GET workflow request with ID of deleted workflow item after approval of that workflow item causes 404 error

[saschaszott]

Bug Description

After clicking the Approve button on a workflow item, the frontend sends a HTTP POST request to the following API endpoint:

/server/api/workflow/claimedtasks/:workflow_item_id

This POST request successfully transitions the workflow item into an archived item (in_archive).

Immediately afterward, the frontend issues an additional HTTP GET request to:

/server/api/workflow/claimedtasks/:workflow_item_id/workflowitem?embed=item&embed=submitter

with the same workflow item ID (which no longer refers to a valid workflow item).

This GET request fails with a 404 Not Found error, as the workflow item no longer exists at this point — it has already been archived and removed from the workflow context.

The GET requests generates an exception in the DSpace backend as you can see in the application log:

org.dspace.app.rest.exception.DSpaceApiExceptionControllerAdvice 
An exception has occurred (status:404 exception: workflow.claimedtasks with id: workflow_item_id not found at: 
org.dspace.app.rest.RestResourceController.findRelInternal(RestResourceController.java:922))

This issue can be reproduced consistently on:

• official DSpace demo instance (DSpace 8.1)
• official DSpace sandbox instance (DSpace 9.0 RC)

Expected Behavior

Once a workflow item has been approved and archived, the frontend should no longer attempt to access it via the workflow endpoint.