diff --git a/packages/cli/src/workflow-runner.ts b/packages/cli/src/workflow-runner.ts
index 0f1f37b71d..0413f71bac 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/workflow-runner.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/src/workflow-runner.ts
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ import type {
 	IWorkflowExecutionDataProcess,
 } from 'n8n-workflow';
 import {
+	ApplicationError,
 	ErrorReporterProxy as ErrorReporter,
 	ExecutionCancelledError,
 	Workflow,
@@ -381,6 +382,17 @@ export class WorkflowRunner {
 		let job: Job;
 		let hooks: WorkflowHooks;
 		try {
+			// check to help diagnose PAY-2100
+			if (
+				data.executionData?.executionData?.nodeExecutionStack?.length === 0 &&
+				config.getEnv('deployment.type') === 'internal'
+			) {
+				await this.executionRepository.setRunning(executionId); // set `startedAt` so we display it correctly in UI
+				throw new ApplicationError('Execution to enqueue has empty node execution stack', {
+					extra: { executionData: data.executionData },
+				});
+			}
+
 			job = await this.scalingService.addJob(jobData, { priority: realtime ? 50 : 100 });
 
 			hooks = WorkflowExecuteAdditionalData.getWorkflowHooksWorkerMain(