diff --git a/mailpoet/lib/Automation/Engine/Data/Workflow.php b/mailpoet/lib/Automation/Engine/Data/Workflow.php
index 43eb7b552a..2e7d166110 100644
--- a/mailpoet/lib/Automation/Engine/Data/Workflow.php
+++ b/mailpoet/lib/Automation/Engine/Data/Workflow.php
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 namespace MailPoet\Automation\Engine\Data;
 
 use DateTimeImmutable;
+use MailPoet\Automation\Engine\Exceptions\InvalidStateException;
 use MailPoet\Automation\Engine\Utils\Json;
 
 class Workflow {
@@ -17,10 +18,10 @@ class Workflow {
     self::STATUS_TRASH,
   ];
 
-  /** @var int */
+  /** @var int|null */
   private $id;
 
-  /** @var int */
+  /** @var int|null */
   private $versionId;
 
   /** @var string */
@@ -55,13 +56,8 @@ class Workflow {
     $this->name = $name;
     $this->steps = $steps;
     $this->author = $author;
-
-    if ($id) {
-      $this->id = $id;
-    }
-    if ($versionId) {
-      $this->versionId = $versionId;
-    }
+    $this->id = $id;
+    $this->versionId = $versionId;
 
     $now = new DateTimeImmutable();
     $this->createdAt = $now;
@@ -69,10 +65,16 @@ class Workflow {
   }
 
   public function getId(): int {
+    if (!$this->id) {
+      throw InvalidStateException::create()->withMessage('No workflow ID was set');
+    }
     return $this->id;
   }
 
   public function getVersionId(): int {
+    if (!$this->versionId) {
+      throw InvalidStateException::create()->withMessage('No workflow version ID was set');
+    }
     return $this->versionId;
   }
 
diff --git a/mailpoet/lib/Automation/Engine/Validation/WorkflowStepsValidator.php b/mailpoet/lib/Automation/Engine/Validation/WorkflowStepsValidator.php
index a0c33db179..ed837f91b3 100644
--- a/mailpoet/lib/Automation/Engine/Validation/WorkflowStepsValidator.php
+++ b/mailpoet/lib/Automation/Engine/Validation/WorkflowStepsValidator.php
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ namespace MailPoet\Automation\Engine\Validation;
 use MailPoet\Automation\Engine\Data\Step;
 use MailPoet\Automation\Engine\Data\Workflow;
 use MailPoet\Automation\Engine\Exceptions;
+use MailPoet\Automation\Engine\Exceptions\InvalidStateException;
 use MailPoet\Automation\Engine\Registry;
 use MailPoet\Automation\Engine\Storage\WorkflowStorage;
 use MailPoet\Validator\Validator;
@@ -42,7 +43,7 @@ class WorkflowStepsValidator {
     $registryStep = $this->registry->getStep($step->getKey());
     if (!$registryStep) {
       // step not registered (e.g. plugin was deactivated) - allow saving it only if it hasn't changed
-      $currentWorkflow = $this->getCurrentWorkflow($workflow->getId());
+      $currentWorkflow = $this->getCurrentWorkflow($workflow);
       $currentStep = $currentWorkflow ? ($currentWorkflow->getSteps()[$step->getId()] ?? null) : null;
       if (!$currentStep || $step->toArray() !== $currentStep->toArray()) {
         throw Exceptions::workflowStepModifiedWhenUnknown($step);
@@ -56,9 +57,15 @@ class WorkflowStepsValidator {
     }
   }
 
-  private function getCurrentWorkflow(int $id): ?Workflow {
-    if ($this->cachedExistingWorkflow === false) {
-      $this->cachedExistingWorkflow = $this->workflowStorage->getWorkflow($id);
+  private function getCurrentWorkflow(Workflow $workflow): ?Workflow {
+    try {
+      $id = $workflow->getId();
+      if ($this->cachedExistingWorkflow === false) {
+        $this->cachedExistingWorkflow = $this->workflowStorage->getWorkflow($id);
+      }
+    } catch (InvalidStateException $e) {
+      // for new workflows, no workflow ID is set
+      $this->cachedExistingWorkflow = null;
     }
     return $this->cachedExistingWorkflow;
   }