diff --git a/packages/@n8n/task-runner/src/js-task-runner/built-ins-parser/__tests__/built-ins-parser.test.ts b/packages/@n8n/task-runner/src/js-task-runner/built-ins-parser/__tests__/built-ins-parser.test.ts
index 366a9188de..d64c154884 100644
--- a/packages/@n8n/task-runner/src/js-task-runner/built-ins-parser/__tests__/built-ins-parser.test.ts
+++ b/packages/@n8n/task-runner/src/js-task-runner/built-ins-parser/__tests__/built-ins-parser.test.ts
@@ -62,6 +62,15 @@ describe('BuiltInsParser', () => {
 
 			expect(state).toEqual(new BuiltInsParserState({ needs$input: true }));
 		});
+
+		test.each([['items'], ['item']])(
+			'should mark input as needed when %s is used',
+			(identifier) => {
+				const state = parseAndExpectOk(`return ${identifier};`);
+
+				expect(state).toEqual(new BuiltInsParserState({ needs$input: true }));
+			},
+		);
 	});
 
 	describe('$(...)', () => {
diff --git a/packages/@n8n/task-runner/src/js-task-runner/built-ins-parser/built-ins-parser.ts b/packages/@n8n/task-runner/src/js-task-runner/built-ins-parser/built-ins-parser.ts
index dd2d849c6a..7bdfff8240 100644
--- a/packages/@n8n/task-runner/src/js-task-runner/built-ins-parser/built-ins-parser.ts
+++ b/packages/@n8n/task-runner/src/js-task-runner/built-ins-parser/built-ins-parser.ts
@@ -131,6 +131,9 @@ export class BuiltInsParser {
 			state.markExecutionAsNeeded();
 		} else if (node.name === '$prevNode') {
 			state.markPrevNodeAsNeeded();
+		} else if (node.name === 'items' || node.name === 'item') {
+			// item is deprecated but we still need to support it
+			state.markInputAsNeeded();
 		}
 	};