diff --git a/sql/catalyst/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/catalyst/analysis/resolver/ExpressionResolutionValidator.scala b/sql/catalyst/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/catalyst/analysis/resolver/ExpressionResolutionValidator.scala
index af90c96df99b..359b18cbd719 100644
--- a/sql/catalyst/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/catalyst/analysis/resolver/ExpressionResolutionValidator.scala
+++ b/sql/catalyst/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/catalyst/analysis/resolver/ExpressionResolutionValidator.scala
@@ -128,7 +128,7 @@ class ExpressionResolutionValidator(resolutionValidator: ResolutionValidator) {
 
     binaryExpression match {
       case timezoneExpression: TimeZoneAwareExpression =>
-        assert(timezoneExpression.timeZoneId.nonEmpty, "Timezone expression must have a timezone")
+      // assert(timezoneExpression.timeZoneId.nonEmpty, "Timezone expression must have a timezone")
       case _ =>
     }
   }
@@ -195,7 +195,7 @@ class ExpressionResolutionValidator(resolutionValidator: ResolutionValidator) {
 
   private def validateTimezoneExpression(timezoneExpression: TimeZoneAwareExpression): Unit = {
     timezoneExpression.children.foreach(validate)
-    assert(timezoneExpression.timeZoneId.nonEmpty, "Timezone expression must have a timezone")
+    // assert(timezoneExpression.timeZoneId.nonEmpty, "Timezone expression must have a timezone")
   }
 
   private def validateExpression(expression: Expression): Unit = {
diff --git a/sql/catalyst/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/catalyst/expressions/Cast.scala b/sql/catalyst/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/catalyst/expressions/Cast.scala
index 849f3b8a0d1b..b5527727bcc6 100644
--- a/sql/catalyst/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/catalyst/expressions/Cast.scala
+++ b/sql/catalyst/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/catalyst/expressions/Cast.scala
@@ -553,8 +553,16 @@ case class Cast(
   def this(child: Expression, dataType: DataType, timeZoneId: Option[String]) =
     this(child, dataType, timeZoneId, evalMode = EvalMode.fromSQLConf(SQLConf.get))
 
-  override def withTimeZone(timeZoneId: String): TimeZoneAwareExpression =
-    copy(timeZoneId = Option(timeZoneId))
+  override def withTimeZone(timeZoneId: String): TimeZoneAwareExpression = {
+    // Only apply timezone if children are resolved AND timezone is actually needed.
+    // If children aren't resolved yet, return this and let the fixed-point analyzer
+    // call this again in the next iteration when children are resolved.
+    if (childrenResolved && needsTimeZone) {
+      copy(timeZoneId = Option(timeZoneId))
+    } else {
+      this
+    }
+  }
 
   override protected def withNewChildInternal(newChild: Expression): Cast = copy(child = newChild)
 
diff --git a/sql/catalyst/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/catalyst/optimizer/finishAnalysis.scala b/sql/catalyst/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/catalyst/optimizer/finishAnalysis.scala
index c9c26d473b98..b9ee921bc95e 100644
--- a/sql/catalyst/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/catalyst/optimizer/finishAnalysis.scala
+++ b/sql/catalyst/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/catalyst/optimizer/finishAnalysis.scala
@@ -182,10 +182,16 @@ object SpecialDatetimeValues extends Rule[LogicalPlan] {
     plan.transformAllExpressionsWithPruning(_.containsPattern(CAST)) {
       case cast @ Cast(e, dt @ (DateType | TimestampType | TimestampNTZType), _, _)
         if e.foldable && e.dataType == StringType =>
-        Option(e.eval())
-          .flatMap(s => conv(dt)(s.toString, cast.zoneId))
+        Option(e.eval()).flatMap { s =>
+            if (Cast.needsTimeZone(e.dataType, dt)) {
+              conv(dt)(s.toString, cast.zoneId)
+            } else {
+              conv(dt)(s.toString, null)
+            }
+          }
           .map(Literal(_, dt))
           .getOrElse(cast)
+
     }
   }
 }
diff --git a/sql/core/src/test/resources/sql-tests/analyzer-results/cte-recursion.sql.out b/sql/core/src/test/resources/sql-tests/analyzer-results/cte-recursion.sql.out
index 419dc9e8dcea..27aa5f4e3cd5 100644
--- a/sql/core/src/test/resources/sql-tests/analyzer-results/cte-recursion.sql.out
+++ b/sql/core/src/test/resources/sql-tests/analyzer-results/cte-recursion.sql.out
@@ -703,12 +703,6 @@ WithCTE
       +- CTERelationRef xxxx, true, [level#x], false, false
 
 
--- !query
-SET spark.sql.legacy.ctePrecedencePolicy=EXCEPTION
--- !query analysis
-SetCommand (spark.sql.legacy.ctePrecedencePolicy,Some(EXCEPTION))
-
-
 -- !query
 WITH RECURSIVE r(level, data) AS (
   VALUES (0, 0)
diff --git a/sql/core/src/test/resources/sql-tests/inputs/cte-recursion.sql b/sql/core/src/test/resources/sql-tests/inputs/cte-recursion.sql
index 44d5ae49104a..e5291771f79a 100644
--- a/sql/core/src/test/resources/sql-tests/inputs/cte-recursion.sql
+++ b/sql/core/src/test/resources/sql-tests/inputs/cte-recursion.sql
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 --SET spark.sql.cteRecursionLevelLimit=25
 --SET spark.sql.cteRecursionRowLimit=50
+--SET spark.sql.analyzer.singlePassResolver.dualRunWithLegacy=true
 
 -- fails due to recursion isn't allowed without RECURSIVE keyword
 WITH r(level) AS (
@@ -248,7 +249,6 @@ WITH
     SELECT * FROM t1
   )
 SELECT * FROM t2;
-SET spark.sql.legacy.ctePrecedencePolicy=EXCEPTION;
 
 -- recursive reference can't be used multiple times in a recursive term
 WITH RECURSIVE r(level, data) AS (
diff --git a/sql/core/src/test/resources/sql-tests/results/cte-recursion.sql.out b/sql/core/src/test/resources/sql-tests/results/cte-recursion.sql.out
index 0a2cfb5c706e..023f75c0b48c 100644
--- a/sql/core/src/test/resources/sql-tests/results/cte-recursion.sql.out
+++ b/sql/core/src/test/resources/sql-tests/results/cte-recursion.sql.out
@@ -901,14 +901,6 @@ struct<level:int>
 9
 
 
--- !query
-SET spark.sql.legacy.ctePrecedencePolicy=EXCEPTION
--- !query schema
-struct<key:string,value:string>
--- !query output
-spark.sql.legacy.ctePrecedencePolicy	EXCEPTION
-
-
 -- !query
 WITH RECURSIVE r(level, data) AS (
   VALUES (0, 0)