windmill-labs/windmill · error

A draft already exists at '${path}'. Use edit_pipeline_node

Error message

A draft already exists at '${path}'. Use edit_pipeline_node to change it instead.

What it means

pipelineAiHelpers proposeNode (build_pipeline_node tool) rejects a target path that already has a local draft in the open folder; the model asked to CREATE a node where a draft exists, which would silently overwrite staged work — the tool directs it to edit_pipeline_node instead.

Source

Thrown at frontend/src/lib/components/assets/AssetGraph/pipelineAiHelpers.ts:240

			if (!workspace) return undefined
			try {
				const deployed = await ScriptService.getScriptByPath({ workspace, path })
				return { language: deployed.language, content: deployed.content }
			} catch {
				return undefined
			}
		},
		proposeNode: async ({ path, language, content, outputKind }) => {
			deps.ensureEditable?.()
			// build_pipeline_node creates a NEW node in the OPEN folder. Reject a path
			// outside the folder (it would silently stage into this folder's bundle)
			// and a path that collides with an existing node (the model should use
			// edit_pipeline_node instead of shadowing a deployed node as a draft).
			assertInFolder(path)
			assertPipelineAnnotation(content)
			const drafts = deps.getDrafts()
			if (drafts.has(path)) {
				throw new Error(
					`A draft already exists at '${path}'. Use edit_pipeline_node to change it instead.`
				)
			}
			if (deps.getResolvedGraph().runnables.some((r) => r.path === path)) {
				throw new Error(
					`A pipeline node already exists at '${path}'. Use edit_pipeline_node to change it instead.`
				)
			}
			// Authoritative new-node check: the resolved graph may not have hydrated yet
			// (the session preview can race open_preview), and it only lists pipeline
			// runnables — so probe the backend. ANY deployed script at this path means
			// "build new" would shadow it on deploy; the model should edit instead.
			const workspace = deps.getWorkspace()
			if (workspace) {
				let deployedExists = false
				try {
					await ScriptService.getScriptByPath({ workspace, path })
					deployedExists = true

View on GitHub (pinned to e474e8803c)

Solutions

1. Use edit_pipeline_node on that path to modify the existing draft.
2. Pick a different path if a genuinely new node is intended.
3. Discard the existing draft first if it should be replaced by a fresh build.

When it happens

Trigger: Thrown at frontend/src/lib/components/assets/AssetGraph/pipelineAiHelpers.ts:240 when the library encounters an invalid state.

Common situations: See trigger scenarios.

AI-assisted analysis of windmill-labs/windmill@e474e8803c (2026-09-03). Data as JSON: /api/errors/bd927e86cc73a97a. Report an issue: GitHub.