diff --git a/shared/workspaces/workspaces/workflow/services/workflow_service.py b/shared/workspaces/workspaces/workflow/services/workflow_service.py
index 894eb03c73bb424266a4f8851f08b4dbcf29b067..78d2e872b599a5b081692c25e6bb319e486ea848 100644
--- a/shared/workspaces/workspaces/workflow/services/workflow_service.py
+++ b/shared/workspaces/workspaces/workflow/services/workflow_service.py
@@ -1107,6 +1107,11 @@ class WorkflowMessageHandler:
 
             if wf_request.workflow_name == "carta":
                 wf_key = "carta-instance-ready"
+                if event_type == "complete":
+                    # carta exist by killing its processes which condor reads as an error.
+                    # A 'normal' exit 0 for carta is actually a failure and the carta_complete message doesn't exist.
+                    # fix message type
+                    event_type = "failed"
             else:
                 wf_key = wf_request.workflow_name