diff --git a/packages/workflow/src/WorkflowDataProxy.ts b/packages/workflow/src/WorkflowDataProxy.ts
index ec7224fe48c50..9110584e56f22 100644
--- a/packages/workflow/src/WorkflowDataProxy.ts
+++ b/packages/workflow/src/WorkflowDataProxy.ts
@@ -461,10 +461,14 @@ export class WorkflowDataProxy {
 				get(target, name, receiver) {
 					if (name === 'isProxy') return true;
 
-					if (
-						typeof process === 'undefined' || // env vars are inaccessible to frontend
-						process.env.N8N_BLOCK_ENV_ACCESS_IN_NODE === 'true'
-					) {
+					if (typeof process === 'undefined') {
+						throw new ExpressionError('not accessible via UI, please run node', {
+							runIndex: that.runIndex,
+							itemIndex: that.itemIndex,
+							failExecution: true,
+						});
+					}
+					if (process.env.N8N_BLOCK_ENV_ACCESS_IN_NODE === 'true') {
 						throw new ExpressionError('access to env vars denied', {
 							causeDetailed:
 								'If you need access please contact the administrator to remove the environment variable ‘N8N_BLOCK_ENV_ACCESS_IN_NODE‘',