fix(core): Forward activationMode in multi-main webhook/trigger setup (#25855)

Co-authored-by: Claude Opus 4.6 <noreply@anthropic.com>

Author: tomi

.github/workflows/test-e2e-reusable.yml

@@ -138,7 +138,7 @@ jobs:
           # docker-build: build app + docker image locally
           # docker-pull: no build needed, image is pre-built
           # local: build app for local server
-          build-command: ${{ inputs.test-mode == 'docker-build' && 'pnpm build:docker' || (inputs.test-mode == 'local' && 'pnpm build' || '') }}
+          build-command: ${{ inputs.test-mode == 'docker-build' && 'pnpm build:docker' || 'pnpm build' }}
           enable-docker-cache: ${{ inputs.test-mode == 'docker-build' }}
         env:
           INCLUDE_TEST_CONTROLLER: ${{ inputs.test-mode == 'docker-build' && 'true' || '' }}

packages/cli/src/active-workflow-manager.ts

@@ -610,7 +610,7 @@ export class ActiveWorkflowManager {
 
 			void this.publisher.publishCommand({
 				command: 'add-webhooks-triggers-and-pollers',
-				payload: { workflowId, activeVersionId: dbWorkflow.activeVersionId },
+				payload: { workflowId, activeVersionId: dbWorkflow.activeVersionId, activationMode },
 			});
 
 			return added;
@@ -743,9 +743,10 @@ export class ActiveWorkflowManager {
 	async handleAddWebhooksTriggersAndPollers({
 		workflowId,
 		activeVersionId,
+		activationMode,
 	}: PubSubCommandMap['add-webhooks-triggers-and-pollers']) {
 		try {
-			await this.add(workflowId, 'activate', undefined, {
+			await this.add(workflowId, activationMode, undefined, {
 				shouldPublish: false, // prevent leader from re-publishing message
 			});
 

packages/cli/src/scaling/pubsub/__tests__/pubsub.registry.test.ts

@@ -131,9 +131,17 @@ describe('PubSubRegistry', () => {
 		);
 		pubSubRegistry.init();
 
-		pubsubEventBus.emit('add-webhooks-triggers-and-pollers', { workflowId, activeVersionId });
+		pubsubEventBus.emit('add-webhooks-triggers-and-pollers', {
+			workflowId,
+			activeVersionId,
+			activationMode: 'activate',
+		});
 		expect(onLeaderInstanceSpy).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
-		expect(onLeaderInstanceSpy).toHaveBeenCalledWith({ workflowId, activeVersionId });
+		expect(onLeaderInstanceSpy).toHaveBeenCalledWith({
+			workflowId,
+			activeVersionId,
+			activationMode: 'activate',
+		});
 
 		pubsubEventBus.emit('restart-event-bus');
 		expect(onFollowerInstanceSpy).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
@@ -153,7 +161,11 @@ describe('PubSubRegistry', () => {
 		);
 		followerPubSubRegistry.init();
 
-		pubsubEventBus.emit('add-webhooks-triggers-and-pollers', { workflowId, activeVersionId });
+		pubsubEventBus.emit('add-webhooks-triggers-and-pollers', {
+			workflowId,
+			activeVersionId,
+			activationMode: 'activate',
+		});
 		expect(onLeaderInstanceSpy).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
 
 		pubsubEventBus.emit('restart-event-bus');
@@ -177,9 +189,17 @@ describe('PubSubRegistry', () => {
 		);
 		pubSubRegistry.init();
 
-		pubsubEventBus.emit('add-webhooks-triggers-and-pollers', { workflowId, activeVersionId });
+		pubsubEventBus.emit('add-webhooks-triggers-and-pollers', {
+			workflowId,
+			activeVersionId,
+			activationMode: 'activate',
+		});
 		expect(onLeaderInstanceSpy).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
-		expect(onLeaderInstanceSpy).toHaveBeenCalledWith({ workflowId, activeVersionId });
+		expect(onLeaderInstanceSpy).toHaveBeenCalledWith({
+			workflowId,
+			activeVersionId,
+			activationMode: 'activate',
+		});
 	});
 
 	it('should handle dynamic role changes at runtime', () => {
@@ -197,19 +217,35 @@ describe('PubSubRegistry', () => {
 		pubSubRegistry.init();
 
 		// Initially as follower, event should be ignored
-		pubsubEventBus.emit('add-webhooks-triggers-and-pollers', { workflowId, activeVersionId });
+		pubsubEventBus.emit('add-webhooks-triggers-and-pollers', {
+			workflowId,
+			activeVersionId,
+			activationMode: 'activate',
+		});
 		expect(onLeaderInstanceSpy).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
 
 		// Change role to leader
 		instanceSettings.instanceRole = 'leader';
-		pubsubEventBus.emit('add-webhooks-triggers-and-pollers', { workflowId, activeVersionId });
+		pubsubEventBus.emit('add-webhooks-triggers-and-pollers', {
+			workflowId,
+			activeVersionId,
+			activationMode: 'activate',
+		});
 		expect(onLeaderInstanceSpy).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
-		expect(onLeaderInstanceSpy).toHaveBeenCalledWith({ workflowId, activeVersionId });
+		expect(onLeaderInstanceSpy).toHaveBeenCalledWith({
+			workflowId,
+			activeVersionId,
+			activationMode: 'activate',
+		});
 
 		// Change back to follower
 		onLeaderInstanceSpy.mockClear();
 		instanceSettings.instanceRole = 'follower';
-		pubsubEventBus.emit('add-webhooks-triggers-and-pollers', { workflowId, activeVersionId });
+		pubsubEventBus.emit('add-webhooks-triggers-and-pollers', {
+			workflowId,
+			activeVersionId,
+			activationMode: 'activate',
+		});
 		expect(onLeaderInstanceSpy).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
 	});
 

packages/cli/src/scaling/pubsub/pubsub.event-map.ts

@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import type { ChatHubMessageStatus, PushMessage, WorkerStatus } from '@n8n/api-types';
-import type { IWorkflowBase } from 'n8n-workflow';
+import type { IWorkflowBase, WorkflowActivateMode } from 'n8n-workflow';
 
 export type PubSubCommandMap = {
 	// #region Lifecycle
@@ -61,6 +61,7 @@ export type PubSubCommandMap = {
 	'add-webhooks-triggers-and-pollers': {
 		workflowId: string;
 		activeVersionId: string;
+		activationMode: WorkflowActivateMode;
 	};
 
 	'remove-triggers-and-pollers': {

packages/testing/playwright/package.json

@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@
     "@n8n/api-types": "workspace:*",
     "@n8n/playwright-janitor": "workspace:*",
     "@n8n/constants": "workspace:*",
+    "@n8n/workflow-sdk": "workspace:*",
     "@n8n/permissions": "workspace:*",
     "@n8n/db": "workspace:*",
     "@playwright/cli": "catalog:e2e",

packages/testing/playwright/services/workflow-api-helper.ts

@@ -82,6 +82,26 @@ export class WorkflowApiHelper {
 		}
 	}
 
+	async update(
+		workflowId: string,
+		versionId: string,
+		data: Partial<IWorkflowBase>,
+	): Promise<IWorkflowBase> {
+		const response = await this.api.request.patch(`/rest/workflows/${workflowId}`, {
+			data: {
+				...data,
+				versionId,
+			},
+		});
+
+		if (!response.ok()) {
+			throw new TestError(`Failed to update workflow: ${await response.text()}`);
+		}
+
+		const result = await response.json();
+		return result.data ?? result;
+	}
+
 	async deactivate(workflowId: string) {
 		const response = await this.api.request.post(`/rest/workflows/${workflowId}/deactivate`);
 

packages/testing/playwright/tests/e2e/nodes/n8n-trigger.spec.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,73 @@
+import { workflow, trigger, node } from '@n8n/workflow-sdk';
+import type { INode, IWorkflowBase } from 'n8n-workflow';
+import { nanoid } from 'nanoid';
+
+import { test, expect } from '../../../fixtures/base';
+
+type TriggerEventType = 'activate' | 'update';
+
+const makeN8nTriggerWorkflow = (events: TriggerEventType[]) => {
+	const n8nTrigger = trigger({
+		type: 'n8n-nodes-base.n8nTrigger',
+		version: 1,
+		config: {
+			name: 'n8n Trigger',
+			parameters: { events },
+		},
+	});
+
+	const noOp = node({
+		type: 'n8n-nodes-base.noOp',
+		version: 1,
+		config: {
+			name: 'NoOp',
+		},
+	});
+
+	return workflow(nanoid(), `n8n Trigger Test ${nanoid()}`).add(n8nTrigger.to(noOp));
+};
+
+test.describe(
+	'n8n Trigger node',
+	{
+		annotation: [{ type: 'owner', description: 'Catalysts' }],
+	},
+	() => {
+		test('should fire "activate" event when workflow is published', async ({ api }) => {
+			const wf = makeN8nTriggerWorkflow(['activate']);
+			const { workflowId, createdWorkflow } = await api.workflows.createWorkflowFromDefinition(
+				wf.toJSON() as IWorkflowBase,
+			);
+
+			// First activation — activationMode = 'activate'
+			await api.workflows.activate(workflowId, createdWorkflow.versionId!);
+
+			const execution = await api.workflows.waitForExecution(workflowId, 15_000, 'trigger');
+			expect(execution.status).toBe('success');
+		});
+
+		test('should fire "update" event when active workflow is re-published', async ({ api }) => {
+			const wf = makeN8nTriggerWorkflow(['update']);
+			const { workflowId, createdWorkflow } = await api.workflows.createWorkflowFromDefinition(
+				wf.toJSON() as IWorkflowBase,
+			);
+
+			// First activation — activationMode = 'activate', trigger should NOT fire
+			await api.workflows.activate(workflowId, createdWorkflow.versionId!);
+
+			// Update the workflow nodes to create a new version (simulates editing)
+			const updatedNodes = wf.add(
+				node({ type: 'n8n-nodes-base.noOp', version: 1, config: { name: 'NoOp2' } }),
+			);
+			const updatedWorkflow = await api.workflows.update(workflowId, createdWorkflow.versionId!, {
+				nodes: updatedNodes.toJSON().nodes as INode[],
+			});
+
+			// Re-activation with new version — activationMode = 'update', trigger should fire
+			await api.workflows.activate(workflowId, updatedWorkflow.versionId!);
+
+			const execution = await api.workflows.waitForExecution(workflowId, 15_000, 'trigger');
+			expect(execution.status).toBe('success');
+		});
+	},
+);