From ed38caecec6f888126342c0f9ee6260787450e55 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Sienna Meridian Satterwhite <sienna@sunbeam.pt>
Date: Thu, 26 Mar 2026 23:18:48 +0000
Subject: [PATCH] fix(wfe-core): resolve .outputs. paths flat and pass empty
 object to child workflows

---
 wfe-core/src/executor/condition.rs      | 22 +++++++++++++++++++---
 wfe-core/src/primitives/sub_workflow.rs |  9 ++++++++-
 2 files changed, 27 insertions(+), 4 deletions(-)

diff --git a/wfe-core/src/executor/condition.rs b/wfe-core/src/executor/condition.rs
index 3071622..449ce9f 100644
--- a/wfe-core/src/executor/condition.rs
+++ b/wfe-core/src/executor/condition.rs
@@ -92,11 +92,28 @@ fn resolve_field_path<'a>(
     }
 
     let segments: Vec<&str> = path.split('.').collect();
+
+    // Try resolving the full path first (for nested data like {"outputs": {"x": 1}}).
+    // If the first segment is "outputs"/"inputs" and doesn't exist as a key,
+    // strip it and resolve flat (for workflow data where outputs merge flat).
+    if segments.len() >= 2
+        && (segments[0] == "outputs" || segments[0] == "inputs")
+        && data.get(segments[0]).is_none()
+    {
+        return walk_segments(&segments[1..], data);
+    }
+
+    walk_segments(&segments, data)
+}
+
+fn walk_segments<'a>(
+    segments: &[&str],
+    data: &'a serde_json::Value,
+) -> Result<&'a serde_json::Value, EvalError> {
     let mut current = data;
 
-    for segment in &segments {
+    for segment in segments {
         if let Ok(idx) = segment.parse::<usize>() {
-            // Try array index access.
             match current.as_array() {
                 Some(arr) => {
                     current = arr.get(idx).ok_or(EvalError::FieldNotPresent)?;
@@ -106,7 +123,6 @@ fn resolve_field_path<'a>(
                 }
             }
         } else {
-            // Object field access.
             match current.as_object() {
                 Some(obj) => {
                     current = obj.get(*segment).ok_or(EvalError::FieldNotPresent)?;
diff --git a/wfe-core/src/primitives/sub_workflow.rs b/wfe-core/src/primitives/sub_workflow.rs
index e5bdfac..b3de2a1 100644
--- a/wfe-core/src/primitives/sub_workflow.rs
+++ b/wfe-core/src/primitives/sub_workflow.rs
@@ -110,8 +110,15 @@ impl StepBody for SubWorkflowStep {
             )
         })?;
 
+        // Use inputs if set, otherwise pass an empty object so the child
+        // workflow has a valid JSON object for storing step outputs.
+        let child_data = if self.inputs.is_null() {
+            serde_json::json!({})
+        } else {
+            self.inputs.clone()
+        };
         let child_instance_id = host
-            .start_workflow(&self.workflow_id, self.version, self.inputs.clone())
+            .start_workflow(&self.workflow_id, self.version, child_data)
             .await?;
 
         Ok(ExecutionResult::wait_for_event(