Troubleshooting webhook issues in n8n can be straightforward once you break it down. Webhooks are often the entry point of your automation, so it's critical they work correctly.
Here’s a complete, structured guide to diagnose and fix webhook issues in n8n:
🧰 Step-by-Step Guide to Troubleshoot Webhooks in n8n
🟢 1. Check Workflow Status
🔍 Problem:
Webhook not responding or triggering
✅ Fix:
- Make sure the workflow is active (green toggle ON in the editor).
- Webhooks only work automatically if the workflow is activated.
🌐 2. Verify the Correct Webhook URL
🔍 Problem:
External service hitting the wrong endpoint
✅ Fix:
- Use the Production URL, not the Test URL.
- Get the correct URL from the Webhook node → "Production URL" section.
- Make sure the service sending the webhook is configured to use this exact URL.
🔐 3. Ensure Webhook is Accessible (Self-hosted users)
🔍 Problem:
Webhook URL not reachable
✅ Fix:
- Ensure your
n8n instance is publicly accessible:
- Behind a domain (e.g.,
https://n8n.mycompany.com)
- Or use a tunnel (e.g.,
ngrok) for local testing
- Set the correct
WEBHOOK_URL in .env:
WEBHOOK_URL=https://your-public-domain.com
- Restart n8n after setting this
🕵️ 4. Check Request Method (GET vs POST)
🔍 Problem:
Webhook not triggering due to wrong HTTP method
✅ Fix:
- Match the method type in the Webhook node (e.g., POST, GET, PUT).
- Many services send POSTs; ensure the node is configured accordingly.
🪵 5. Use Execution History for Logs
🔍 Problem:
Webhook hit but workflow failed or skipped silently
✅ Fix:
🔎 6. Inspect Webhook Headers and Body
Use Webhook.site or Postman to simulate and inspect requests.
- Add a Set node after the Webhook to visualize the payload
- Use
{{$json}} to see the incoming structure
- Be sure you're referencing the right fields in downstream nodes
🧪 7. Test Webhook with External Tool
Tools:
curl -X POST https://your-n8n.com/webhook/myhook -d '{"test": "hello"}' -H "Content-Type: application/json"
- Postman or Webhook.site for GUI testing
📤 8. Respond Properly to Webhook Source
Some services expect a valid response (200 OK) or timeout quickly.
✅ Fix:
- Make sure your workflow ends with a Respond to Webhook node (if needed)
- Or ensure the Webhook node has "Respond immediately" set properly
🔄 9. Webhook Not Re-registered After Restart (Self-hosted)
🔍 Problem:
After restarting n8n, webhook routes are gone
✅ Fix:
- Ensure your n8n instance persists the data volume (
~/.n8n)
- Check Docker Compose or PM2 settings
- If webhooks disappeared, reactivate the workflow to re-register them
🚧 10. Firewall or Proxy Issues
Confirm inbound traffic to 443 or 5678 (if custom port) is allowed
If behind Nginx or Traefik, make sure:
SSL termination is configured correctly
Host headers are preserved
POST bodies are not stripped
🧠 Quick Webhook Troubleshooting Checklist
| ✅ Check | Description |
| ----------------------- | --------------------------------------- |
| Is the workflow active? | Must be ON |
| Using Production URL? | Not test URL |
| Method type matches? | POST vs GET |
| Server reachable? | Domain or tunnel in use |
| Is webhook node first? | Must be the trigger node |
| Payload format correct? | Match structure in Set or Function node |
| Logs show execution? | Use Execution History |
📦 Bonus Tip: Use a Catch-All Webhook for Debugging
To debug unknown webhook structures:
- Create a new workflow with a Webhook node
- Set it to
POST and path: debug
- Add a Set node to output
{{$json}}
- Activate and test with Postman or curl