What is an error handler in Make?
Quick answer
An error handler in Make is a special route attached to a module that runs only when that module fails. It ends in a directive that says what to do next: Ignore the error, Resume with a substitute value, Commit, Rollback, or Break, which stores the run as incomplete so it can be retried later.
Last updated
Take the free module →Module 6 of the free Make & Zapier Jump Start course, about 18 minutes. No account needed.
Updated · By Robert Breen
Why it matters for a small business
By default, Make stops a scenario at the first module that fails. For a one-off test that is fine. For a scenario that runs every 15 minutes, a single busy server or expired connection can mean missed requests nobody notices. An error handler lets you decide in advance: skip this one bundle and carry on, or keep the run so it can be finished later.
Choosing the directive is a business decision. Ignore suits steps that are nice to have, such as a Slack ping. Break suits steps you must not lose, such as adding a patient request to the log, because the run is kept and retried. Pair any of them with an alert so a person knows something went wrong.
Where you'll use it: in the scenario builder, right-click a module and choose Add error handler, then pick a directive. The handler appears as a separate route from that module. After a failed run, the error bubble on the failing module shows the message, and incomplete runs are listed for the scenario.
In a real lesson: Add AI to Make.com: ChatGPT Writes a Personal Reply, Gmail Sends It
In the free Add AI to Make lesson, Brookside Dental's routine route gets an OpenAI module and an HTTP module that fetches a signature from Signatoro. The lesson warns that leaving out the word Bearer before the key makes Signatoro answer with a 401 error, and that Make stops at the first module that fails, so the error bubble shows exactly where to look.
The lesson does not add an error handler. On a live scenario you could add one to the HTTP module: Resume with a plain sign-off if the signature cannot be fetched, so the reply still goes out, or Break so the run is kept and retried once the key is fixed.
Try this lesson free or read the step-by-step guide.
Common confusions
Make error handler vs n8n error workflow
An n8n error workflow is a separate workflow that runs when any run fails. A Make error handler is a route on one module inside the scenario.
Ignore vs Resume
Ignore drops the failed bundle and carries on. Resume carries on with a value you supply in place of the failed module's output.
Tips
- Add handlers to modules that call outside services, which fail most often.
- Never Ignore a step you cannot afford to lose; use Break and an alert.
- Test the handler by breaking the step on purpose, for example with a wrong key.
Related terms
More n8n and automation terms
Where you use it: free lessons
- Add AI to Make.com: ChatGPT Writes a Personal Reply, Gmail Sends It (Make, 18 min)
- Get Alerted When an n8n Automation Fails, and Let It Retry by Itself (n8n, 10 min)
Frequently asked questions
- Can Make retry a failed run by itself?
- Yes. With the Break directive and incomplete executions turned on, Make can retry the stored run a set number of times at a set interval.
- Does an error handler stop me getting error emails?
- It changes what the scenario does next. Keep notifications on, or add your own alert step, so a person still hears about failures.