diff --git a/rest/python/server/config.py b/rest/python/server/config.py
index fcf4b2c..34618b2 100644
--- a/rest/python/server/config.py
+++ b/rest/python/server/config.py
@@ -26,6 +26,18 @@
 
 _SERVER_VERSION_CACHE = None
 
+# checkout.json annotates `currency` with `ucp_request: omit` and describes
+# it as "reflecting the merchant's market determination ... buyers provide
+# signals, merchants determine currency". A conformant platform therefore does
+# not send it, and the generated CheckoutCreateRequest has no such field. This
+# sample serves a single market, so the determination is a constant.
+DEFAULT_CURRENCY = "USD"
+
+
+def get_default_currency() -> str:
+  """Return the currency this business trades in."""
+  return DEFAULT_CURRENCY
+
 
 def get_server_version() -> str:
   """Read and cache the server version from the discovery profile."""
diff --git a/rest/python/server/integration_test.py b/rest/python/server/integration_test.py
index bb424a7..9e140f7 100644
--- a/rest/python/server/integration_test.py
+++ b/rest/python/server/integration_test.py
@@ -937,6 +937,50 @@ def test_profile_includes_cache_control_header(self) -> None:
       for forbidden in ("private", "no-store", "no-cache"):
         self.assertNotIn(forbidden, directives)
 
+  def test_create_omitting_server_determined_fields(self) -> None:
+    """A conformant create sends only line_items.
+
+    checkout.json marks currency (and id, status, totals, links) with
+    `ucp_request: omit`, describing currency as derived from address, context
+    and geo IP because merchants determine it. The generated
+    CheckoutCreateRequest carries no currency field for that reason, so a
+    platform following the schema sends neither.
+
+    The other tests build their payload with _create_checkout_payload, which
+    sets id and currency; extra="allow" keeps them, so checkout_req.currency
+    always resolves and this path is never exercised.
+    """
+    with self.client:
+      response = self.client.post(
+        "/checkout-sessions",
+        headers=self._get_headers(idempotency_key="omit1", request_id="omit1"),
+        json={"line_items": [{"item": {"id": "rose"}, "quantity": 1}]},
+      )
+      self.assertEqual(response.status_code, 201, f"Response: {response.text}")
+      body = response.json()
+      self.assertIsInstance(
+        body.get("currency"),
+        str,
+        "server must determine a currency when the platform omits it",
+      )
+
+  def test_update_omitting_server_determined_fields(self) -> None:
+    """The update path reads the same omitted field and must not fail."""
+    with self.client:
+      created = self.client.post(
+        "/checkout-sessions",
+        headers=self._get_headers(idempotency_key="omit2", request_id="omit2"),
+        json={"line_items": [{"item": {"id": "rose"}, "quantity": 1}]},
+      )
+      self.assertEqual(created.status_code, 201, f"Response: {created.text}")
+      checkout_id = self.get_resource_id(created.json()["id"])
+      updated = self.client.put(
+        f"/checkout-sessions/{checkout_id}",
+        headers=self._get_headers(idempotency_key="omit3", request_id="omit3"),
+        json={"line_items": [{"item": {"id": "rose"}, "quantity": 2}]},
+      )
+      self.assertEqual(updated.status_code, 200, f"Response: {updated.text}")
+
 
 if __name__ == "__main__":
   absltest.main()
diff --git a/rest/python/server/services/checkout_service.py b/rest/python/server/services/checkout_service.py
index 68cc944..ddeecd3 100644
--- a/rest/python/server/services/checkout_service.py
+++ b/rest/python/server/services/checkout_service.py
@@ -307,7 +307,7 @@ async def create_checkout(
       ),
       id=checkout_id,
       status=CheckoutStatus.IN_PROGRESS,
-      currency=checkout_req.currency,
+      currency=config.get_default_currency(),
       line_items=line_items,
       totals=[
         {"type": "subtotal", "amount": 0},
@@ -429,8 +429,10 @@ async def update_checkout(
         )
       existing.line_items = line_items
 
-    if checkout_req.currency:
-      existing.currency = checkout_req.currency
+    # `currency` carries `ucp_request: omit`, so the business determines it
+    # and an update never takes it from the request. Reading it here also
+    # raised AttributeError whenever a conformant platform omitted it, which
+    # is the same defect as the create path.
 
     if checkout_req.payment:
       existing.payment = PaymentResponse(