diff --git a/packages/backend-core/src/db/couch/DatabaseImpl.ts b/packages/backend-core/src/db/couch/DatabaseImpl.ts
index 29ca4123f5..89f76769b3 100644
--- a/packages/backend-core/src/db/couch/DatabaseImpl.ts
+++ b/packages/backend-core/src/db/couch/DatabaseImpl.ts
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ import {
   DatabasePutOpts,
   DatabaseCreateIndexOpts,
   DatabaseDeleteIndexOpts,
+  DocExistsResponse,
   Document,
   isDocument,
 } from "@budibase/types"
@@ -120,6 +121,19 @@ export class DatabaseImpl implements Database {
     return this.updateOutput(() => db.get(id))
   }
 
+  async docExists(docId: string): Promise<DocExistsResponse> {
+    const db = await this.checkSetup()
+    let _rev, exists
+    try {
+      const { etag } = await db.head(docId)
+      _rev = etag
+      exists = true
+    } catch (err) {
+      exists = false
+    }
+    return { _rev, exists }
+  }
+
   async remove(idOrDoc: string | Document, rev?: string) {
     const db = await this.checkSetup()
     let _id: string
diff --git a/packages/server/src/api/controllers/application.ts b/packages/server/src/api/controllers/application.ts
index c5556479fe..f8b6bd6d16 100644
--- a/packages/server/src/api/controllers/application.ts
+++ b/packages/server/src/api/controllers/application.ts
@@ -39,9 +39,8 @@ import {
 } from "../../db/defaultData/datasource_bb_default"
 import { removeAppFromUserRoles } from "../../utilities/workerRequests"
 import { stringToReadStream } from "../../utilities"
-import { doesUserHaveLock, getLocksById } from "../../utilities/redis"
+import { doesUserHaveLock } from "../../utilities/redis"
 import { cleanupAutomations } from "../../automations/utils"
-import { checkAppMetadata } from "../../automations/logging"
 import { getUniqueRows } from "../../utilities/usageQuota/rows"
 import { groups, licensing, quotas } from "@budibase/pro"
 import {
@@ -51,7 +50,6 @@ import {
   PlanType,
   Screen,
   UserCtx,
-  ContextUser,
 } from "@budibase/types"
 import { BASE_LAYOUT_PROP_IDS } from "../../constants/layouts"
 import sdk from "../../sdk"
diff --git a/packages/server/src/api/controllers/automation.ts b/packages/server/src/api/controllers/automation.ts
index a4697f99f2..c861782a02 100644
--- a/packages/server/src/api/controllers/automation.ts
+++ b/packages/server/src/api/controllers/automation.ts
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ import {
   Automation,
   AutomationActionStepId,
   AutomationResults,
-  BBContext,
+  Ctx,
 } from "@budibase/types"
 import { getActionDefinitions as actionDefs } from "../../automations/actions"
 import sdk from "../../sdk"
@@ -73,7 +73,7 @@ function cleanAutomationInputs(automation: Automation) {
   return automation
 }
 
-export async function create(ctx: BBContext) {
+export async function create(ctx: Ctx) {
   const db = context.getAppDB()
   let automation = ctx.request.body
   automation.appId = ctx.appId
@@ -142,7 +142,7 @@ export async function handleStepEvents(
   }
 }
 
-export async function update(ctx: BBContext) {
+export async function update(ctx: Ctx) {
   const db = context.getAppDB()
   let automation = ctx.request.body
   automation.appId = ctx.appId
@@ -193,7 +193,7 @@ export async function update(ctx: BBContext) {
   builderSocket?.emitAutomationUpdate(ctx, automation)
 }
 
-export async function fetch(ctx: BBContext) {
+export async function fetch(ctx: Ctx) {
   const db = context.getAppDB()
   const response = await db.allDocs(
     getAutomationParams(null, {
@@ -203,12 +203,11 @@ export async function fetch(ctx: BBContext) {
   ctx.body = response.rows.map(row => row.doc)
 }
 
-export async function find(ctx: BBContext) {
-  const db = context.getAppDB()
-  ctx.body = await db.get(ctx.params.id)
+export async function find(ctx: Ctx) {
+  ctx.body = await sdk.automations.get(ctx.params.id)
 }
 
-export async function destroy(ctx: BBContext) {
+export async function destroy(ctx: Ctx) {
   const db = context.getAppDB()
   const automationId = ctx.params.id
   const oldAutomation = await db.get<Automation>(automationId)
@@ -222,11 +221,11 @@ export async function destroy(ctx: BBContext) {
   builderSocket?.emitAutomationDeletion(ctx, automationId)
 }
 
-export async function logSearch(ctx: BBContext) {
+export async function logSearch(ctx: Ctx) {
   ctx.body = await automations.logs.logSearch(ctx.request.body)
 }
 
-export async function clearLogError(ctx: BBContext) {
+export async function clearLogError(ctx: Ctx) {
   const { automationId, appId } = ctx.request.body
   await context.doInAppContext(appId, async () => {
     const db = context.getProdAppDB()
@@ -245,15 +244,15 @@ export async function clearLogError(ctx: BBContext) {
   })
 }
 
-export async function getActionList(ctx: BBContext) {
+export async function getActionList(ctx: Ctx) {
   ctx.body = await getActionDefinitions()
 }
 
-export async function getTriggerList(ctx: BBContext) {
+export async function getTriggerList(ctx: Ctx) {
   ctx.body = getTriggerDefinitions()
 }
 
-export async function getDefinitionList(ctx: BBContext) {
+export async function getDefinitionList(ctx: Ctx) {
   ctx.body = {
     trigger: getTriggerDefinitions(),
     action: await getActionDefinitions(),
@@ -266,7 +265,7 @@ export async function getDefinitionList(ctx: BBContext) {
  *                   *
  *********************/
 
-export async function trigger(ctx: BBContext) {
+export async function trigger(ctx: Ctx) {
   const db = context.getAppDB()
   let automation = await db.get<Automation>(ctx.params.id)
 
@@ -311,7 +310,7 @@ function prepareTestInput(input: any) {
   return input
 }
 
-export async function test(ctx: BBContext) {
+export async function test(ctx: Ctx) {
   const db = context.getAppDB()
   let automation = await db.get<Automation>(ctx.params.id)
   await setTestFlag(automation._id!)
diff --git a/packages/server/src/automations/triggers.ts b/packages/server/src/automations/triggers.ts
index 922bc10343..9cc8c6b077 100644
--- a/packages/server/src/automations/triggers.ts
+++ b/packages/server/src/automations/triggers.ts
@@ -6,11 +6,11 @@ import { isDevAppID } from "../db/utils"
 // need this to call directly, so we can get a response
 import { automationQueue } from "./bullboard"
 import { checkTestFlag } from "../utilities/redis"
-import * as utils from "./utils"
 import env from "../environment"
 import { context, db as dbCore } from "@budibase/backend-core"
 import { Automation, Row, AutomationData, AutomationJob } from "@budibase/types"
 import { executeSynchronously } from "../threads/automation"
+import sdk from "../sdk"
 
 export const TRIGGER_DEFINITIONS = definitions
 const JOB_OPTS = {
@@ -142,7 +142,7 @@ export async function rebootTrigger() {
       let automations = await getAllAutomations()
       let rebootEvents = []
       for (let automation of automations) {
-        if (utils.isRebootTrigger(automation)) {
+        if (sdk.automations.isReboot(automation)) {
           const job = {
             automation,
             event: {
diff --git a/packages/server/src/automations/utils.ts b/packages/server/src/automations/utils.ts
index 194eff5b32..add5637bfd 100644
--- a/packages/server/src/automations/utils.ts
+++ b/packages/server/src/automations/utils.ts
@@ -128,19 +128,6 @@ export async function clearMetadata() {
   await db.bulkDocs(automationMetadata)
 }
 
-export function isCronTrigger(auto: Automation) {
-  return (
-    auto &&
-    auto.definition.trigger &&
-    auto.definition.trigger.stepId === CRON_STEP_ID
-  )
-}
-
-export function isRebootTrigger(auto: Automation) {
-  const trigger = auto ? auto.definition.trigger : null
-  return isCronTrigger(auto) && trigger?.inputs.cron === REBOOT_CRON
-}
-
 /**
  * This function handles checking of any cron jobs that need to be enabled/updated.
  * @param {string} appId The ID of the app in which we are checking for webhooks
@@ -148,13 +135,15 @@ export function isRebootTrigger(auto: Automation) {
  */
 export async function enableCronTrigger(appId: any, automation: Automation) {
   const trigger = automation ? automation.definition.trigger : null
+  const validCron =
+    sdk.automations.isCron(automation) &&
+    trigger?.inputs.cron
+  const needsCreated =
+    !sdk.automations.isReboot(automation) &&
+    !sdk.automations.disabled(automation)
 
   // need to create cron job
-  if (
-    isCronTrigger(automation) &&
-    !isRebootTrigger(automation) &&
-    trigger?.inputs.cron
-  ) {
+  if (validCron && needsCreated) {
     // make a job id rather than letting Bull decide, makes it easier to handle on way out
     const jobId = `${appId}_cron_${newid()}`
     const job: any = await automationQueue.add(
diff --git a/packages/server/src/sdk/app/automations/automations.ts b/packages/server/src/sdk/app/automations/automations.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..80f84c90e2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/server/src/sdk/app/automations/automations.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,38 @@
+import { context } from "@budibase/backend-core"
+import { Automation, AutomationState, DocumentType } from "@budibase/types"
+import { definitions } from "../../../automations/triggerInfo"
+
+const REBOOT_CRON = "@reboot"
+
+export async function exists(automationId: string) {
+  if (!automationId?.startsWith(DocumentType.AUTOMATION)) {
+    throw new Error("Invalid automation ID.")
+  }
+  const db = context.getAppDB()
+  return db.docExists(automationId)
+}
+
+export async function get(automationId: string) {
+  const db = context.getAppDB()
+  return (await db.get(automationId)) as Automation
+}
+
+export function disabled(automation: Automation) {
+  return automation.state === AutomationState.DISABLED || !hasSteps(automation)
+}
+
+export function isCron(automation: Automation) {
+  return (
+    automation?.definition.trigger &&
+    automation?.definition.trigger.stepId === definitions.CRON.stepId
+  )
+}
+
+export function isReboot(automation: Automation) {
+  const trigger = automation?.definition.trigger
+  return isCron(automation) && trigger?.inputs.cron === REBOOT_CRON
+}
+
+export function hasSteps(automation: Automation) {
+  return automation?.definition?.steps?.length > 0
+}
diff --git a/packages/server/src/sdk/app/automations/index.ts b/packages/server/src/sdk/app/automations/index.ts
index 16530cf085..540d5545fc 100644
--- a/packages/server/src/sdk/app/automations/index.ts
+++ b/packages/server/src/sdk/app/automations/index.ts
@@ -1,7 +1,9 @@
 import * as webhook from "./webhook"
 import * as utils from "./utils"
+import * as automations from "./automations"
 
 export default {
   webhook,
   utils,
+  ...automations,
 }
diff --git a/packages/server/src/threads/automation.ts b/packages/server/src/threads/automation.ts
index bc0629a939..5a79444531 100644
--- a/packages/server/src/threads/automation.ts
+++ b/packages/server/src/threads/automation.ts
@@ -1,10 +1,9 @@
 import { default as threadUtils } from "./utils"
 import { Job } from "bull"
-threadUtils.threadSetup()
 import {
-  isRecurring,
   disableCronById,
   isErrorInOutput,
+  isRecurring,
 } from "../automations/utils"
 import * as actions from "../automations/actions"
 import * as automationUtils from "../automations/automationUtils"
@@ -15,17 +14,17 @@ import { AutomationErrors, MAX_AUTOMATION_RECURRING_ERRORS } from "../constants"
 import { storeLog } from "../automations/logging"
 import {
   Automation,
-  AutomationStep,
-  AutomationStatus,
-  AutomationMetadata,
-  AutomationJob,
   AutomationData,
+  AutomationJob,
+  AutomationMetadata,
+  AutomationStatus,
+  AutomationStep,
 } from "@budibase/types"
 import {
-  LoopStep,
-  LoopInput,
-  TriggerOutput,
   AutomationContext,
+  LoopInput,
+  LoopStep,
+  TriggerOutput,
 } from "../definitions/automations"
 import { WorkerCallback } from "./definitions"
 import { context, logging } from "@budibase/backend-core"
@@ -34,6 +33,10 @@ import { cloneDeep } from "lodash/fp"
 import { performance } from "perf_hooks"
 import * as sdkUtils from "../sdk/utils"
 import env from "../environment"
+import sdk from "../sdk"
+
+threadUtils.threadSetup()
+
 const FILTER_STEP_ID = actions.BUILTIN_ACTION_DEFINITIONS.FILTER.stepId
 const LOOP_STEP_ID = actions.BUILTIN_ACTION_DEFINITIONS.LOOP.stepId
 const CRON_STEP_ID = triggerDefs.CRON.stepId
@@ -514,7 +517,8 @@ class Orchestrator {
 
 export function execute(job: Job<AutomationData>, callback: WorkerCallback) {
   const appId = job.data.event.appId
-  const automationId = job.data.automation._id
+  const automation = job.data.automation
+  const automationId = automation._id
   if (!appId) {
     throw new Error("Unable to execute, event doesn't contain app ID.")
   }
@@ -525,10 +529,30 @@ export function execute(job: Job<AutomationData>, callback: WorkerCallback) {
     appId,
     automationId,
     task: async () => {
+      let automation = job.data.automation,
+        isCron = sdk.automations.isCron(job.data.automation),
+        notFound = false
+      try {
+        automation = await sdk.automations.get(automationId)
+      } catch (err: any) {
+        // automation no longer exists
+        notFound = err
+      }
+      const disabled = sdk.automations.disabled(automation)
+      const stopAutomation = disabled || notFound
       const envVars = await sdkUtils.getEnvironmentVariables()
       // put into automation thread for whole context
       await context.doInEnvironmentContext(envVars, async () => {
         const automationOrchestrator = new Orchestrator(job)
+        // hard stop on automations
+        if (isCron && stopAutomation) {
+          await automationOrchestrator.stopCron(
+            disabled ? "disabled" : "not_found"
+          )
+        }
+        if (stopAutomation) {
+          return
+        }
         try {
           const response = await automationOrchestrator.execute()
           callback(null, response)
@@ -557,11 +581,10 @@ export function executeSynchronously(job: Job) {
     // put into automation thread for whole context
     return context.doInEnvironmentContext(envVars, async () => {
       const automationOrchestrator = new Orchestrator(job)
-      const response = await Promise.race([
+      return await Promise.race([
         automationOrchestrator.execute(),
         timeoutPromise,
       ])
-      return response
     })
   })
 }
diff --git a/packages/types/src/documents/app/automation.ts b/packages/types/src/documents/app/automation.ts
index d1dbbec21b..05ac76d5e9 100644
--- a/packages/types/src/documents/app/automation.ts
+++ b/packages/types/src/documents/app/automation.ts
@@ -100,6 +100,10 @@ export const AutomationStepIdArray = [
   ...Object.values(AutomationTriggerStepId),
 ]
 
+export enum AutomationState {
+  DISABLED = "disabled",
+}
+
 export interface Automation extends Document {
   definition: {
     steps: AutomationStep[]
@@ -112,6 +116,7 @@ export interface Automation extends Document {
   name: string
   internal?: boolean
   type?: string
+  state?: AutomationState
 }
 
 interface BaseIOStructure {
diff --git a/packages/types/src/sdk/db.ts b/packages/types/src/sdk/db.ts
index e07cc82fd2..9ac8ff26d4 100644
--- a/packages/types/src/sdk/db.ts
+++ b/packages/types/src/sdk/db.ts
@@ -40,6 +40,11 @@ export type DatabasePutOpts = {
   force?: boolean
 }
 
+export type DocExistsResponse = {
+  _rev?: string
+  exists: boolean
+}
+
 export type DatabaseCreateIndexOpts = {
   index: {
     fields: string[]
@@ -90,6 +95,7 @@ export interface Database {
   exists(): Promise<boolean>
   checkSetup(): Promise<Nano.DocumentScope<any>>
   get<T>(id?: string): Promise<T>
+  docExists(id: string): Promise<DocExistsResponse>
   remove(
     id: string | Document,
     rev?: string