diff --git a/models/actions/run_list.go b/models/actions/run_list.go
index 496cb669b1..726157b12e 100644
--- a/models/actions/run_list.go
+++ b/models/actions/run_list.go
@@ -85,7 +85,7 @@ func (opts FindRunOptions) ToConds() builder.Cond {
 		cond = cond.And(builder.Eq{"`action_run`.commit_sha": opts.CommitSHA})
 	}
 	if opts.ExcludePullRequests {
-		cond = cond.And(builder.Neq{"`action_run`.trigger_event": "pull_request"})
+		cond = cond.And(builder.Neq{"`action_run`.trigger_event": string(webhook_module.HookEventPullRequest)})
 	}
 	if len(opts.ConcurrencyGroup) > 0 {
 		if opts.RepoID == 0 {
diff --git a/routers/api/v1/repo/action.go b/routers/api/v1/repo/action.go
index 143f4b64bd..b05a4e3ad1 100644
--- a/routers/api/v1/repo/action.go
+++ b/routers/api/v1/repo/action.go
@@ -1028,21 +1028,28 @@ func ActionsListWorkflowRuns(ctx *context.APIContext) {
 	//     "$ref": "#/responses/notFound"
 
 	workflowID := ctx.PathParam("workflow_id")
-	runExists, err := db.GetEngine(ctx).
-		Where("repo_id = ? AND workflow_id = ?", ctx.Repo.Repository.ID, workflowID).
-		Exist(&actions_model.ActionRun{})
+	// Existing runs prove the workflow is/was valid and cover historical workflows
+	// whose file was later removed. Fall back to a git lookup for never-run workflows.
+	runExists, err := db.Exist[actions_model.ActionRun](ctx, actions_model.FindRunOptions{
+		RepoID:     ctx.Repo.Repository.ID,
+		WorkflowID: workflowID,
+	}.ToConds())
 	if err != nil {
 		ctx.APIErrorInternal(err)
 		return
 	}
 	if !runExists {
-		ctx.APIError(http.StatusNotFound, util.NewNotExistErrorf("workflow %q not found", workflowID))
-		return
+		if _, err := convert.GetActionWorkflow(ctx, ctx.Repo.GitRepo, ctx.Repo.Repository, workflowID); err != nil {
+			if errors.Is(err, util.ErrNotExist) {
+				ctx.APIError(http.StatusNotFound, err)
+			} else {
+				ctx.APIErrorInternal(err)
+			}
+			return
+		}
 	}
 
-	repoID := ctx.Repo.Repository.ID
-
-	shared.ListRuns(ctx, 0, repoID, workflowID)
+	shared.ListRuns(ctx, 0, ctx.Repo.Repository.ID, workflowID)
 }
 
 func ActionsDisableWorkflow(ctx *context.APIContext) {
diff --git a/routers/api/v1/shared/action.go b/routers/api/v1/shared/action.go
index 9a1e807865..dde724c6ee 100644
--- a/routers/api/v1/shared/action.go
+++ b/routers/api/v1/shared/action.go
@@ -156,9 +156,7 @@ func ListRuns(ctx *context.APIContext, ownerID, repoID int64, workflowID string)
 	if headSHA := ctx.FormString("head_sha"); headSHA != "" {
 		opts.CommitSHA = headSHA
 	}
-	if ctx.FormString("exclude_pull_requests") == "true" {
-		opts.ExcludePullRequests = true
-	}
+	opts.ExcludePullRequests = ctx.FormBool("exclude_pull_requests")
 
 	runs, total, err := db.FindAndCount[actions_model.ActionRun](ctx, opts)
 	if err != nil {
diff --git a/tests/integration/workflow_run_api_check_test.go b/tests/integration/workflow_run_api_check_test.go
index f518c161a0..db0a8d074a 100644
--- a/tests/integration/workflow_run_api_check_test.go
+++ b/tests/integration/workflow_run_api_check_test.go
@@ -58,6 +58,19 @@ func testAPIWorkflowRunsByWorkflowID(t *testing.T, owner, repo, workflowID, user
 	}
 	assert.True(t, found, "expected to find run with ID %d in workflow %s runs", expectedRunID, workflowID)
 
+	req = NewRequest(t, "GET", workflowRunsURL+"?exclude_pull_requests=true").AddTokenAuth(token)
+	resp = MakeRequest(t, req, http.StatusOK)
+	excludedList := api.ActionWorkflowRunsResponse{}
+	DecodeJSON(t, resp, &excludedList)
+	excludedFound := false
+	for _, run := range excludedList.Entries {
+		assert.NotEqual(t, "pull_request", run.Event)
+		if run.ID == expectedRunID {
+			excludedFound = true
+		}
+	}
+	assert.True(t, excludedFound, "expected to find run with ID %d when excluding pull requests", expectedRunID)
+
 	req = NewRequest(t, "GET", fmt.Sprintf("/api/v1/repos/%s/%s/actions/workflows/nonexistent.yaml/runs", owner, repo)).AddTokenAuth(token)
 	MakeRequest(t, req, http.StatusNotFound)
 }