diff --git a/packages/cli/commands/execute.ts b/packages/cli/commands/execute.ts
index 448af3de3d..7501b4aa9b 100644
--- a/packages/cli/commands/execute.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/commands/execute.ts
@@ -2,7 +2,10 @@ import { promises as fs } from 'fs';
 import { Command, flags } from '@oclif/command';
 import {
 	UserSettings,
-} from "n8n-core";
+} from 'n8n-core';
+import {
+	INode,
+} from 'n8n-workflow';
 
 import {
 	ActiveExecutions,
@@ -111,14 +114,15 @@ export class Execute extends Command {
 		// Check if the workflow contains the required "Start" node
 		// "requiredNodeTypes" are also defined in editor-ui/views/NodeView.vue
 		const requiredNodeTypes = ['n8n-nodes-base.start'];
-		let startNodeFound = false;
+		let startNode: INode | undefined= undefined;
 		for (const node of workflowData!.nodes) {
 			if (requiredNodeTypes.includes(node.type)) {
-				startNodeFound = true;
+				startNode = node;
+				break;
 			}
 		}
 
-		if (startNodeFound === false) {
+		if (startNode === undefined) {
 			// If the workflow does not contain a start-node we can not know what
 			// should be executed and with which data to start.
 			GenericHelpers.logOutput(`The workflow does not contain a "Start" node. So it can not be executed.`);
@@ -131,6 +135,7 @@ export class Execute extends Command {
 			const runData: IWorkflowExecutionDataProcess = {
 				credentials,
 				executionMode: 'cli',
+				startNodes: [startNode.name],
 				workflowData: workflowData!,
 			};
 
diff --git a/packages/cli/commands/start.ts b/packages/cli/commands/start.ts
index 5494b5c5c3..f1951f5002 100644
--- a/packages/cli/commands/start.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/commands/start.ts
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ import * as localtunnel from 'localtunnel';
 import {
 	TUNNEL_SUBDOMAIN_ENV,
 	UserSettings,
-} from "n8n-core";
+} from 'n8n-core';
 import { Command, flags } from '@oclif/command';
 const open = require('open');
 // import { dirname } from 'path';
diff --git a/packages/workflow/src/Workflow.ts b/packages/workflow/src/Workflow.ts
index 52acf8391d..19749c7920 100644
--- a/packages/workflow/src/Workflow.ts
+++ b/packages/workflow/src/Workflow.ts
@@ -735,6 +735,40 @@ export class Workflow {
 
 
 
+	/**
+	 * Returns from which of the given nodes the workflow should get started from
+	 *
+	 * @param {string[]} nodeNames The potential start nodes
+	 * @returns {(INode | undefined)}
+	 * @memberof Workflow
+	 */
+	__getStartNode(nodeNames: string[]): INode | undefined {
+		// Check if there are any trigger or poll nodes and then return the first one
+		let node: INode;
+		let nodeType: INodeType;
+		for (const nodeName of nodeNames) {
+			node = this.nodes[nodeName];
+			nodeType = this.nodeTypes.getByName(node.type) as INodeType;
+
+			if (nodeType.trigger !== undefined || nodeType.poll !== undefined) {
+				return node;
+			}
+		}
+
+		// Check if there is the actual "start" node
+		const startNodeType = 'n8n-nodes-base.start';
+		for (const nodeName of nodeNames) {
+			node = this.nodes[nodeName];
+			if (node.type === startNodeType) {
+				return node;
+			}
+		}
+
+		return undefined;
+	}
+
+
+
 	/**
 	 * Returns the start node to start the worfklow from
 	 *
@@ -743,7 +777,6 @@ export class Workflow {
 	 * @memberof Workflow
 	 */
 	getStartNode(destinationNode?: string): INode | undefined {
-		const startNodeType = 'n8n-nodes-base.start';
 
 		if (destinationNode) {
 			// Find the highest parent nodes of the given one
@@ -756,42 +789,17 @@ export class Workflow {
 			}
 
 			// Check which node to return as start node
-
-			// Check if there are any trigger or poll nodes and then return the first one
-			let node: INode;
-			let nodeType: INodeType;
-			for (const nodeName of nodeNames) {
-				node = this.nodes[nodeName];
-				nodeType = this.nodeTypes.getByName(node.type) as INodeType;
-
-				if (nodeType.trigger !== undefined || nodeType.poll !== undefined) {
-					return node;
-				}
-			}
-
-			// Check if there is the actual "start" node
-			for (const nodeName of nodeNames) {
-				node = this.nodes[nodeName];
-				if (node.type === startNodeType) {
-					return node;
-				}
+			const node = this.__getStartNode(nodeNames);
+			if (node !== undefined) {
+				return node;
 			}
 
 			// If none of the above did find anything simply return the
 			// first parent node in the list
 			return this.nodes[nodeNames[0]];
-		} else {
-			// No node given so start from "start" node
-			let node: INode;
-			for (const nodeName of Object.keys(this.nodes)) {
-				node = this.nodes[nodeName];
-				if (node.type === startNodeType) {
-					return node;
-				}
-			}
 		}
 
-		return undefined;
+		return this.__getStartNode(Object.keys(this.nodes));
 	}