How to avoid infinite execution loop when using Gmail "Get Many Messages" with dynamic Received After date in n8n?

[alien4817]

Hi everyone,

I’m running into an issue where my workflow keeps going into an infinite execution loop.

Here’s my setup:

• Trigger: Gmail Trigger (Unread emails only)

• Next step: Gmail → Get Many Messages

• In the Received After field, I’m using this expression:

  {{ new Date().toISOString().slice(0,10) + 'T00:00:00' }}
  
  

• The result is always something like 2025-09-27T00:00:00.

The problem is that every time the workflow executes, this expression recalculates to today’s midnight. As a result, Gmail keeps returning the same set of emails, which triggers the workflow again → causing an endless loop.

My question:
What’s the best practice in n8n to avoid this loop? Should I:

• Rely only on Gmail Trigger and remove the “Get Many Messages” node?

• Use $now or $prevNode to calculate a relative time range instead of resetting to midnight every run?

• Or is there a way to de-duplicate emails (by ID or threadId) so they don’t keep re-triggering the workflow?

I’d appreciate any suggestions or examples of how you’ve handled this problem. Thanks!

[barn4k]

hello @alien4817

Use a Remove Duplicates node with the “Remove Items processed in previous executions“ option after your gmail trigger node

[alien4817]

thanks for your kindness, it’s work!!

[barn4k]

If the issue was resolved, please mark my post as a solution by clicking the checkbox below the post, so others can also see the solution.

[alien4817]

thanks a lot as a solution