                if (str != null) {
+                    return _fromString(parser, context, str);
+                }
+                // fall through
         }
         return _handleUnexpectedToken(context, parser, JsonToken.VALUE_STRING,
                 JsonToken.VALUE_NUMBER_INT, JsonToken.VALUE_NUMBER_FLOAT);
diff --git a/datetime/src/main/java/com/fasterxml/jackson/datatype/jsr310/deser/InstantDeserializer.java b/datetime/src/main/java/com/fasterxml/jackson/datatype/jsr310/deser/InstantDeserializer.java
index 4f406931..0e1bf808 100644
--- a/datetime/src/main/java/com/fasterxml/jackson/datatype/jsr310/deser/InstantDeserializer.java
+++ b/datetime/src/main/java/com/fasterxml/jackson/datatype/jsr310/deser/InstantDeserializer.java
@@ -355,10 +355,6 @@ public T deserialize(JsonParser parser, DeserializationContext context) throws I
                 return _fromLong(context, parser.getLongValue());
             case JsonTokenId.ID_STRING:
                 return _fromString(parser, context, parser.getText());
-            // 30-Sep-2020, tatu: New! "Scalar from Object" (mostly for XML)
-            case JsonTokenId.ID_START_OBJECT:
-                return _fromString(parser, context,
-                        context.extractScalarFromObject(parser, this, handledType()));
             case JsonTokenId.ID_EMBEDDED_OBJECT:
                 // 20-Apr-2016, tatu: Related to [databind#1208], can try supporting embedded
                 //    values quite easily
@@ -366,6 +362,14 @@ public T deserialize(JsonParser parser, DeserializationContext context) throws I
 
             case JsonTokenId.ID_START_ARRAY:
                 return _deserializeFromArray(parser, context);
+            // 30-Sep-2020, tatu: New! "Scalar from Object" (mostly for XML)
+            case JsonTokenId.ID_START_OBJECT:
+                // 17-May-2025, tatu: [databind#4656] need to check for `null`
+                String str = context.extractScalarFromObject(parser, this, handledType());
+                if (str != null) {
+                    return _fromString(parser, context, str);
+                }
+                // fall through
         }
         return _handleUnexpectedToken(context, parser, JsonToken.VALUE_STRING,
                 JsonToken.VALUE_NUMBER_INT, JsonToken.VALUE_NUMBER_FLOAT);
diff --git a/datetime/src/main/java/com/fasterxml/jackson/datatype/jsr310/deser/JSR310StringParsableDeserializer.java b/datetime/src/main/java/com/fasterxml/jackson/datatype/jsr310/deser/JSR310StringParsableDeserializer.java
index 5cb8e465..96596a34 100644
--- a/datetime/src/main/java/com/fasterxml/jackson/datatype/jsr310/deser/JSR310StringParsableDeserializer.java
+++ b/datetime/src/main/java/com/fasterxml/jackson/datatype/jsr310/deser/JSR310StringParsableDeserializer.java
@@ -122,15 +122,17 @@ public Object deserialize(JsonParser p, DeserializationContext ctxt) throws IOEx
         }
         // 30-Sep-2020, tatu: New! "Scalar from Object" (mostly for XML)
         if (p.isExpectedStartObjectToken()) {
-            return _fromString(p, ctxt,
-                    ctxt.extractScalarFromObject(p, this, handledType()));
-        }
-        if (p.hasToken(JsonToken.VALUE_EMBEDDED_OBJECT)) {
+            // 17-May-2025, tatu: [databind#4656] need to check for `null`
+            String str = ctxt.extractScalarFromObject(p, this, handledType());
+            if (str != null) {
+                return _fromString(p, ctxt, str);
+            }
+            // fall through
+        } else if (p.hasToken(JsonToken.VALUE_EMBEDDED_OBJECT)) {
             // 20-Apr-2016, tatu: Related to [databind#1208], can try supporting embedded
             //    values quite easily
             return p.getEmbeddedObject();
-        }
-        if (p.isExpectedStartArrayToken()) {
+        } else if (p.isExpectedStartArrayToken()) {
             return _deserializeFromArray(p, ctxt);
         }
         
diff --git a/datetime/src/main/java/com/fasterxml/jackson/datatype/jsr310/deser/LocalDateDeserializer.java b/datetime/src/main/java/com/fasterxml/jackson/datatype/jsr310/deser/LocalDateDeserializer.java
index 4a19d89b..5775a1d4 100644
--- a/datetime/src/main/java/com/fasterxml/jackson/datatype/jsr310/deser/LocalDateDeserializer.java
+++ b/datetime/src/main/java/com/fasterxml/jackson/datatype/jsr310/deser/LocalDateDeserializer.java
@@ -125,61 +125,65 @@ public LocalDateDeserializer withFeatures(JacksonFeatureSet<JavaTimeFeature> fea
     }
 
     @Override
-    public LocalDate deserialize(JsonParser parser, DeserializationContext context) throws IOException
+    public LocalDate deserialize(JsonParser p, DeserializationContext ctxt) throws IOException
     {
-        if (parser.hasToken(JsonToken.VALUE_STRING)) {
-            return _fromString(parser, context, parser.getText());
+        if (p.hasToken(JsonToken.VALUE_STRING)) {
+            return _fromString(p, ctxt, p.getText());
         }
         // 30-Sep-2020, tatu: New! "Scalar from Object" (mostly for XML)
-        if (parser.isExpectedStartObjectToken()) {
-            return _fromString(parser, context,
-                    context.extractScalarFromObject(parser, this, handledType()));
+        if (p.isExpectedStartObjectToken()) {
+            // 17-May-2025, tatu: [databind#4656] need to check for `null`
+            String str = ctxt.extractScalarFromObject(p, this, handledType());
+            if (str != null) {
+                return _fromString(p, ctxt, str);
+            }
+            return _handleUnexpectedToken(ctxt, p, "Expected array or string");
         }
-        if (parser.isExpectedStartArrayToken()) {
-            JsonToken t = parser.nextToken();
+        if (p.isExpectedStartArrayToken()) {
+            JsonToken t = p.nextToken();
             if (t == JsonToken.END_ARRAY) {
                 return null;
             }
-            if (context.isEnabled(DeserializationFeature.UNWRAP_SINGLE_VALUE_ARRAYS)
+            if (ctxt.isEnabled(DeserializationFeature.UNWRAP_SINGLE_VALUE_ARRAYS)
                     && (t == JsonToken.VALUE_STRING || t==JsonToken.VALUE_EMBEDDED_OBJECT)) {
-                final LocalDate parsed = deserialize(parser, context);
-                if (parser.nextToken() != JsonToken.END_ARRAY) {
-                    handleMissingEndArrayForSingle(parser, context);
+                final LocalDate parsed = deserialize(p, ctxt);
+                if (p.nextToken() != JsonToken.END_ARRAY) {
+                    handleMissingEndArrayForSingle(p, ctxt);
                 }
                 return parsed;            
             }
             if (t == JsonToken.VALUE_NUMBER_INT) {
-                int year = parser.getIntValue();
-                int month = parser.nextIntValue(-1);
-                int day = parser.nextIntValue(-1);
+                int year = p.getIntValue();
+                int month = p.nextIntValue(-1);
+                int day = p.nextIntValue(-1);
                 
-                if (parser.nextToken() != JsonToken.END_ARRAY) {
-                    throw context.wrongTokenException(parser, handledType(), JsonToken.END_ARRAY,
+                if (p.nextToken() != JsonToken.END_ARRAY) {
+                    throw ctxt.wrongTokenException(p, handledType(), JsonToken.END_ARRAY,
                             "Expected array to end");
                 }
                 return LocalDate.of(year, month, day);
             }
-            context.reportInputMismatch(handledType(),
+            ctxt.reportInputMismatch(handledType(),
                     "Unexpected token (%s) within Array, expected VALUE_NUMBER_INT",
                     t);
         }
-        if (parser.hasToken(JsonToken.VALUE_EMBEDDED_OBJECT)) {
-            return (LocalDate) parser.getEmbeddedObject();
+        if (p.hasToken(JsonToken.VALUE_EMBEDDED_OBJECT)) {
+            return (LocalDate) p.getEmbeddedObject();
         }
         // 06-Jan-2018, tatu: Is this actually safe? Do users expect such coercion?
-        if (parser.hasToken(JsonToken.VALUE_NUMBER_INT)) {
-            CoercionAction act = context.findCoercionAction(logicalType(), _valueClass,
+        if (p.hasToken(JsonToken.VALUE_NUMBER_INT)) {
+            CoercionAction act = ctxt.findCoercionAction(logicalType(), _valueClass,
                     CoercionInputShape.Integer);
-            _checkCoercionFail(context, act, handledType(), parser.getLongValue(),
-                    "Integer value (" + parser.getLongValue() + ")");
+            _checkCoercionFail(ctxt, act, handledType(), p.getLongValue(),
+                    "Integer value (" + p.getLongValue() + ")");
 
             // issue 58 - also check for NUMBER_INT, which needs to be specified when serializing.
             if (_shape == JsonFormat.Shape.NUMBER_INT || isLenient()) {
-                return LocalDate.ofEpochDay(parser.getLongValue());
+                return LocalDate.ofEpochDay(p.getLongValue());
             }
-            return _failForNotLenient(parser, context, JsonToken.VALUE_STRING);
+            return _failForNotLenient(p, ctxt, JsonToken.VALUE_STRING);
         }
-        return _handleUnexpectedToken(context, parser, "Expected array or string.");
+        return _handleUnexpectedToken(ctxt, p, "Expected array or string");
     }
 
     protected LocalDate _fromString(JsonParser p, DeserializationContext ctxt,
diff --git a/datetime/src/main/java/com/fasterxml/jackson/datatype/jsr310/deser/LocalDateTimeDeserializer.java b/datetime/src/main/java/com/fasterxml/jackson/datatype/jsr310/deser/LocalDateTimeDeserializer.java
index 7c88f8cb..c76fdb0d 100644
--- a/datetime/src/main/java/com/fasterxml/jackson/datatype/jsr310/deser/LocalDateTimeDeserializer.java
+++ b/datetime/src/main/java/com/fasterxml/jackson/datatype/jsr310/deser/LocalDateTimeDeserializer.java
@@ -148,52 +148,56 @@ public LocalDateTimeDeserializer withFeatures(JacksonFeatureSet<JavaTimeFeature>
     }
 
     @Override
-    public LocalDateTime deserialize(JsonParser parser, DeserializationContext context) throws IOException
+    public LocalDateTime deserialize(JsonParser p, DeserializationContext ctxt) throws IOException
     {
-        if (parser.hasTokenId(JsonTokenId.ID_STRING)) {
-            return _fromString(parser, context, parser.getText());
+        if (p.hasTokenId(JsonTokenId.ID_STRING)) {
+            return _fromString(p, ctxt, p.getText());
         }
         // 30-Sep-2020, tatu: New! "Scalar from Object" (mostly for XML)
-        if (parser.isExpectedStartObjectToken()) {
-            return _fromString(parser, context,
-                    context.extractScalarFromObject(parser, this, handledType()));
+        if (p.isExpectedStartObjectToken()) {
+            // 17-May-2025, tatu: [databind#4656] need to check for `null`
+            String str = ctxt.extractScalarFromObject(p, this, handledType());
+            if (str != null) {
+                return _fromString(p, ctxt, str);
+            }
+            return _handleUnexpectedToken(ctxt, p, "Expected array or string");
         }
-        if (parser.isExpectedStartArrayToken()) {
-            JsonToken t = parser.nextToken();
+        if (p.isExpectedStartArrayToken()) {
+            JsonToken t = p.nextToken();
             if (t == JsonToken.END_ARRAY) {
                 return null;
             }
             if ((t == JsonToken.VALUE_STRING || t == JsonToken.VALUE_EMBEDDED_OBJECT)
-                    && context.isEnabled(DeserializationFeature.UNWRAP_SINGLE_VALUE_ARRAYS)) {
-                final LocalDateTime parsed = deserialize(parser, context);
-                if (parser.nextToken() != JsonToken.END_ARRAY) {
-                    handleMissingEndArrayForSingle(parser, context);
+                    && ctxt.isEnabled(DeserializationFeature.UNWRAP_SINGLE_VALUE_ARRAYS)) {
+                final LocalDateTime parsed = deserialize(p, ctxt);
+                if (p.nextToken() != JsonToken.END_ARRAY) {
+                    handleMissingEndArrayForSingle(p, ctxt);
                 }
                 return parsed;            
             }
             if (t == JsonToken.VALUE_NUMBER_INT) {
                 LocalDateTime result;
 
-                int year = parser.getIntValue();
-                int month = parser.nextIntValue(-1);
-                int day = parser.nextIntValue(-1);
-                int hour = parser.nextIntValue(-1);
-                int minute = parser.nextIntValue(-1);
+                int year = p.getIntValue();
+                int month = p.nextIntValue(-1);
+                int day = p.nextIntValue(-1);
+                int hour = p.nextIntValue(-1);
+                int minute = p.nextIntValue(-1);
 
-                t = parser.nextToken();
+                t = p.nextToken();
                 if (t == JsonToken.END_ARRAY) {
                     result = LocalDateTime.of(year, month, day, hour, minute);
                 } else {
-                    int second = parser.getIntValue();
-                    t = parser.nextToken();
+                    int second = p.getIntValue();
+                    t = p.nextToken();
                     if (t == JsonToken.END_ARRAY) {
                         result = LocalDateTime.of(year, month, day, hour, minute, second);
                     } else {
-                        int partialSecond = parser.getIntValue();
-                        if (partialSecond < 1_000 && !shouldReadTimestampsAsNanoseconds(context))
+                        int partialSecond = p.getIntValue();
+                        if (partialSecond < 1_000 && !shouldReadTimestampsAsNanoseconds(ctxt))
                             partialSecond *= 1_000_000; // value is milliseconds, convert it to nanoseconds
-                        if (parser.nextToken() != JsonToken.END_ARRAY) {
-                            throw context.wrongTokenException(parser, handledType(), JsonToken.END_ARRAY,
+                        if (p.nextToken() != JsonToken.END_ARRAY) {
+                            throw ctxt.wrongTokenException(p, handledType(), JsonToken.END_ARRAY,
                                     "Expected array to end");
                         }
                         result = LocalDateTime.of(year, month, day, hour, minute, second, partialSecond);
@@ -201,17 +205,17 @@ public LocalDateTime deserialize(JsonParser parser, DeserializationContext conte
                 }
                 return result;
             }
-            context.reportInputMismatch(handledType(),
+            ctxt.reportInputMismatch(handledType(),
                     "Unexpected token (%s) within Array, expected VALUE_NUMBER_INT",
                     t);
         }
-        if (parser.hasToken(JsonToken.VALUE_EMBEDDED_OBJECT)) {
-            return (LocalDateTime) parser.getEmbeddedObject();
+        if (p.hasToken(JsonToken.VALUE_EMBEDDED_OBJECT)) {
+            return (LocalDateTime) p.getEmbeddedObject();
         }
-        if (parser.hasToken(JsonToken.VALUE_NUMBER_INT)) {
-            _throwNoNumericTimestampNeedTimeZone(parser, context);
+        if (p.hasToken(JsonToken.VALUE_NUMBER_INT)) {
+            _throwNoNumericTimestampNeedTimeZone(p, ctxt);
         }
-        return _handleUnexpectedToken(context, parser, "Expected array or string.");
+        return _handleUnexpectedToken(ctxt, p, "Expected array or string");
     }
 
     protected boolean shouldReadTimestampsAsNanoseconds(DeserializationContext context) {
diff --git a/datetime/src/main/java/com/fasterxml/jackson/datatype/jsr310/deser/LocalTimeDeserializer.java b/datetime/src/main/java/com/fasterxml/jackson/datatype/jsr310/deser/LocalTimeDeserializer.java
index da860cf3..f023be9a 100644
--- a/datetime/src/main/java/com/fasterxml/jackson/datatype/jsr310/deser/LocalTimeDeserializer.java
+++ b/datetime/src/main/java/com/fasterxml/jackson/datatype/jsr310/deser/LocalTimeDeserializer.java
@@ -103,51 +103,55 @@ protected JSR310DateTimeDeserializerBase<?> _withFormatOverrides(Deserialization
     }
 
     @Override
-    public LocalTime deserialize(JsonParser parser, DeserializationContext context) throws IOException
+    public LocalTime deserialize(JsonParser p, DeserializationContext ctxt) throws IOException
     {
-        if (parser.hasToken(JsonToken.VALUE_STRING)) {
-            return _fromString(parser, context, parser.getText());
+        if (p.hasToken(JsonToken.VALUE_STRING)) {
+            return _fromString(p, ctxt, p.getText());
         }
         // 30-Sep-2020, tatu: New! "Scalar from Object" (mostly for XML)
-        if (parser.isExpectedStartObjectToken()) {
-            return _fromString(parser, context,
-                    context.extractScalarFromObject(parser, this, handledType()));
+        if (p.isExpectedStartObjectToken()) {
+            // 17-May-2025, tatu: [databind#4656] need to check for `null`
+            String str = ctxt.extractScalarFromObject(p, this, handledType());
+            if (str != null) {
+                return _fromString(p, ctxt, str);
+            }
+            return _handleUnexpectedToken(ctxt, p, "Expected array or string");
         }
-        if (parser.isExpectedStartArrayToken()) {
-            JsonToken t = parser.nextToken();
+        if (p.isExpectedStartArrayToken()) {
+            JsonToken t = p.nextToken();
             if (t == JsonToken.END_ARRAY) {
                 return null;
             }
-            if (context.isEnabled(DeserializationFeature.UNWRAP_SINGLE_VALUE_ARRAYS)
+            if (ctxt.isEnabled(DeserializationFeature.UNWRAP_SINGLE_VALUE_ARRAYS)
                     && (t == JsonToken.VALUE_STRING || t==JsonToken.VALUE_EMBEDDED_OBJECT)) {
-                final LocalTime parsed = deserialize(parser, context);
-                if (parser.nextToken() != JsonToken.END_ARRAY) {
-                    handleMissingEndArrayForSingle(parser, context);
+                final LocalTime parsed = deserialize(p, ctxt);
+                if (p.nextToken() != JsonToken.END_ARRAY) {
+                    handleMissingEndArrayForSingle(p, ctxt);
                 }
                 return parsed;            
             }
             if (t == JsonToken.VALUE_NUMBER_INT) {
-                int hour = parser.getIntValue();
+                int hour = p.getIntValue();
     
-                parser.nextToken();
-                int minute = parser.getIntValue();
+                p.nextToken();
+                int minute = p.getIntValue();
                 LocalTime result;
     
-                t = parser.nextToken();
+                t = p.nextToken();
                 if (t == JsonToken.END_ARRAY) {
                     result = LocalTime.of(hour, minute);
                 } else {
-                    int second = parser.getIntValue();
-                    t = parser.nextToken();
+                    int second = p.getIntValue();
+                    t = p.nextToken();
                     if (t == JsonToken.END_ARRAY) {
                         result = LocalTime.of(hour, minute, second);
                     } else {
-                        int partialSecond = parser.getIntValue();
-                        if(partialSecond < 1_000 && !shouldReadTimestampsAsNanoseconds(context))
+                        int partialSecond = p.getIntValue();
+                        if(partialSecond < 1_000 && !shouldReadTimestampsAsNanoseconds(ctxt))
                             partialSecond *= 1_000_000; // value is milliseconds, convert it to nanoseconds
-                        t = parser.nextToken();
+                        t = p.nextToken();
                         if (t != JsonToken.END_ARRAY) {
-                            throw context.wrongTokenException(parser, handledType(), JsonToken.END_ARRAY,
+                            throw ctxt.wrongTokenException(p, handledType(), JsonToken.END_ARRAY,
                                     "Expected array to end");
                         }
                         result = LocalTime.of(hour, minute, second, partialSecond);
@@ -155,17 +159,17 @@ public LocalTime deserialize(JsonParser parser, DeserializationContext context)
                 }
                 return result;
             }
-            context.reportInputMismatch(handledType(),
+            ctxt.reportInputMismatch(handledType(),
                     "Unexpected token (%s) within Array, expected VALUE_NUMBER_INT",
                     t);
         }
-        if (parser.hasToken(JsonToken.VALUE_EMBEDDED_OBJECT)) {
-            return (LocalTime) parser.getEmbeddedObject();
+        if (p.hasToken(JsonToken.VALUE_EMBEDDED_OBJECT)) {
+            return (LocalTime) p.getEmbeddedObject();
         }
-        if (parser.hasToken(JsonToken.VALUE_NUMBER_INT)) {
-            _throwNoNumericTimestampNeedTimeZone(parser, context);
+        if (p.hasToken(JsonToken.VALUE_NUMBER_INT)) {
+            _throwNoNumericTimestampNeedTimeZone(p, ctxt);
         }
-        return _handleUnexpectedToken(context, parser, "Expected array or string.");
+        return _handleUnexpectedToken(ctxt, p, "Expected array or string");
     }
 
     protected boolean shouldReadTimestampsAsNanoseconds(DeserializationContext context) {
diff --git a/datetime/src/main/java/com/fasterxml/jackson/datatype/jsr310/deser/MonthDayDeserializer.java b/datetime/src/main/java/com/fasterxml/jackson/datatype/jsr310/deser/MonthDayDeserializer.java
index 449cf718..88d71697 100644
--- a/datetime/src/main/java/com/fasterxml/jackson/datatype/jsr310/deser/MonthDayDeserializer.java
+++ b/datetime/src/main/java/com/fasterxml/jackson/datatype/jsr310/deser/MonthDayDeserializer.java
@@ -62,50 +62,52 @@ protected MonthDayDeserializer withDateFormat(DateTimeFormatter dtf) {
     }
 
     @Override
-    public MonthDay deserialize(JsonParser parser, DeserializationContext context) throws IOException
+    public MonthDay deserialize(JsonParser p, DeserializationContext ctxt) throws IOException
     {
-        if (parser.hasToken(JsonToken.VALUE_STRING)) {
-            return _fromString(parser, context, parser.getText());
+        if (p.hasToken(JsonToken.VALUE_STRING)) {
+            return _fromString(p, ctxt, p.getText());
         }
         // 30-Sep-2020, tatu: New! "Scalar from Object" (mostly for XML)
-        if (parser.isExpectedStartObjectToken()) {
-            return _fromString(parser, context,
-                    context.extractScalarFromObject(parser, this, handledType()));
-        }
-        if (parser.isExpectedStartArrayToken()) {
-            JsonToken t = parser.nextToken();
+        if (p.isExpectedStartObjectToken()) {
+            // 17-May-2025, tatu: [databind#4656] need to check for `null`
+            String str = ctxt.extractScalarFromObject(p, this, handledType());
+            if (str != null) {
+                return _fromString(p, ctxt, str);
+            }
+            // fall through
+        } else if (p.isExpectedStartArrayToken()) {
+            JsonToken t = p.nextToken();
             if (t == JsonToken.END_ARRAY) {
                 return null;
             }
             if ((t == JsonToken.VALUE_STRING || t == JsonToken.VALUE_EMBEDDED_OBJECT)
-                    && context.isEnabled(DeserializationFeature.UNWRAP_SINGLE_VALUE_ARRAYS)) {
-                final MonthDay parsed = deserialize(parser, context);
-                if (parser.nextToken() != JsonToken.END_ARRAY) {
-                    handleMissingEndArrayForSingle(parser, context);
+                    && ctxt.isEnabled(DeserializationFeature.UNWRAP_SINGLE_VALUE_ARRAYS)) {
+                final MonthDay parsed = deserialize(p, ctxt);
+                if (p.nextToken() != JsonToken.END_ARRAY) {
+                    handleMissingEndArrayForSingle(p, ctxt);
                 }
                 return parsed;
             }
             if (t != JsonToken.VALUE_NUMBER_INT) {
-                _reportWrongToken(context, JsonToken.VALUE_NUMBER_INT, "month");
+                _reportWrongToken(ctxt, JsonToken.VALUE_NUMBER_INT, "month");
             }
-            int month = parser.getIntValue();
-            int day = parser.nextIntValue(-1);
+            int month = p.getIntValue();
+            int day = p.nextIntValue(-1);
             if (day == -1) {
-                if (!parser.hasToken(JsonToken.VALUE_NUMBER_INT)) {
-                    _reportWrongToken(context, JsonToken.VALUE_NUMBER_INT, "day");
+                if (!p.hasToken(JsonToken.VALUE_NUMBER_INT)) {
+                    _reportWrongToken(ctxt, JsonToken.VALUE_NUMBER_INT, "day");
                 }
-                day = parser.getIntValue();
+                day = p.getIntValue();
             }
-            if (parser.nextToken() != JsonToken.END_ARRAY) {
-                throw context.wrongTokenException(parser, handledType(), JsonToken.END_ARRAY,
+            if (p.nextToken() != JsonToken.END_ARRAY) {
+                throw ctxt.wrongTokenException(p, handledType(), JsonToken.END_ARRAY,
                         "Expected array to end");
             }
             return MonthDay.of(month, day);
+        } else if (p.hasToken(JsonToken.VALUE_EMBEDDED_OBJECT)) {
+            return (MonthDay) p.getEmbeddedObject();
         }
-        if (parser.hasToken(JsonToken.VALUE_EMBEDDED_OBJECT)) {
-            return (MonthDay) parser.getEmbeddedObject();
-        }
-        return _handleUnexpectedToken(context, parser,
+        return _handleUnexpectedToken(ctxt, p,
                 JsonToken.VALUE_STRING, JsonToken.START_ARRAY);
     }
 
diff --git a/datetime/src/main/java/com/fasterxml/jackson/datatype/jsr310/deser/OffsetTimeDeserializer.java b/datetime/src/main/java/com/fasterxml/jackson/datatype/jsr310/deser/OffsetTimeDeserializer.java
index 8331af7f..0a23ac39 100644
--- a/datetime/src/main/java/com/fasterxml/jackson/datatype/jsr310/deser/OffsetTimeDeserializer.java
+++ b/datetime/src/main/java/com/fasterxml/jackson/datatype/jsr310/deser/OffsetTimeDeserializer.java
@@ -99,75 +99,79 @@ protected JSR310DateTimeDeserializerBase<?> _withFormatOverrides(Deserialization
     }
 
     @Override
-    public OffsetTime deserialize(JsonParser parser, DeserializationContext context) throws IOException
+    public OffsetTime deserialize(JsonParser p, DeserializationContext ctxt) throws IOException
     {
-        if (parser.hasToken(JsonToken.VALUE_STRING)) {
-            return _fromString(parser, context, parser.getText());
+        if (p.hasToken(JsonToken.VALUE_STRING)) {
+            return _fromString(p, ctxt, p.getText());
         }
         // 30-Sep-2020, tatu: New! "Scalar from Object" (mostly for XML)
-        if (parser.isExpectedStartObjectToken()) {
-            return _fromString(parser, context,
-                    context.extractScalarFromObject(parser, this, handledType()));
+        if (p.isExpectedStartObjectToken()) {
+            // 17-May-2025, tatu: [databind#4656] need to check for `null`
+            String str = ctxt.extractScalarFromObject(p, this, handledType());
+            if (str != null) {
+                return _fromString(p, ctxt, str);
+            }
+            // fall through
         }
-        if (!parser.isExpectedStartArrayToken()) {
-            if (parser.hasToken(JsonToken.VALUE_EMBEDDED_OBJECT)) {
-                return (OffsetTime) parser.getEmbeddedObject();
+        if (!p.isExpectedStartArrayToken()) {
+            if (p.hasToken(JsonToken.VALUE_EMBEDDED_OBJECT)) {
+                return (OffsetTime) p.getEmbeddedObject();
             }
-            if (parser.hasToken(JsonToken.VALUE_NUMBER_INT)) {
-                _throwNoNumericTimestampNeedTimeZone(parser, context);
+            if (p.hasToken(JsonToken.VALUE_NUMBER_INT)) {
+                _throwNoNumericTimestampNeedTimeZone(p, ctxt);
             }
-            throw context.wrongTokenException(parser, handledType(), JsonToken.START_ARRAY,
+            throw ctxt.wrongTokenException(p, handledType(), JsonToken.START_ARRAY,
                     "Expected array or string.");
         }
-        JsonToken t = parser.nextToken();
+        JsonToken t = p.nextToken();
         if (t != JsonToken.VALUE_NUMBER_INT) {
             if (t == JsonToken.END_ARRAY) {
                 return null;
             }
             if ((t == JsonToken.VALUE_STRING || t == JsonToken.VALUE_EMBEDDED_OBJECT)
-                    && context.isEnabled(DeserializationFeature.UNWRAP_SINGLE_VALUE_ARRAYS)) {
-                final OffsetTime parsed = deserialize(parser, context);
-                if (parser.nextToken() != JsonToken.END_ARRAY) {
-                    handleMissingEndArrayForSingle(parser, context);
+                    && ctxt.isEnabled(DeserializationFeature.UNWRAP_SINGLE_VALUE_ARRAYS)) {
+                final OffsetTime parsed = deserialize(p, ctxt);
+                if (p.nextToken() != JsonToken.END_ARRAY) {
+                    handleMissingEndArrayForSingle(p, ctxt);
                 }
                 return parsed;            
             }
-            context.reportInputMismatch(handledType(),
+            ctxt.reportInputMismatch(handledType(),
                     "Unexpected token (%s) within Array, expected VALUE_NUMBER_INT",
                     t);
         }
-        int hour = parser.getIntValue();
-        int minute = parser.nextIntValue(-1);
+        int hour = p.getIntValue();
+        int minute = p.nextIntValue(-1);
         if (minute == -1) {
-            t = parser.getCurrentToken();
+            t = p.getCurrentToken();
             if (t == JsonToken.END_ARRAY) {
                 return null;
             }
             if (t != JsonToken.VALUE_NUMBER_INT) {
-                _reportWrongToken(context, JsonToken.VALUE_NUMBER_INT, "minutes");
+                _reportWrongToken(ctxt, JsonToken.VALUE_NUMBER_INT, "minutes");
             }
-            minute = parser.getIntValue();
+            minute = p.getIntValue();
         }
         int partialSecond = 0;
         int second = 0;
-        if (parser.nextToken() == JsonToken.VALUE_NUMBER_INT) {
-            second = parser.getIntValue();
-            if (parser.nextToken() == JsonToken.VALUE_NUMBER_INT) {
-                partialSecond = parser.getIntValue();
-                if (partialSecond < 1_000 && !shouldReadTimestampsAsNanoseconds(context)) {
+        if (p.nextToken() == JsonToken.VALUE_NUMBER_INT) {
+            second = p.getIntValue();
+            if (p.nextToken() == JsonToken.VALUE_NUMBER_INT) {
+                partialSecond = p.getIntValue();
+                if (partialSecond < 1_000 && !shouldReadTimestampsAsNanoseconds(ctxt)) {
                     partialSecond *= 1_000_000; // value is milliseconds, convert it to nanoseconds
                 }
-                parser.nextToken();
+                p.nextToken();
             }
         }
-        if (parser.getCurrentToken() == JsonToken.VALUE_STRING) {
-            OffsetTime result = OffsetTime.of(hour, minute, second, partialSecond, ZoneOffset.of(parser.getText()));
-            if (parser.nextToken() != JsonToken.END_ARRAY) {
-                _reportWrongToken(context, JsonToken.END_ARRAY, "timezone");
+        if (p.getCurrentToken() == JsonToken.VALUE_STRING) {
+            OffsetTime result = OffsetTime.of(hour, minute, second, partialSecond, ZoneOffset.of(p.getText()));
+            if (p.nextToken() != JsonToken.END_ARRAY) {
+                _reportWrongToken(ctxt, JsonToken.END_ARRAY, "timezone");
             }
             return result;
         }
-        throw context.wrongTokenException(parser, handledType(), JsonToken.VALUE_STRING,
+        throw ctxt.wrongTokenException(p, handledType(), JsonToken.VALUE_STRING,
                 "Expected string for TimeZone after numeric values");
     }
 
diff --git a/datetime/src/main/java/com/fasterxml/jackson/datatype/jsr310/deser/OneBasedMonthDeserializer.java b/datetime/src/main/java/com/fasterxml/jackson/datatype/jsr310/deser/OneBasedMonthDeserializer.java
index f1153459..d6b71680 100644
--- a/datetime/src/main/java/com/fasterxml/jackson/datatype/jsr310/deser/OneBasedMonthDeserializer.java
+++ b/datetime/src/main/java/com/fasterxml/jackson/datatype/jsr310/deser/OneBasedMonthDeserializer.java
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
 import java.time.Month;
 
 import com.fasterxml.jackson.core.JsonParser;
-import com.fasterxml.jackson.core.JsonToken;
+
 import com.fasterxml.jackson.databind.DeserializationContext;
 import com.fasterxml.jackson.databind.JsonDeserializer;
 import com.fasterxml.jackson.databind.deser.std.DelegatingDeserializer;
@@ -21,21 +21,21 @@ public OneBasedMonthDeserializer(JsonDeserializer<?> defaultDeserializer) {
     }
 
     @Override
-    public Object deserialize(JsonParser parser, DeserializationContext context) throws IOException {
-        JsonToken token = parser.currentToken();
-        switch (token) {
-            case VALUE_NUMBER_INT:
-                return _decodeMonth(parser.getIntValue(), parser);
-            case VALUE_STRING:
-                String monthSpec = parser.getText();
-                int oneBasedMonthNumber = _decodeNumber(monthSpec);
-                if (oneBasedMonthNumber >= 0) {
-                    return _decodeMonth(oneBasedMonthNumber, parser);
-                }
-                // Otherwise fall through to default handling
-                break;
+    public Object deserialize(JsonParser p, DeserializationContext ctxt) throws IOException {
+        switch (p.currentToken()) {
+        case VALUE_NUMBER_INT:
+            return _decodeMonth(p.getIntValue(), p);
+        case VALUE_STRING:
+            String monthSpec = p.getText();
+            int oneBasedMonthNumber = _decodeNumber(monthSpec);
+            if (oneBasedMonthNumber >= 0) {
+                return _decodeMonth(oneBasedMonthNumber, p);
+            }
+            // Otherwise fall through to default handling
+            break;
+        default:
         }
-        return getDelegatee().deserialize(parser, context);
+        return getDelegatee().deserialize(p, ctxt);
     }
 
     /**
diff --git a/datetime/src/main/java/com/fasterxml/jackson/datatype/jsr310/deser/YearDeserializer.java b/datetime/src/main/java/com/fasterxml/jackson/datatype/jsr310/deser/YearDeserializer.java
index d34db205..7e6c3603 100644
--- a/datetime/src/main/java/com/fasterxml/jackson/datatype/jsr310/deser/YearDeserializer.java
+++ b/datetime/src/main/java/com/fasterxml/jackson/datatype/jsr310/deser/YearDeserializer.java
@@ -79,27 +79,28 @@ protected YearDeserializer withLeniency(Boolean leniency) {
     }
 
     @Override
-    public Year deserialize(JsonParser parser, DeserializationContext context) throws IOException
+    public Year deserialize(JsonParser p, DeserializationContext ctxt) throws IOException
     {
-        JsonToken t = parser.currentToken();
+        JsonToken t = p.currentToken();
         if (t == JsonToken.VALUE_STRING) {
-            return _fromString(parser, context, parser.getText());
+            return _fromString(p, ctxt, p.getText());
         }
         // 30-Sep-2020, tatu: New! "Scalar from Object" (mostly for XML)
         if (t == JsonToken.START_OBJECT) {
-            return _fromString(parser, context,
-                    context.extractScalarFromObject(parser, this, handledType()));
-        }
-        if (t == JsonToken.VALUE_NUMBER_INT) {
-            return _fromNumber(context, parser.getIntValue());
-        }
-        if (t == JsonToken.VALUE_EMBEDDED_OBJECT) {
-            return (Year) parser.getEmbeddedObject();
-        }
-        if (parser.hasToken(JsonToken.START_ARRAY)){
-            return _deserializeFromArray(parser, context);
+            // 17-May-2025, tatu: [databind#4656] need to check for `null`
+            String str = ctxt.extractScalarFromObject(p, this, handledType());
+            if (str != null) {
+                return _fromString(p, ctxt, str);
+            }
+            // fall through
+        } else if (t == JsonToken.VALUE_NUMBER_INT) {
+            return _fromNumber(ctxt, p.getIntValue());
+        } else if (t == JsonToken.VALUE_EMBEDDED_OBJECT) {
+            return (Year) p.getEmbeddedObject();
+        } else if (p.isExpectedStartArrayToken()){
+            return _deserializeFromArray(p, ctxt);
         }
-        return _handleUnexpectedToken(context, parser, JsonToken.VALUE_STRING, JsonToken.VALUE_NUMBER_INT);
+        return _handleUnexpectedToken(ctxt, p, JsonToken.VALUE_STRING, JsonToken.VALUE_NUMBER_INT);
     }
 
     protected Year _fromString(JsonParser p, DeserializationContext ctxt,
diff --git a/datetime/src/main/java/com/fasterxml/jackson/datatype/jsr310/deser/YearMonthDeserializer.java b/datetime/src/main/java/com/fasterxml/jackson/datatype/jsr310/deser/YearMonthDeserializer.java
index 58709ffa..4114343e 100644
--- a/datetime/src/main/java/com/fasterxml/jackson/datatype/jsr310/deser/YearMonthDeserializer.java
+++ b/datetime/src/main/java/com/fasterxml/jackson/datatype/jsr310/deser/YearMonthDeserializer.java
@@ -81,50 +81,52 @@ protected YearMonthDeserializer withLeniency(Boolean leniency) {
     }
 
     @Override
-    public YearMonth deserialize(JsonParser parser, DeserializationContext context) throws IOException
+    public YearMonth deserialize(JsonParser p, DeserializationContext ctxt) throws IOException
     {
-        if (parser.hasToken(JsonToken.VALUE_STRING)) {
-            return _fromString(parser, context, parser.getText());
+        if (p.hasToken(JsonToken.VALUE_STRING)) {
+            return _fromString(p, ctxt, p.getText());
         }
         // 30-Sep-2020, tatu: New! "Scalar from Object" (mostly for XML)
-        if (parser.isExpectedStartObjectToken()) {
-            return _fromString(parser, context,
-                    context.extractScalarFromObject(parser, this, handledType()));
-        }
-        if (parser.isExpectedStartArrayToken()) {
-            JsonToken t = parser.nextToken();
+        if (p.isExpectedStartObjectToken()) {
+            // 17-May-2025, tatu: [databind#4656] need to check for `null`
+            String str = ctxt.extractScalarFromObject(p, this, handledType());
+            if (str != null) {
+                return _fromString(p, ctxt, str);
+            }
+            // fall through
+        } else if (p.isExpectedStartArrayToken()) {
+            JsonToken t = p.nextToken();
             if (t == JsonToken.END_ARRAY) {
                 return null;
             }
             if ((t == JsonToken.VALUE_STRING || t == JsonToken.VALUE_EMBEDDED_OBJECT)
-                    && context.isEnabled(DeserializationFeature.UNWRAP_SINGLE_VALUE_ARRAYS)) {
-                final YearMonth parsed = deserialize(parser, context);
-                if (parser.nextToken() != JsonToken.END_ARRAY) {
-                    handleMissingEndArrayForSingle(parser, context);
+                    && ctxt.isEnabled(DeserializationFeature.UNWRAP_SINGLE_VALUE_ARRAYS)) {
+                final YearMonth parsed = deserialize(p, ctxt);
+                if (p.nextToken() != JsonToken.END_ARRAY) {
+                    handleMissingEndArrayForSingle(p, ctxt);
                 }
                 return parsed;            
             }
             if (t != JsonToken.VALUE_NUMBER_INT) {
-                _reportWrongToken(context, JsonToken.VALUE_NUMBER_INT, "years");
+                _reportWrongToken(ctxt, JsonToken.VALUE_NUMBER_INT, "years");
             }
-            int year = parser.getIntValue();
-            int month = parser.nextIntValue(-1);
+            int year = p.getIntValue();
+            int month = p.nextIntValue(-1);
             if (month == -1) {
-                if (!parser.hasToken(JsonToken.VALUE_NUMBER_INT)) {
-                    _reportWrongToken(context, JsonToken.VALUE_NUMBER_INT, "months");
+                if (!p.hasToken(JsonToken.VALUE_NUMBER_INT)) {
+                    _reportWrongToken(ctxt, JsonToken.VALUE_NUMBER_INT, "months");
                 }
-                month = parser.getIntValue();
+                month = p.getIntValue();
             }
-            if (parser.nextToken() != JsonToken.END_ARRAY) {
-                throw context.wrongTokenException(parser, handledType(), JsonToken.END_ARRAY,
+            if (p.nextToken() != JsonToken.END_ARRAY) {
+                throw ctxt.wrongTokenException(p, handledType(), JsonToken.END_ARRAY,
                         "Expected array to end");
             }
             return YearMonth.of(year, month);
+        } else if (p.hasToken(JsonToken.VALUE_EMBEDDED_OBJECT)) {
+            return (YearMonth) p.getEmbeddedObject();
         }
-        if (parser.hasToken(JsonToken.VALUE_EMBEDDED_OBJECT)) {
-            return (YearMonth) parser.getEmbeddedObject();
-        }
-        return _handleUnexpectedToken(context, parser,
+        return _handleUnexpectedToken(ctxt, p,
                 JsonToken.VALUE_STRING, JsonToken.START_ARRAY);
     }