This workflow follows the Error Trigger → Gmail recipe pattern — see all workflows that pair these two integrations.
The workflow JSON
Copy or download the full n8n JSON below. Paste it into a new n8n workflow, add your credentials, activate. Full import guide →
{
"nodes": [
{
"id": "d46a710d-0d0e-4040-b2b2-a2bd2e2410ff",
"name": "Error Trigger",
"type": "n8n-nodes-base.errorTrigger",
"position": [
440,
520
],
"parameters": {},
"typeVersion": 1
},
{
"id": "2e3a9cf6-9a9f-4f11-ab53-e3fa9c393e1f",
"name": "n8n",
"type": "n8n-nodes-base.n8n",
"position": [
900,
180
],
"parameters": {
"filters": {},
"requestOptions": {}
},
"credentials": {
"n8nApi": {
"name": "<your credential>"
}
},
"typeVersion": 1
},
{
"id": "7fc93f47-24ee-4000-ac3f-eb2746a926bb",
"name": "Gmail",
"type": "n8n-nodes-base.gmail",
"position": [
660,
520
],
"parameters": {
"sendTo": "=(your email address)",
"message": "={{ $json.execution.url }}",
"options": {},
"subject": "=[n8n] workflow failed: {{ $json.workflow.name }}"
},
"credentials": {
"gmailOAuth2": {
"name": "<your credential>"
}
},
"typeVersion": 2.1
},
{
"id": "25ed8ec8-2c28-498a-a951-c5ef1b2a2c59",
"name": "get error handler",
"type": "n8n-nodes-base.n8n",
"position": [
660,
180
],
"parameters": {
"operation": "get",
"workflowId": {
"__rl": true,
"mode": "id",
"value": "={{ $workflow.id }}"
},
"requestOptions": {}
},
"credentials": {
"n8nApi": {
"name": "<your credential>"
}
},
"typeVersion": 1
},
{
"id": "44713be9-786a-4bff-b562-a23146792995",
"name": "n8n | update",
"type": "n8n-nodes-base.n8n",
"position": [
1500,
180
],
"parameters": {
"operation": "update",
"workflowId": {
"__rl": true,
"mode": "id",
"value": "={{ $json.id }}"
},
"requestOptions": {},
"workflowObject": "={{ JSON.stringify($json) }}"
},
"credentials": {
"n8nApi": {
"name": "<your credential>"
}
},
"typeVersion": 1
},
{
"id": "be27247a-71e5-4204-9c7c-2692d8a82c8b",
"name": "set fields",
"type": "n8n-nodes-base.code",
"position": [
1300,
180
],
"parameters": {
"mode": "runOnceForEachItem",
"jsCode": "const data = $json\n\ndata.settings.errorWorkflow = $('get error handler').item.json.id ;\ndelete data.settings.callerPolicy;\n\nreturn {\n id: data.id,\n name: data.name,\n nodes: data.nodes,\n connections: data.connections,\n settings: data.settings\n}"
},
"typeVersion": 2
},
{
"id": "d8774911-f4b2-4198-838b-2d0b89002e25",
"name": "Sticky Note",
"type": "n8n-nodes-base.stickyNote",
"position": [
380,
400
],
"parameters": {
"width": 483.4744075807993,
"height": 308.64949804469416,
"content": "## Default Error Handler\n\nUpdate this to your preferred notification mechanism"
},
"typeVersion": 1
},
{
"id": "0baa0fc3-4d5e-4507-bd5d-65ebce68178f",
"name": "Sticky Note1",
"type": "n8n-nodes-base.stickyNote",
"position": [
605.0603083429507,
126.84319830832769
],
"parameters": {
"width": 232.91556831986873,
"height": 216.67545344104974,
"content": "get ID of self"
},
"typeVersion": 1
},
{
"id": "fabb0db7-7364-4349-8563-952c9f0e07b2",
"name": "Schedule Trigger",
"type": "n8n-nodes-base.scheduleTrigger",
"position": [
440,
180
],
"parameters": {
"rule": {
"interval": [
{}
]
}
},
"typeVersion": 1.2
},
{
"id": "dd1e0036-1093-4160-adad-ed1b0c1b3548",
"name": "Sticky Note2",
"type": "n8n-nodes-base.stickyNote",
"position": [
380,
125.83113663973751
],
"parameters": {
"width": 214.6984582852457,
"height": 219.7116384468202,
"content": "Runs every day at midnight to update new workflows"
},
"typeVersion": 1
},
{
"id": "aca838c8-ff3e-4630-824b-a6d1d8414326",
"name": "active && no error handler set && not this handler workflow",
"type": "n8n-nodes-base.if",
"position": [
1100,
180
],
"parameters": {
"options": {},
"conditions": {
"options": {
"leftValue": "",
"caseSensitive": true,
"typeValidation": "strict"
},
"combinator": "and",
"conditions": [
{
"id": "290fd302-4e2d-44d6-8a8a-14a0b8f2c360",
"operator": {
"type": "string",
"operation": "notExists",
"singleValue": true
},
"leftValue": "={{ $json.settings.errorWorkflow }}",
"rightValue": "=Default Error Handler"
},
{
"id": "2a5799e9-2030-4281-bf11-e7f9777906c5",
"operator": {
"type": "string",
"operation": "notEquals"
},
"leftValue": "={{ $json.id }}",
"rightValue": "={{ $('get error handler').item.json.id }}"
},
{
"id": "8bc4c2a0-e094-4426-8ae6-71b6e4fa9842",
"operator": {
"type": "boolean",
"operation": "true",
"singleValue": true
},
"leftValue": "={{ $json.active }}",
"rightValue": ""
}
]
}
},
"typeVersion": 2
}
],
"connections": {
"n8n": {
"main": [
[
{
"node": "active && no error handler set && not this handler workflow",
"type": "main",
"index": 0
}
]
]
},
"set fields": {
"main": [
[
{
"node": "n8n | update",
"type": "main",
"index": 0
}
]
]
},
"Error Trigger": {
"main": [
[
{
"node": "Gmail",
"type": "main",
"index": 0
}
]
]
},
"Schedule Trigger": {
"main": [
[
{
"node": "get error handler",
"type": "main",
"index": 0
}
]
]
},
"get error handler": {
"main": [
[
{
"node": "n8n",
"type": "main",
"index": 0
}
]
]
},
"active && no error handler set && not this handler workflow": {
"main": [
[
{
"node": "set fields",
"type": "main",
"index": 0
}
]
]
}
}
}
Credentials you'll need
Each integration node will prompt for credentials when you import. We strip credential IDs before publishing — you'll add your own.
gmailOAuth2n8nApi
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How this works
Ensure your n8n automations remain robust by automatically attaching a default error handler to every active workflow, preventing disruptions from unexpected failures and enabling quick recovery through notifications. This setup benefits n8n users managing multiple workflows who need reliable error management without manual intervention for each one. The key step involves the Error Trigger detecting issues, followed by the n8n node fetching and updating workflows, while Gmail sends alerts for immediate awareness.
Use this workflow when scaling n8n operations with numerous active automations that require consistent error handling to maintain productivity. Avoid it for single, simple workflows where built-in error options suffice, or if you prefer custom handlers per workflow. Common variations include routing notifications to Slack instead of Gmail or adding conditional logic to target specific workflow types.
About this workflow
Attach A Default Error Handler To All Active Workflows. Uses errorTrigger, n8n, gmail, stickyNote. Event-driven trigger; 11 nodes.
Source: https://github.com/Zie619/n8n-workflows — original creator credit. Request a take-down →
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