Bug Description

Earlier tickets got closed without a solution: https://github.com/n8n-io/n8n/issues/30170

Since version 2.19.5 the "Edit Image" node fails to composite any two images with the error "Stream yields empty buffer"

Error details:

n8n version

2.20.7-exp.0 (Self Hosted)

Stack trace

Error: Stream yields empty buffer at Socket.<anonymous> (/usr/local/lib/node_modules/n8n/node_modules/.pnpm/[email protected]/node_modules/gm/lib/command.js:56:21) at Socket.emit (node:events:520:35) at endReadableNT (node:internal/streams/readable:1729:12) at processTicksAndRejections (node:internal/process/task_queues:90:21)

To Reproduce

add two images (e.g. use Edit Image node to create them or use http request node to get images)

use "Edit Image" node with "composite" and run it.

or use this example flow: { "nodes": [ { "parameters": {}, "type": "n8n-nodes-base.manualTrigger", "typeVersion": 1, "position": [ 0, 0 ], "id": "31c41837-0184-4d36-a1b6-7f02502b1f40", "name": "When clicking ‘Execute workflow’" }, { "parameters": { "operation": "create", "width": 500, "height": 500, "options": {} }, "type": "n8n-nodes-base.editImage", "typeVersion": 1, "position": [ 208, 0 ], "id": "9864c415-446e-4925-bee4-e9fbee9055a5", "name": "Edit Image" }, { "parameters": { "operation": "composite", "dataPropertyNameComposite": "data2", "options": {} }, "type": "n8n-nodes-base.editImage", "typeVersion": 1, "position": [ 464, 256 ], "id": "5d6e1f96-1263-4b4d-b394-156c7315eb1f", "name": "Edit Image1" }, { "parameters": { "operation": "create", "dataPropertyName": "data2", "width": 500, "height": 500, "options": {} }, "type": "n8n-nodes-base.editImage", "typeVersion": 1, "position": [ 208, 256 ], "id": "859b9400-f1fd-49b1-ba43-90af09bd5953", "name": "Edit Image2" } ], "connections": { "When clicking ‘Execute workflow’": { "main": [ [ { "node": "Edit Image", "type": "main", "index": 0 } ] ] }, "Edit Image": { "main": [ [ { "node": "Edit Image2", "type": "main", "index": 0 } ] ] }, "Edit Image2": { "main": [ [ { "node": "Edit Image1", "type": "main", "index": 0 } ] ] } }, "pinData": {}, "meta": { "instanceId": "somedatahere" } }

Expected behavior

Like prior to 2.19 it should be able to compose one image over the other

Debug Info

Debug info

core

• n8nVersion: 2.20.7-exp.0
• platform: docker (self-hosted)
• nodeJsVersion: 24.14.1
• nodeEnv: production
• database: postgres
• executionMode: scaling (single-main)
• concurrency: -1
• license: enterprise (production)
• consumerId: c38732c2-8964-43cf-849d-bb489961b4e8

storage

• success: all
• error: all
• progress: false
• manual: true
• binaryMode: database

pruning

• enabled: true
• maxAge: 168 hours
• maxCount: 50000 executions

client

• userAgent: mozilla/5.0 (x11; linux x86_64; rv:140.0) gecko/20100101 firefox/140.0
• isTouchDevice: false

security

• secureCookie: false

cluster

• instanceCount: 3
• versions: 2.20.7-exp.0
• instances:
  • instanceKey: a5e6471b-78e7-44bb-8c7e-94e2c7200c3c, hostId: main-87adb711a53c, instanceType: main, instanceRole: leader, version: 2.20.7-exp.0
  • instanceKey: d7b27269-0438-4f9d-8907-7e4732a07226, hostId: webhook-5bf1602a511d, instanceType: webhook, instanceRole: unset, version: 2.20.7-exp.0
  • instanceKey: 35344a46-c978-4f49-b3ee-ea678b3a8bd6, hostId: worker-cbd6e5647511, instanceType: worker, instanceRole: unset, version: 2.20.7-exp.0
• checks:
  • check: hostid-clash, status: succeeded, warnings: -
  • check: lifecycle, status: succeeded, warnings: -
  • check: split-brain, status: succeeded, warnings: -
  • check: version-mismatch, status: succeeded, warnings: -

Generated at: 2026-05-13T21:30:21.750Z

Operating System

Alpine

n8n Version

2.19.5 to 2.20.7-exp.0

Node.js Version

24.14.1

Database

PostgreSQL

Execution mode

main (default)

Hosting

self hosted