# Issue with Delete & reconnect where flow loops back

**URL:** <https://discourse.nodered.org/t/issue-with-delete-reconnect-where-flow-loops-back/101252>\
**Category:** General\
**Tags:** editor\
**Created:** [11 June 2026 08:04 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/issue-with-delete-reconnect-where-flow-loops-back/101252 "2026-06-11T08:04:56Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 7\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![jbudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5f8ce5/32.png) [@jbudd](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/jbudd)\
**Post date:** [11 June 2026 08:04 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/issue-with-delete-reconnect-where-flow-loops-back/101252/1 "2026-06-11T08:04:57Z")

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This is a simple flow to implement a queue.  
An example of usage is for a batch SQL insert, where "Protracted processing" sends batches to the database. The queue ensures that the batches are inserted in the right order.

 ![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/uploads/nodered/original/3X/9/2/923f638d9516f1abf1d3d2c0b7dbd56ccf4f8cd7.png).

If you highlight limit and flush nodes, right click and "Delete & reconnect" (to remove the queue mechanism) it retains the loop back wire, an illegal connection from a node to itself.

 ![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/uploads/nodered/original/3X/9/4/94a4ec597f8cf5713d0132bacce6ffbffcff5cdc.png)

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**Author:** ![cymplecy](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/cymplecy/32/2773_2.png) [@cymplecy](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/cymplecy)\
**Post date:** [11 June 2026 10:13 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/issue-with-delete-reconnect-where-flow-loops-back/101252/2 "2026-06-11T10:13:38Z")

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I'd say that NR is doing what its been asked to do 🙂

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**Author:** ![knolleary](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/knolleary/32/3_2.png) [@knolleary](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/knolleary)\
**Post date:** [11 June 2026 10:35 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/issue-with-delete-reconnect-where-flow-loops-back/101252/3 "2026-06-11T10:35:52Z")

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Technically there is nothing invalid with what it has done - it has removed the nodes as you've requested and maintained the connections that were there.

It is not 'illegal' to wire a node to itself; it's a valid thing to if, for example, your Function node is iterating over a list of items.

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**Author:** ![jbudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5f8ce5/32.png) [@jbudd](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/jbudd)\
**Post date:** [11 June 2026 10:43 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/issue-with-delete-reconnect-where-flow-loops-back/101252/4 "2026-06-11T10:43:02Z")

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> [@knolleary](#):
>
> it's a valid thing to if, for example, your Function node is iterating over a list of items.

But the editor will not permit wiring a node's output directly to it's own input.

I don't understand your example: to iterate over a list of items we have the for loop, etc.

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**Author:** ![knolleary](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/knolleary/32/3_2.png) [@knolleary](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/knolleary)\
**Post date:** [11 June 2026 10:48 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/issue-with-delete-reconnect-where-flow-loops-back/101252/5 "2026-06-11T10:48:27Z")

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> [@jbudd](#):
>
> But the editor will not permit wiring a node's output directly to it's own input.

You are right - my mistake. Please raise an issue - we shouldn't have an editor action that allows you to get into that state.

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**Author:** ![E1cid](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/e1cid/32/77971_2.png) [@E1cid](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/E1cid)\
**Post date:** [11 June 2026 15:25 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/issue-with-delete-reconnect-where-flow-loops-back/101252/6 "2026-06-11T15:25:54Z")

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This was discuss before and we asked for this behaviour to remain , some of us use this behaviour and like to loop back without extra nodes.

> <https://github.com/node-red/node-red/issues/5038>
>
> \### Current Behavior
> 
> ref https://discourse.nodered.org/t/selfconnectedness-or-h…ow-to-connect-a-node-to-itself/95174/2
> 
> !\[\](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/uploads/nodered/original/3X/b/f/bf6413ff00f452540dcfddd76720027313bab3b1.gif)
> 
> \### Expected Behavior
> 
> Nodes cannot be wired to themselves. This action should not leave a node wired to itself
> 
> \### Steps To Reproduce
> 
> 1. Create a two node flow that loops back on itself.
> 2. Select one node and trigger \`delete-selection-and-reconnect\` action (\`Ctrl/Cmd-Backspace\`)
> 3
> 
> \### Example flow
> 
> \_No response\_
> 
> \### Environment
> 
> \- Node-RED version:
> \- Node.js version:
> \- npm version:
> \- Platform/OS:
> \- Browser:

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![system](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/uploads/nodered/original/1X/d073cd938eafa2e558d7c2cd59003b3ef4963033.png) [@system](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/system)\
**Post date:** [9 September 2026 15:26 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/issue-with-delete-reconnect-where-flow-loops-back/101252/7 "2026-09-09T15:26:06Z")

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