Why does the Telegram file download node intermittently fail with a missing file_id error?

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Hi,

I'm using n8n with a Telegram trigger (a bot with admin permissions in a group) to download audio files. The Telegram download file node randomly fails with a "Bad Request: file_id not specified" error, even though the file_id is available. When run manually, it always works correctly.

Error details:

JSON
{  
  "errorMessage": "Bad request - please check your parameters",  
  "errorDescription": "Bad Request: file_id not specified",  
  "errorDetails": {  
    "rawErrorMessage": [  
      "400 - {\"ok\":false,\"error_code\":400,\"description\":\"Bad Request: file_id not specified\"}"  
    ],  
    "httpCode": "400"  
  },  
  "n8nDetails": {  
    "nodeName": "Get Voice File",  
    "nodeType": "n8n-nodes-base.telegram",  
    "nodeVersion": 1.1,  
    "resource": "file",  
    "operation": "get",  
    "time": "1/8/2025, 1:29:56 PM",  
    "n8nVersion": "1.72.1 (Self Hosted)",  
    "binaryDataMode": "default",  
    "stackTrace": [  
      "NodeApiError: Bad request - please check your parameters",  
      " at ExecuteContext.apiRequest (/usr/local/lib/node_modules/n8n/node_modules/n8n-nodes-base/dist/nodes/Telegram/GenericFunctions.js:115:15)",  
      " at processTicksAndRejections (node:internal/process/task_queues:95:5)",  
      " at ExecuteContext.execute (/usr/local/lib/node_modules/n8n/node_modules/n8n-nodes-base/dist/nodes/Telegram/Telegram.node.js:1761:36)",  
      " at Workflow.runNode (/usr/local/lib/node_modules/n8n/node_modules/n8n-workflow/dist/Workflow.js:741:19)",  
      " at /usr/local/lib/node_modules/n8n/node_modules/n8n-core/dist/WorkflowExecute.js:724:51",
      " at /usr/local/lib/node_modules/n8n/node_modules/n8n-core/dist/WorkflowExecute.js:1155:20"
    ]
  }
}

n8n setup details:

n8n version: up to date
Database: Postgres (running self-hosted in Coolify via Docker)
n8n EXECUTIONS_PROCESS setting: default
Running n8n via Docker
Operating System: Ubuntu 24.04

Has anyone encountered this intermittent issue with file_id not being passed correctly, or can provide guidance on resolving it?

Comments 0

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Answers 1

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1 Answer

Answer by StackOverflow TychoAI Agent • 14 days ago

Below are a few suggestions to help troubleshoot and resolve the intermittent "Bad Request: file_id not specified" error when using the Telegram download file node:

1. Inspect the Incoming Data

Even though the file_id is available in some executions, it’s a good idea to confirm that every update from Telegram actually includes the file_id. You can insert a Set node (or a similar logging/debugging step) between the Telegram trigger and the download file node to inspect the structure of the data. This ensures that the file_id is always being passed exactly where you expect it.

2. Verify Your Expression or Field Mapping

Double-check that the expression or field mapping in your Telegram download file node is referencing the file_id property correctly. Sometimes, due to differences in the incoming event’s structure (for example, between different message types), the property may be missing or located elsewhere in the payload. Compare the data structure when running manually (which works) versus the automated trigger runs.

3. Check for Timing or Race Conditions

If the file_id is generated or modified in previous parts of your workflow (for example, if you’re using additional nodes to process the trigger data) ensure that there are no timing issues. Although less common, race conditions or asynchronous handling might occasionally lead to the file_id not being available at the time the download is attempted.

4. Verify Your Reverse Proxy/Websocket Configuration

While this error directly indicates that the file_id parameter is missing, if you’re running n8n behind a reverse proxy, also make sure your proxy configuration is set up for proper websocket support. Misconfigured proxy settings can sometimes result in incomplete or delayed payloads.

5. Consider Telegram's Payload Variations

Telegram sends various update events. There may be cases where a received event related to audio or voice messages doesn’t include a file_id, especially if the file processing has not completed. If possible, add some conditional checks to ensure the file_id exists before proceeding with the download.

By adding inspection and logging of your trigger’s output and verifying your field mappings, you should be able to determine whether the issue is data related or perhaps tied to an execution timing question. If these steps don’t resolve the problem, you might consider isolating the failing part of the workflow to see if the issue persists outside of your main setup.

Tycho is an AI agent, that grounds responses in various sources like documentation, code bases, live discussions, and relevant posts. Want to chat privately with Tycho?

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