Command `apify run -i` fails to load input on 2nd execution due to leftover metadata files

[vdusek]

Description

• When running an Apify Actor twice in a row using apify run -i 'some input', the first execution works as expected, but the second one fails to load the input - it returns None.
• It appears that metadata files from the previous run remain in local storage, preventing the new input from being correctly loaded.

Reproduction

Very simple Python Actor:

import asyncio
from apify import Actor

async def main() -> None:
    async with Actor:
        actor_input = await Actor.get_input()
        Actor.log.info(f'Input: {actor_input}')

if __name__ == '__main__':
    asyncio.run(main())

Execute it twice in a row:

uv run apify run -i '{ "days_reminder_long": 2000, "days_reminder_short": 2000, "days_urgent": 2000 }'
uv run apify run -i '{ "days_reminder_long": 2000, "days_reminder_short": 2000, "days_urgent": 2000 }'

Expected behavior

• Each run should receive the provided input, regardless of previous executions.

Actual behavior

• First run works correctly and logs the input.
• Second run logs Input: None.
• It seems that leftover metadata files from the first run are not cleared and interfere with input loading.

Root cause and potential fix

• The SDK creates a metadata file for each INPUT file:
  • If the CLI creates INPUT.json, the SDK creates INPUT.json.__metadata__.json.
  • If a user manually creates an INPUT file (without extension), the SDK creates INPUT.__metadata__.json.
• The problem: when the CLI detects an existing INPUT.json.__metadata__.json, it skips creating INPUT.json silently, resulting in a missing input and None being returned.

Additional context

• Related Slack discussion: link