[bug]: API allows archiving non-completed/non-canceled work items by PATCHing archived_at

[Gloria-GK-406]

Is there an existing issue for this?

• I have searched the existing issues

Current behavior

API Allows Archiving a Non-completed Work Item by Updating archived_at

Environment

• Plane version: v1.3.0
• Deployment: self-hosted
• API path tested: /api/v1/workspaces/{workspace_slug}/projects/{project_id}/work-items/{work_item_id}/

Summary

We observed a behavior difference between the Plane Web UI and the API when archiving a work item.

In the Web UI, the archive action shows the following message for a work item that is not completed or canceled:

Only completed or canceled work items can be archived

However, using the API, we were able to archive a work item that was still in a non-completed state by updating the archived_at field directly.

We would like to confirm whether this is expected behavior or a bug.

Steps to Reproduce

1. Create a work item.
2. Keep the work item in a non-completed and non-canceled state, such as Todo or In Progress.
3. Open the work item in the Web UI and check the archive action.
4. The Web UI indicates that only completed or canceled work items can be archived.
5. Send a PATCH request to the work item API:

curl -X PATCH \
  "$PLANE_HOST/api/v1/workspaces/$WORKSPACE_SLUG/projects/$PROJECT_ID/work-items/$WORK_ITEM_ID/" \
  -H "x-api-key: $PLANE_API_KEY" \
  -H "content-type: application/json" \
  -d '{"archived_at":"2026-05-22"}'

Observed Result

The API request returned 200 OK.

The work item was archived even though it was not in a completed or canceled state.

Expected Clarification

Could the Plane team confirm which behavior is expected?

• Should the API allow archived_at to be updated directly regardless of the current work item state?
• Or should the API follow the same rule shown in the Web UI, where only completed or canceled work items can be archived?

Additional Observation

We also tried the following path:

POST /api/v1/workspaces/{workspace_slug}/projects/{project_id}/work-items/{work_item_id}/archive/

It returned:

{"error": "Page not found."}

So the behavior described above was observed through PATCHing archived_at on the work item resource.

Steps to reproduce

Steps to Reproduce

1. Create a work item.
2. Keep the work item in a non-completed and non-canceled state, such as Todo or In Progress.
3. Open the work item in the Web UI and check the archive action.
4. The Web UI indicates that only completed or canceled work items can be archived.
5. Send a PATCH request to the work item API:

curl -X PATCH \
  "$PLANE_HOST/api/v1/workspaces/$WORKSPACE_SLUG/projects/$PROJECT_ID/work-items/$WORK_ITEM_ID/" \
  -H "x-api-key: $PLANE_API_KEY" \
  -H "content-type: application/json" \
  -d '{"archived_at":"2026-05-22"}'

Observed Result

The API request returned 200 OK.

The work item was archived even though it was not in a completed or canceled state.

Environment

Production

Browser

Google Chrome

Variant

Local

Version

v1.30.0

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[GIT-205] [bug]: API allows archiving non-completed/non-canceled work items by PATCHing archived_at