Update serialization from 1.3 -> 1.4 users become unset

We have been using this module successfully on an older Drupal 7 project for a very long time now. Since the serial update from version 1.3 -> 1.4.

Under Admin/User 1 permissions
node/1731/access

All usernames are unset

If we revert to the previous version 1.3

Under Admin/User 1 permissions
node/1731/access

All usernames are set and shown as per usual.

Initially we thought we lost all the access but then we checked the database and everything was there.

We get this error in the logs:
Warning: count(): Parameter must be an array or an object that implements Countable in _acl_edit_form_after_build() (line 115 of /home/sites/dev/releases/20231014150551/web/sites/all/modules/acl/acl.admin.inc).

Warning: count(): Parameter must be an array or an object that implements Countable in form_process_checkboxes() (line 3333 of /home/sites/dev/releases/20231014150551/web/includes/form.inc).

That line is:

  if (count($user_list) != 0)

Drupal:7.98
PHP: 7.4.33

Out workaround for now is to stick with 1.3 as everything works as it should.