diff --git a/growthbook/core.py b/growthbook/core.py
index 9354932..6ee7bf2 100644
--- a/growthbook/core.py
+++ b/growthbook/core.py
@@ -705,8 +705,8 @@ def eval_prereqs(parentConditions: List[dict], evalContext: EvaluationContext) -
             return "cyclic"
 
         parent_condition = parentCondition.get("condition")
-        if parent_condition is None:
-            continue  # Skip if no valid condition
+        if not isinstance(parent_condition, dict):
+            continue  # Skip if missing or malformed (non-dict) condition
             
         if not evalCondition({'value': parentRes.value}, parent_condition, evalContext.global_ctx.saved_groups):
             if parentCondition.get("gate", False):
diff --git a/growthbook/growthbook.py b/growthbook/growthbook.py
index ff5f5e9..5603f2b 100644
--- a/growthbook/growthbook.py
+++ b/growthbook/growthbook.py
@@ -1308,10 +1308,15 @@ def _sync_user_ctx_from_instance(self) -> None:
         # refresh_sticky_buckets(); intentionally NOT mirrored here. `groups`
         # and `skip_all_experiments` have no setters today so they don't drift.
 
-    def _get_eval_context(self) -> EvaluationContext:
-        # Lazy refresh: ensure features are fresh before evaluation
-        self._ensure_fresh_features()
-
+    def _build_eval_context(self) -> EvaluationContext:
+        """Assemble an EvaluationContext WITHOUT any side effects.
+
+        Unlike `_get_eval_context`, this never triggers a feature refresh, so
+        it is safe to call from inside the feature-refresh / sticky-bucket flow
+        (see `_get_sticky_bucket_attributes`). Calling `_get_eval_context` there
+        would re-enter `_ensure_fresh_features` -> `load_features` for every
+        sticky-bucket identifier attribute, causing redundant feature reloads.
+        """
         # Centralized sync (see _sync_user_ctx_from_instance for rationale).
         self._sync_user_ctx_from_instance()
         # global_ctx.options.url is not part of _user_ctx; still needs updating.
@@ -1322,6 +1327,12 @@ def _get_eval_context(self) -> EvaluationContext:
             stack = StackContext(evaluated_features=set())
         )
 
+    def _get_eval_context(self) -> EvaluationContext:
+        # Lazy refresh: ensure features are fresh before evaluation, then build
+        # the (side-effect-free) context.
+        self._ensure_fresh_features()
+        return self._build_eval_context()
+
     def eval_feature(self, key: str) -> FeatureResult:
         result = core_eval_feature(key=key, 
                                    evalContext=self._get_eval_context(), 
@@ -1409,8 +1420,12 @@ def _get_sticky_bucket_attributes(self) -> dict:
         if not self.sticky_bucket_identifier_attributes:
             return attributes
 
+        # Build the context once, side-effect-free. Using _get_eval_context()
+        # here would re-trigger _ensure_fresh_features() -> load_features() on
+        # every attribute (this method itself runs inside the refresh flow).
+        eval_context = self._build_eval_context()
         for attr in self.sticky_bucket_identifier_attributes:
-            _, hash_value = _getHashValue(attr=attr, eval_context=self._get_eval_context())
+            _, hash_value = _getHashValue(attr=attr, eval_context=eval_context)
             if hash_value:
                 attributes[attr] = hash_value
         return attributes
diff --git a/tests/test_growthbook.py b/tests/test_growthbook.py
index b51f6a6..1e7b460 100644
--- a/tests/test_growthbook.py
+++ b/tests/test_growthbook.py
@@ -1162,6 +1162,58 @@ def mock_fetch_features(api_host, client_key, decryption_key=""):
         feature_repo.clear_cache()
 
 
+def test_sticky_bucket_refresh_does_not_reload_features(mocker):
+    """refresh_sticky_buckets() must not trigger redundant feature reloads.
+
+    Regression: _get_sticky_bucket_attributes() used to call _get_eval_context()
+    -- which runs _ensure_fresh_features() -> load_features() -- once per
+    sticky-bucket identifier attribute. On the set_attributes() path (where the
+    _is_updating_features guard is not set) that meant N redundant feature
+    reloads, each re-running set_features() + the sticky-bucket service lookup.
+    The fix routes sticky-bucket hashing through the side-effect-free
+    _build_eval_context(), so no reload happens during the refresh.
+    """
+    feature_repo.clear_cache()
+    response = {
+        "features": {
+            "exp-feature": {
+                "defaultValue": 0,
+                "rules": [
+                    {
+                        "key": "exp1",
+                        "hashAttribute": "id",
+                        "fallbackAttribute": "deviceId",
+                        "variations": [0, 1],
+                        "meta": [{"key": "0"}, {"key": "1"}],
+                    }
+                ],
+            }
+        },
+        "savedGroups": {},
+    }
+    mocker.patch.object(feature_repo, '_fetch_features', return_value=response)
+
+    service = InMemoryStickyBucketService()
+    gb = GrowthBook(
+        api_host="https://cdn.growthbook.io",
+        client_key="test-key",
+        sticky_bucket_service=service,
+    )
+    try:
+        # Populate features (lazy load) so multiple sticky-bucket identifier
+        # attributes are derived from the rule above.
+        gb.get_feature_value("exp-feature", -1)
+        assert set(gb.sticky_bucket_identifier_attributes) == {"id", "deviceId"}
+
+        # set_attributes() -> refresh_sticky_buckets() must not reload features.
+        spy = mocker.spy(gb, "load_features")
+        gb.set_attributes({"id": "user-123", "deviceId": "dev-abc"})
+        assert spy.call_count == 0
+    finally:
+        gb.destroy()
+        feature_repo.clear_cache()
+
+
 def test_multiple_instances_get_updated_on_cache_expiry(mocker):
     """Test that multiple GrowthBook instances all get updated when cache expires during evaluation"""
     mock_responses = [