# Merge append without empty line

**URL:** <https://community.n8n.io/t/merge-append-without-empty-line/15730>\
**Category:** Questions\
**Tags:** node, merge\
**Created:** [July 14, 2022, 9:38am UTC](https://community.n8n.io/t/merge-append-without-empty-line/15730 "2022-07-14T09:38:28Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![lublak](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/n8n/user_avatar/community.n8n.io/lublak/32/9258_2.png) [@lublak](https://community.n8n.io/u/lublak)\
**Post date:** [July 14, 2022, 9:38am UTC](https://community.n8n.io/t/merge-append-without-empty-line/15730/1 "2022-07-14T09:38:28Z")

</div>

## Describe the issue/error/question

With a merge append node, I end up with two elements although only one is in the stream.

## Please share the workflow

## Share the output returned by the last node

```auto

[
{
"data": 0,
"status_indicator": 1
},
{
"status_indicator": 3
}
] 

```

 ![grafik](https://europe1.discourse-cdn.com/n8n/original/2X/5/5a0f0f19b677a74f904743bd1f802c8476f520e6.png)

## Information on your n8n setup

- **n8n version:** 0.186.1
- **Database you’re using (default: SQLite):** Postgres
- **Running n8n with the execution process [own(default), main]:** main
- **Running n8n via [Docker, npm, n8n.cloud, desktop app]:** npm

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![MutedJam](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/n8n/user_avatar/community.n8n.io/mutedjam/32/70851_2.png) [@MutedJam](https://community.n8n.io/u/MutedJam)\
**Post date:** [July 14, 2022, 9:40am UTC](https://community.n8n.io/t/merge-append-without-empty-line/15730/2 "2022-07-14T09:40:47Z")

</div>

Hi @lublak, that’s unfortunately expected ☹

The Merge node will trigger the execution of input nodes connected to it, even if these wouldn’t otherwise run. You might want to leave a vote on the respective feature request to change this in the future: [Merge node suggestion: add option to disable triggering of previous nodes](http://community.n8n.io/t/merge-node-suggestion-add-option-to-disable-triggering-of-previous-nodes/9931)

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![lublak](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/n8n/user_avatar/community.n8n.io/lublak/32/9258_2.png) [@lublak](https://community.n8n.io/u/lublak)\
**Post date:** [July 14, 2022, 9:46am UTC](https://community.n8n.io/t/merge-append-without-empty-line/15730/3 "2022-07-14T09:46:30Z")

</div>

@MutedJam

I can also achieve the same functionality using a function. So it’s not all that important now. But after a long time you still learn something new 😃  
Apparently I never had the case that there was an empty data stream at a merge node. (maybe I should look over my old workflows, where … never changing a running system :P)  
Currently I have no votes left and if I had a vote left it would definitely end up at the oracle db node.  
But it’s good to know that I’m not completely stupid, but that n8n just behaves like that.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![MutedJam](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/n8n/user_avatar/community.n8n.io/mutedjam/32/70851_2.png) [@MutedJam](https://community.n8n.io/u/MutedJam)\
**Post date:** [July 14, 2022, 9:50am UTC](https://community.n8n.io/t/merge-append-without-empty-line/15730/4 "2022-07-14T09:50:21Z")

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Glad to hear you have a workaround in place. You’re also not the first one to be irritated by this, so I too have my fingers crossed the Merge node will receive an update in that regards 😃