n8n-io/n8n · error · UserError

Version " " not found for workflow " " ( )

Error message

Version "${flags.version}" not found for workflow "${workflows[0].name}" (${workflows[0].id})

What it means

Thrown by `export:workflow` when `--version` and `--id` are set, the workflow exists, but the specified version ID is not present in WorkflowHistoryRepository for that workflow. getWorkflowsToExport filters out the workflow because history lookup yields nothing.

Solutions

1. List the workflow's versions from the history table to find a valid versionId.
2. Drop `--version` to export the current version.
3. Confirm the version belongs to this workflow: `SELECT * FROM workflow_history WHERE workflow_id=X`.

Example fix

// before
n8n export:workflow --id=X --version=abc-def
// after — find valid versions first
// SELECT version_id, saved_at FROM workflow_history WHERE workflow_id='X' ORDER BY saved_at DESC LIMIT 5;
n8n export:workflow --id=X --version=<valid-version-id>

// Verify the version exists in history before exporting
async function versionExists(ds: DataSource, workflowId: string, versionId: string): Promise<boolean> {
  return await ds.getRepository('workflow_history').exist({ where: { workflowId, versionId } });
}
if (!(await versionExists(ds, workflowId, versionId))) {
  throw new Error(`Version ${versionId} not in history for workflow ${workflowId}`);
}

try {
  await execN8n(['export:workflow', '--id', id, '--version', vid]);
} catch (e) {
  if (e.message.startsWith('Version "')) {
    // list available versions and pick one
  } else throw e;
}

When it happens

Trigger: `n8n export:workflow --id=X --version=nonexistent-uuid`. The version ID does not match any `workflowId/versionId` pair in the history table.

Common situations: Typing or copying the version ID incorrectly; version belonged to a different workflow; history retention policy deleted old versions; cross-environment export where version IDs differ.

Related errors

• No published version found for workflow
• No workflows found with specified filters
• No workflows with published versions found.
• Failed to find owner.
• File does not seem to contain valid workflows.

AI-assisted analysis of n8n-io/n8n@5ac6606e81 (2026-08-12). Data as JSON: /api/errors/96462d00e105eafb. Report an issue: GitHub.

Appendix: source

Thrown at packages/cli/src/commands/export/workflow.ts:141

			where: this.getWhereFilter(flags),
			relations: ['tags', 'shared', 'shared.project'],
		});

		if (workflows.length === 0) {
			throw new UserError('No workflows found with specified filters');
		}

		const workflowsToExport = await getWorkflowsToExport(workflows, flags);

		if (flags.published && workflowsToExport.length === 0) {
			if (flags.id)
				throw new UserError(
					`No published version found for workflow "${workflows[0].name}" (${workflows[0].id})`,
				);
			else throw new UserError('No workflows with published versions found.');
		}
		if (flags.version && flags.id && workflowsToExport.length === 0) {
			throw new UserError(
				`Version "${flags.version}" not found for workflow "${workflows[0].name}" (${workflows[0].id})`,
			);
		}
		if (workflowsToExport.length === 0) {
			throw new UserError('No workflows found with specified filters');
		}

		if (flags.separate) {
			let fileContents: string;
			let i: number;
			for (i = 0; i < workflowsToExport.length; i++) {
				fileContents = JSON.stringify(workflowsToExport[i], null, flags.pretty ? 2 : undefined);
				const filename = `${
					(flags.output!.endsWith(path.sep) ? flags.output : flags.output + path.sep) +
					workflowsToExport[i].id
				}.json`;
				fs.writeFileSync(filename, fileContents);
			}

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