Why is a Single Workflow Step Failing Without Error in Pipedream?

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Hello all,

I’m having an issue with a workflow.

A single step is failing and Pipedream is not telling me why. The step “summary” on the right side of the UI during a live run isn’t showing the step at all (2nd screenshot).

When I run a test in Edit mode running the whole workflow fails at the exact same step with no visible error. The workflow simply stops. The step that fails does not have a Results section making it seem like it’s not even running any code at all, consistent with the Live runs.

The odd thing is, when I run the failing step by itself via Test Step it runs just fine, completes with a Results section and has logs I expect, etc.

For the Live version, I’ve tried up to 2GB of memory allowed and I’m getting the exact same behavior so I doubt is a memory issue, but even if it is, nothing is telling me theres an OOM.

I did find an error in the Dev Tools:

"check_employees": {
                        "id": "c_D7fv0VdG",
                        "executed": true,
                        "exports": {
                            "$return_value": {
                                "code": "1",
                                "message": "Command failed: pipreqs --force\nINFO: Not scanning for jupyter notebooks.\nERROR: Failed on file: /pipedream/dist/code/1fedb7016a7dbcb752313098fa57d5cd2a178223ef0c0e190f4895764fab0194/code.py\nTraceback (most recent call last):\n  File \"/var/lang/bin/pipreqs\", line 8, in \u003cmodule\u003e\n    sys.exit(main())\n             ^^^^^^\n  File \"/var/lang/lib/python3.12/site-packages/pipreqs/pipreqs.py\", line 609, in main\n    init(args)\n  File \"/var/lang/lib/python3.12/site-packages/pipreqs/pipreqs.py\", line 533, in init\n    candidates = get_all_imports(\n                 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^\n  File \"/var/lang/lib/python3.12/site-packages/pipreqs/pipreqs.py\", line 153, in get_all_imports\n    raise exc\n  File \"/var/lang/lib/python3.12/site-packages/pipreqs/pipreqs.py\", line 139, in get_all_imports\n    tree = ast.parse(contents)\n           ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^\n  File \"/var/lang/lib/python3.12/ast.py\", line 52, in parse\n    return compile(source, filename, mode, flags,\n           ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^\n  File \"\u003cunknown\u003e\", line 296\n    return {\nTabError: inconsistent use of tabs and spaces in indentation\n",
                                "ts": "2026-06-30T16:59:12.194Z",
                                "cellId": null,
                                "stack": "Error: Command failed: pipreqs --force\nINFO: Not scanning for jupyter notebooks.\nERROR: Failed on file: /pipedream/dist/code/1fedb7016a7dbcb752313098fa57d5cd2a178223ef0c0e190f4895764fab0194/code.py\nTraceback (most recent call last):\n  File \"/var/lang/bin/pipreqs\", line 8, in \u003cmodule\u003e\n    sys.exit(main())\n             ^^^^^^\n  File \"/var/lang/lib/python3.12/site-packages/pipreqs/pipreqs.py\", line 609, in main\n    init(args)\n  File \"/var/lang/lib/python3.12/site-packages/pipreqs/pipreqs.py\", line 533, in init\n    candidates = get_all_imports(\n                 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^\n  File \"/var/lang/lib/python3.12/site-packages/pipreqs/pipreqs.py\", line 153, in get_all_imports\n    raise exc\n  File \"/var/lang/lib/python3.12/site-packages/pipreqs/pipreqs.py\", line 139, in get_all_imports\n    tree = ast.parse(contents)\n           ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^\n  File \"/var/lang/lib/python3.12/ast.py\", line 52, in parse\n    return compile(source, filename, mode, flags,\n           ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^\n  File \"\u003cunknown\u003e\", line 296\n    return {\nTabError: inconsistent use of tabs and spaces in indentation\n\n    at genericNodeError (node:internal/errors:984:15)\n    at wrappedFn (node:internal/errors:538:14)\n    at ChildProcess.exithandler (node:child_process:422:12)\n    at ChildProcess.emit (node:events:519:28)\n    at maybeClose (node:internal/child_process:1105:16)\n    at Socket.\u003canonymous\u003e (node:internal/child_process:457:11)\n    at Socket.emit (node:events:519:28)\n    at Pipe.\u003canonymous\u003e (node:net:339:12)",
                                "$debug": null,
                                "name": "Error"
                            }
                        }

inconsistent use of tabs and spaces...
Is this in my own code or the check_employee step (which is a default pipedream if/else branching step)

Since my code runs when tested on it’s own, I’m guessing it’s not my code, but i’m open to being wrong. I just want to fix this

Figured it out, turns it out it was an error in the python in a step 2 down from the if/else with no indication…

This is a known issue that can happen occasionally with code errors, and more common with python code errors than nodejs ones.

Thanks for raising it. Glad you were able to figure it out.