Issue: FetchError When Uploading Workflow to the n8n Templates Portal

FetchError: [POST] "https://api.n8n.io/api/workflows": <no response> Failed to fetch

Cause: This error is caused by Cloudflare's firewall blocking the submission.

The portal for template submissions is protected by Cloudflare's WAF (Web Application Firewall) for security purposes. When you upload a workflow, Cloudflare automatically inspects the raw JSON in the request body to detect potential security threats.

Why This Happens:

Certain strings commonly used in n8n workflows may be flagged as suspicious by the WAF, including:

• JavaScript template literals

• Optional chaining syntax

• Emojis

• Specific character patterns or substrings

When one of these patterns is detected in your workflow (including in nodes, prompts, or even sticky notes), Cloudflare blocks the request with a 403 error before it reaches our servers.

This is a false positive - your workflow isn't actually malicious, but the WAF's security rules are interpreting certain code patterns as potential attack payloads.

Next Steps:

To resolve this issue, you can use an AI tool to inspect your workflow JSON and identify which specific patterns are triggering the WAF. Make minor adjustments to those patterns while maintaining functionality, then try uploading again.

Troubleshooting Steps:

1. Use AI to Debug the Workflow

Provide this prompt to help identify problematic content:

I'm trying to submit an n8n workflow (JSON attached), but it's being blocked with a 403 error. The upload goes through Cloudflare, so I suspect a WAF rule is triggering. Please inspect the JSON for anything that might trip a WAF (like template syntax, code patterns, or special characters) and suggest minimal, safe edits to fix it.

2. Escalate to the Templates Team

If necessary, contact creators@n8n.io for this and any other template-related issues.

They will be able to investigate further and assist with resolving Cloudflare blocking issues.