Actions run permanently queued with zero jobs: cancellation 409 and deletion 403

[Humanfryo]

🏷️ Discussion Type

Bug

💬 Feature/Topic Area

Other

Discussion Details

Repository: https://githubfast.kdns.fr/Humanfryo/signal-trading
Run: https://githubfast.kdns.fr/Humanfryo/signal-trading/actions/runs/34748725014

This scheduled Actions run was created and last updated on September 13, 2026 at 08:57:31 UTC. The REST API still reports queued, conclusion null, and zero jobs. Other workflow runs operate normally.

The signed-in account has repository administrator permission and the GitHub CLI token has repo and workflow scopes. On October 8:

• POST cancel returned 409: Cannot cancel a workflow run that has not been queued yet.
• POST force-cancel returned the same 409.
• DELETE returned 403: Could not delete the workflow run.

The run is older than two weeks, meeting the documented deletion age condition. The API still reports queued at the latest recheck.

GitHub Support ticket #4837840 was closed with a self-service-support response, without a repair or a technical explanation.

Is there a supported way to repair or permanently cancel/delete this inconsistent run record, or to route this backend issue for review? Changing current workflow source does not establish that this old run cannot later execute its historical revision. I can supply the public-safe request IDs from the failed requests if needed.

This is a web-template resubmission of discussion #209959, which was automatically closed because it was submitted through the API.

No credentials, account identifiers, private logs, or private market data are included.

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[slyyr]

The combination of a permanently queued run, zero associated jobs, and cancellation returning HTTP 409 suggests that the run may be stuck in an inconsistent backend state rather than waiting for a normal runner.

I'd separate the investigation into two parts:

1. Check the run's actual state: Compare the REST API response with the Actions UI, including the run ID, status, conclusion, creation time, and any available job records.
2. Preserve the evidence: Record the failed cancellation and deletion request IDs, timestamps, response bodies, and the workflow run URL. These can help GitHub Support trace the backend operations.

I wouldn't recommend rewriting workflow history or assuming that changing the current workflow file makes the old run harmless. A queued run may refer to an older workflow revision.

Since both cancellation and deletion fail despite administrator access and the run's age, this appears to need GitHub-side investigation if the documented API operations cannot repair it. Repeatedly retrying the same requests is unlikely to provide additional diagnostic value.