fix: empty string vs nil handling for limit parameter

awx/main/models/workflow.py

@@ -335,7 +335,9 @@ def get_job_kwargs(self):
             # or labels, because they do not propogate WFJT-->node at all
 
             # Combine WFJT prompts with node here, WFJT at higher level
-            node_prompts_data.update(wj_prompts_data)
+            # Empty string values on the workflow job (e.g. from IaC setting limit: "")
+            # should not override a node's explicit non-empty prompt value
+            node_prompts_data.update({k: v for k, v in wj_prompts_data.items() if v != ''})
             accepted_fields, ignored_fields, errors = ujt_obj._accept_or_ignore_job_kwargs(**node_prompts_data)
             if errors:
                 logger.info(

awx/main/tests/functional/models/test_workflow.py

@@ -291,6 +291,33 @@ def test_combine_prompts_WFJT_to_node(self, project, inventory, organization):
         assert set(data['labels']) == set(node_labels)  # as exception, WFJT labels not applied
         assert data['limit'] == 'wj_limit'
 
+    def test_node_limit_not_overridden_by_empty_string_wj_limit(self, project, inventory):
+        """
+        When the workflow job has an empty string limit (e.g., set via IaC with limit: ""),
+        the node-level limit should still be passed to the spawned job, not silently suppressed.
+        """
+        jt = JobTemplate.objects.create(
+            project=project,
+            inventory=inventory,
+            ask_limit_on_launch=True,
+        )
+        # Simulate a workflow job whose WFJT was created via IaC with `limit: ""`
+        # (e.g. awx.awx.workflow_job_template: ... limit: "")
+        # This stores '' in char_prompts instead of treating it as None/"no limit".
+        wj = WorkflowJob.objects.create(name='test-wf-job')
+        wj.limit = ''  # stores {'limit': ''} in char_prompts - the IaC bug scenario
+        wj.save()
+
+        node = WorkflowJobNode.objects.create(workflow_job=wj, unified_job_template=jt)
+        node.limit = 'web_servers'
+        node.save()
+
+        data = node.get_job_kwargs()
+        # The node-level limit should be applied; the WJ's empty string limit is not meaningful
+        assert data.get('limit') == 'web_servers', (
+            "Node-level limit 'web_servers' was not passed to the job. " "Likely caused by an empty string WJ limit overriding the node limit"
+        )
+
 
 @pytest.mark.django_db
 class TestWorkflowJobTemplate: