Emergency Build Cancel via Email
Detect a runaway build, send an email alert, and Notis instantly cancels the workflow. No stepping into GitHub, no delays.
Trigger
Email Sent
Triggers when a Gmail message is sent by the authenticated user. It polls the 'SENT' label and emits metadata including sender, recipients, subject, timestamp, and thread ID.
Action
Cancel a workflow run
Cancels a workflow run in a github repository if it is in a cancellable state (e.g., 'in progress' or 'queued').
Why this helps
A CI job spirals out of control, wasting credits and time. You have to stop what you're doing, log into GitHub, find the workflow, and cancel it manually.
- Stop builds instantly without GitHub navigation
- Save CI credits by killing long-running jobs fast
- Respond to emergencies from any device
- Reduce developer frustration with runaway processes
Setup
Build it in a few focused steps.
- 1Connect Gmail and GitHub to Notis.
- 2Create an automation: "When I send an email with a keyword like 'kill-build' or 'emergency', automatically cancel any workflow runs in [repository]."
- 3Decide which repositories this applies to, or set it to 'any'.
- 4Test: Send yourself an email with the keyword, and watch the workflow cancel in GitHub.
Questions about this workflow
Can I specify which workflow to cancel, or does it kill everything?
You can be specific—mention the workflow name or ID in your email, and Notis will cancel only that one.
What if there's no running workflow?
Notis will notify you that nothing was found to cancel, so you don't get confused.
Is there a delay between sending the email and the cancellation?
Usually under 10 seconds, but exact timing depends on Gmail and GitHub's APIs.
When this happens · Trigger
Do this · Action
Supported Triggers and Actions
Notis builds workflows that link Gmail to GitHub. A trigger fires from one place; an action lands in another.
Gmail triggers
GitHub actions
Email Sent
Triggers when a Gmail message is sent by the authenticated user. It polls the 'SENT' label and emits metadata including sender, recipients, subject, timestamp, and thread ID.
Accept a repository invitation
Accepts a pending repository invitation that has been issued to the authenticated user.
New Gmail Message Received Trigger
Triggers when a new message is received in Gmail.
List repositories starred by the authenticated user
Deprecated: lists repositories starred by the authenticated user, including star creation timestamps; use 'list repositories starred by the authenticated user' instead.
List stargazers
Deprecated: lists users who have starred a repository; use `list stargazers` instead.
Star a repository for the authenticated user
Deprecated: stars a repository for the authenticated user; use `star a repository for the authenticated user` instead.
Add email for auth user
Adds one or more email addresses (which will be initially unverified) to the authenticated user's github account; use this to associate new emails, noting an email verified for another account will error, while an existing email for the current user is accepted.
Add app access restrictions
Replaces github app access restrictions for an existing protected branch; requires a json array of app slugs in the request body, where apps must be installed and have 'contents' write permissions.
Add a repository collaborator
Adds a github user as a repository collaborator, or updates their permission if already a collaborator; `permission` applies to organization-owned repositories (personal ones default to 'push' and ignore this field), and an invitation may be created or permissions updated directly.
Add a repository to an app installation
Adds a repository to a github app installation, granting the app access; requires authenticated user to have admin rights for the repository and access to the installation.
Connect any two apps with Notis in the middle.
Not just Gmail and GitHub. Any combination from 985+ integrations.
When this happens · Trigger
Do this · Action
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