How To Handle AWS Lambda Node.js 18 End of Support for Referenced Functions

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If you’re noticing AWS Health Dashboard events related to Node.js 18 Lambda functions that no longer exist, the issue likely stems from Lambda@Edge functions or CloudFormation stacks that didn’t fully delete.

This problem is common with Lambda@Edge functions because they are automatically copied across multiple AWS regions and CloudFront locations. When a CloudFormation stack that contains these functions is deleted, the copies can sometimes stay behind. The AWS Health Dashboard then continues to show these “ghost” functions as if they are still affected by the Node.js 18 end of support.

To fix this, start by checking if these functions are Lambda@Edge by inspecting the ARNs displayed in the Health Dashboard events. If they are Lambda@Edge, you’ll need to manually remove the lingering copies. To do that, go to the AWS Lambda console, look for functions with similar names, and check their “Versions” tab for any remaining versions. Delete all these versions, including the main function, to clean up the leftovers.

If the functions were managed by CloudFormation stacks that were deleted but left some Lambda resources behind, you’ll have to restart the deletion process for any stacks stuck with a DELETE_FAILED status. During this process, make sure to select the option to retain the Lambda resources before completing the deletion. Once the stacks are successfully deleted, go ahead and manually delete any remaining Lambda functions.

For Lambda functions other than Lambda@Edge that were deleted but still show up in the Health Dashboard, the events should eventually clear once AWS’s systems update. But if they don’t, reaching out to AWS Support may be necessary to remove these incorrect references.

Keep in mind that AWS regularly phases out older runtime versions of Lambda, and Node.js 18 is now out of support. If you have any Lambda functions still running Node.js 18, it’s best to update them to a currently supported runtime like Node.js 20 or 22.

Sources for more help include AWS documentation and community posts on handling Lambda@Edge deletions and runtime updates.