I recently ran into an issue while setting up a self-hosted instance of n8n on a virtual private server (VPS). My workflow included a final step that wrote a file to a folder on the host machine via a Docker bind mount:

volumes:
  - n8n_data:/home/node/.n8n
  - ./local-files:/files

Before starting the containers for the first time, I created the local-files directory in the same location as the docker-compose.yml file. I had done this previously on a Raspberry Pi, where I was also hosting an instance of n8n, and it seemed like the proactive thing to do. Turns out, it wasn’t a good idea.

If you’re self-hosting n8n on your home network and accessing it through a Cloudflare Tunnel, you might run into an issue where Telegram or webhook triggers stop working. This typically occurs when you create a Zero Trust application for the tunnel’s subdomain and attach a login access policy to it. While that policy is great for restricting access to your n8n instance, it also blocks external services—like Telegram—from reaching your webhook endpoints and triggering workflows.

These are the bare bones, just tell me what to do set of instructions. See the previous article for a detailed explanation each step.

What you’ll need:

• A machine to host n8n. This can be a spare PC or Raspberry Pi.
• A free Cloudflare account.
• A web domain that lives on Cloudflare’s nameservers. You can purchase a new one from Cloudflare or move a domain you already own to the Cloudflare nameservers.

Step 1 - Install Docker:

Here’s the official documentation on how to install Docker: https://docs.docker.com/engine/install/

Using Cloudflare Tunnels with self-hosted n8n offers a secure and hassle-free way to expose your automation workflows to the internet without opening ports or configuring firewalls. It eliminates the need for a static IP or dynamic DNS by creating an encrypted outbound connection from your server to Cloudflare’s edge network. This not only simplifies deployment but also adds a layer of protection against DDoS attacks and unauthorized access. With built-in TLS and fine-grained access controls, Cloudflare Tunnels make it easy to trigger n8n webhooks and integrations from anywhere while keeping your infrastructure locked down.