Agent messages fail when a pre-execution workflow is disabled in Elastic Agent Builder

Pre-execution workflows run after each user message, before the agent makes any calls to the large language model (LLM) in response. Disabling a workflow doesn't remove it from the agent or the space setting that uses it, so the agent keeps trying to run it.

• Every message to an agent fails before the agent responds. You get no partial answer.

• The conversation shows a Workflow Failed error like this one:

  The workflow "<workflow_id>" execution failed: Workflow '<workflow_id>' is disabled and cannot be executed.
  		

You can assign a pre-execution workflow in two places: on an individual agent, and on the space. An agent runs the workflows from both, so check each one. If every agent in the space fails, the space setting is the likely source.

1. Check the agent. Run the following request from Dev Tools and check configuration.workflow_ids:

   				GET kbn:/api/agent_builder/agents/<agent_id>
   		

   You can also check in the UI. Select Manage components at the bottom of the left sidebar to open the Agents list, select the failing agent, then go to Settings → Pre-execution workflow.

   On serverless, and on 9.5.3 and later, a disabled workflow appears in the Workflows selector as <workflow name> (disabled).

   On 9.4.x, and on 9.5.0 through 9.5.2, disabled workflows don't appear in the selector, so it can look empty even though the API response lists a workflow ID. Use the API response to identify the workflow.

2. Check the space setting. Check this if the agent's configuration.workflow_ids is empty, or if every agent in the space fails. Run the following request and look for agentBuilder:prePromptWorkflowIds:

   				GET kbn:/api/kibana/settings
   		

   The response lists only settings that someone has explicitly set. If the key is absent, no space workflows are assigned.

Remove the workflow from the setting that uses it. To keep using the workflow, re-enable it instead.

1. Open the agent's Settings → Pre-execution workflow section.

2. Clear the disabled workflow from the Workflows selector, then save the agent.

   On 9.4.x, and on 9.5.0 through 9.5.2, the disabled workflow doesn't appear in the selector. Re-enable the workflow, clear it from the selector, save the agent, then disable the workflow again.

You can also update the agent through the API. The following request clears every pre-execution workflow from the agent:

				PUT kbn:/api/agent_builder/agents/<agent_id>
					{
  "configuration": {
    "workflow_ids": []
  }
}
		

The update replaces only the keys you send, so the agent keeps its instructions, tools, skills, and other settings. To keep the agent's other pre-execution workflows, list their IDs instead of sending an empty array.

1. Go to Stack Management → AI → GenAI Settings.
2. In the Agent Builder section, find Pre-execution workflow.
3. Clear the workflow from the Workflows selector.
4. Select Save changes.

Agents run the space workflows whenever Elastic Workflows is turned on, even when the Agent Builder section is hidden. If the section doesn't appear, or if the disabled workflow isn't listed in the selector, clear the setting through the API instead. The setting is hidden from the Advanced Settings page, so the API is the only way to change it outside of GenAI Settings. The following request clears every pre-execution workflow assigned to the space:

				POST kbn:/api/kibana/settings
					{
  "changes": {
    "agentBuilder:prePromptWorkflowIds": []
  }
}
		

To keep the other workflows, list their IDs instead of sending an empty array. This request applies to the current space, so run it in each space that needs it.

• Before you disable a workflow, remove it from any agent and from the space setting that uses it. Disabling it alone breaks those agents.
• Before you turn off the agentBuilder:experimentalFeatures advanced setting, clear the space setting. Assigned workflows keep running, but the Agent Builder section you'd use to change them disappears.

• Pre-execution workflows
• Assign workflows to every agent in a space
• Turn a workflow on or off