From 875992bf03813fe9a5d9aee9b2326dda69312623 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: cocvn157 <120394358+cocvn157@users.noreply.github.com>
Date: Thu, 5 Nov 2026 11:33:37 +0700
Subject: [PATCH] fix(core): evaluate nested event filters when parent payload
 is missing or null (#5017)

---
 .changeset/nested-exists-false-event-filter.md |  5 +++++
 packages/core/src/eventFilterMatches.ts        |  6 +-----
 packages/core/test/eventFilterMatches.test.ts  | 12 ++++++++++++
 3 files changed, 18 insertions(+), 5 deletions(-)
 create mode 100644 .changeset/nested-exists-false-event-filter.md

diff --git a/.changeset/nested-exists-false-event-filter.md b/.changeset/nested-exists-false-event-filter.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..ef22f51496d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/nested-exists-false-event-filter.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+"@trigger.dev/core": patch
+---
+
+Fix `eventFilterMatches` returning `false` for nested `$exists: false` filters when the parent key is missing or `null`
diff --git a/packages/core/src/eventFilterMatches.ts b/packages/core/src/eventFilterMatches.ts
index 86a78aef750..9c187c801ad 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/eventFilterMatches.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/eventFilterMatches.ts
@@ -6,11 +6,7 @@ import type { EventFilter } from "./schemas/eventFilter.js";
 // An example would be [{ $endsWith: ".png" }, { $startsWith: "images/" } ]
 export function eventFilterMatches(payload: any, filter: EventFilter): boolean {
   if (payload === undefined || payload === null) {
-    if (Object.entries(filter).length === 0) {
-      return true;
-    } else {
-      return false;
-    }
+    payload = {};
   }
 
   for (const [patternKey, patternValue] of Object.entries(filter)) {
diff --git a/packages/core/test/eventFilterMatches.test.ts b/packages/core/test/eventFilterMatches.test.ts
index 4df17fa235a..69f5d6460e8 100644
--- a/packages/core/test/eventFilterMatches.test.ts
+++ b/packages/core/test/eventFilterMatches.test.ts
@@ -209,6 +209,18 @@ describe("eventFilterMatches", () => {
     expect(eventFilterMatches(payload, filter)).toBe(true);
   });
 
+  it("should return true for nested $exists = false when the parent key is missing or null", () => {
+    const filter: EventFilter = {
+      user: {
+        email: [{ $exists: false }],
+      },
+    };
+    expect(eventFilterMatches({}, filter)).toBe(true);
+    expect(eventFilterMatches({ user: null }, filter)).toBe(true);
+    expect(eventFilterMatches({ user: {} }, filter)).toBe(true);
+    expect(eventFilterMatches({ user: { email: "a@b.com" } }, filter)).toBe(false);
+  });
+
   it("should return true when payload does match numeric condition", () => {
     const payload = {
       name: "John",