GitHub Actions startup_failure with zero jobs on private repository (aidaadigitall/Esc-Finan-2)

[aidaadigitall]

Hello,

GitHub Actions runs in our private repository fail during startup, before any job or runner is created.

Repository: aidaadigitall/Esc-Finan-2 (private)
Account: aidaadigitall (User)
Billing plan: GitHub Free
Included Actions minutes: 2,000
Used: 0

Reproduction:

Run ID: 32135515076
URL: https://github.com/aidaadigitall/Esc-Finan-2/actions/runs/32135515076
Event: workflow_dispatch
SHA: 106188cedbb2c224a9128484fb1cb137730d4c85
Created: 2026-08-18T12:11:22Z
Completed: 2026-08-18T12:11:23Z
Conclusion: startup_failure
Jobs API: HTTP 200, {"total_count":0,"jobs":[]}
Logs API: HTTP 404
CLI/UI: “This run likely failed because of a workflow file issue”

The same happens on main and other branches. pull_request and push also fail with startup_failure and zero jobs.

Same-day example on main:
Run ID: 32099256963
Event: push
Created: 2026-08-18T04:28:10Z
Conclusion: startup_failure
Jobs: total_count=0

Repository Actions is enabled. The workflow parses locally, workflow_dispatch is configured, and there are no environment approvals, self-hosted runners, secrets in this workflow, required-check changes, or branch-protection changes. The workflow file does not use secrets.*.

Last run that created a validate job:
Run ID: 28993209616
Date: 2026-07-09T04:04:48Z
Jobs: total_count=1, name=validate

That run created the job and started processing. Since then, every observed run fails before job creation.

GitHub Status was All Systems Operational when run 32135515076 was dispatched (2026-08-18T12:11:22Z).

Please investigate:

1. Account/repository Actions provisioning
2. Workflow validation or registration state
3. Private-repository Actions entitlement
4. Job/runner provisioning
5. Any account restriction or internal billing/provisioning flag
6. Why the run reports a workflow-file issue without creating a job or logs

We are not requesting a bypass, fake job, waiver, or branch-protection change. We need the normal validate job to be created and executed.

Thank you.

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