[BUG] Webhook works in test mode but fails in production – Base64 media not returned

[ronansantos05]

📋 Bug Description

I’m facing an inconsistent behavior when using the same workflow with test webhook vs production webhook.

When the workflow is triggered via the test webhook, the request to retrieve media as Base64 works correctly and returns the expected Base64 payload.

However, when the production webhook is used, the exact same HTTP Request node does not return the Base64 data, even though:

The endpoint URL is the same

Headers (API key) are the same

Request body structure is the same

The workflow logic is identical

🔄 Steps to Reproduce

Create a workflow with a Webhook trigger.

Add an HTTP Request node that calls the media endpoint to retrieve Base64 content.

Configure the HTTP Request with:

Method: POST

Valid API key in headers

Request body containing the message key ID

Execute the workflow using the Test Webhook URL.

Send a media message to the test webhook endpoint.

Observe that the HTTP Request node successfully returns the Base64 media.

Activate the workflow.

Send the same media message to the Production Webhook URL.

Observe that the HTTP Request node does not return the Base64 data (empty or missing response), despite identical configuration.

✅ Expected Behavior

Production webhook executions should behave the same way as test webhook executions and return the Base64 media consistently.

❌ Actual Behavior

Production webhook execution

The Base64 response is not returned (empty or missing payload)

No explicit error is thrown

🌍 Environment

Platform: n8n
Webhook type: Test Webhook vs Production Webhook
Node involved: HTTP Request
Deployment: Self-hosted
Runtime: Node.js
Trigger: Incoming WhatsApp media message
Media handling: Base64 retrieval via external API
OS: Linux
Browser (if applicable): Google Chrome

📋 Logs

📝 Additional Context

Request Details:

{
"message": {
"key": {
"id": "<message_id>"
}
},
"convertToMp4": false
}