diff --git a/packages/server/src/api/controllers/query.js b/packages/server/src/api/controllers/query.js
index d584b73e20..737c8c9b01 100644
--- a/packages/server/src/api/controllers/query.js
+++ b/packages/server/src/api/controllers/query.js
@@ -160,8 +160,6 @@ exports.execute = async function (ctx) {
   )
 
   const integration = new Integration(datasource.config)
-  console.log(query)
-  // ctx.body = {}
   // call the relevant CRUD method on the integration class
   ctx.body = formatResponse(await integration[query.queryVerb](enrichedQuery))
   // cleanup
diff --git a/packages/server/src/automations/steps/executeQuery.js b/packages/server/src/automations/steps/executeQuery.js
index f34d994183..1dcb75d0a3 100644
--- a/packages/server/src/automations/steps/executeQuery.js
+++ b/packages/server/src/automations/steps/executeQuery.js
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 const queryController = require("../../api/controllers/query")
+const { buildCtx } = require("./utils")
 
 exports.definition = {
   name: "External Data Connector",
@@ -54,25 +55,20 @@ exports.run = async function ({ inputs, appId, emitter }) {
 
   const { queryId, ...rest } = inputs.query
 
-  const ctx = {
+  const ctx = buildCtx(appId, emitter, {
+    body: {
+      parameters: rest,
+    },
     params: {
       queryId,
     },
-    request: {
-      body: {
-        parameters: rest,
-      },
-    },
-    appId,
-    eventEmitter: emitter,
-  }
-
-  await queryController.execute(ctx)
+  })
 
   try {
+    await queryController.execute(ctx)
     return {
       response: ctx.body,
-      success: ctx.status === 200,
+      success: true,
     }
   } catch (err) {
     return {
diff --git a/packages/server/src/automations/steps/executeScript.js b/packages/server/src/automations/steps/executeScript.js
index b320e38700..68a1071fd1 100644
--- a/packages/server/src/automations/steps/executeScript.js
+++ b/packages/server/src/automations/steps/executeScript.js
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 const scriptController = require("../../api/controllers/script")
+const { buildCtx } = require("./utils")
 
 exports.definition = {
   name: "JS Scripting",
@@ -23,8 +24,7 @@ exports.definition = {
       properties: {
         value: {
           type: "string",
-          description:
-            "The result of the last statement of the executed script.",
+          description: "The result of the return statement",
         },
         success: {
           type: "boolean",
@@ -46,21 +46,17 @@ exports.run = async function ({ inputs, appId, context, emitter }) {
     }
   }
 
-  const ctx = {
-    request: {
-      body: {
-        script: inputs.code,
-        context,
-      },
+  const ctx = buildCtx(appId, emitter, {
+    body: {
+      script: inputs.code,
+      context,
     },
-    user: { appId },
-    eventEmitter: emitter,
-  }
+  })
 
   try {
     await scriptController.execute(ctx)
     return {
-      success: ctx.status === 200,
+      success: true,
       value: ctx.body,
     }
   } catch (err) {
diff --git a/packages/server/src/automations/steps/utils.js b/packages/server/src/automations/steps/utils.js
index 0429c71ca7..83673d0878 100644
--- a/packages/server/src/automations/steps/utils.js
+++ b/packages/server/src/automations/steps/utils.js
@@ -16,3 +16,24 @@ exports.getFetchResponse = async fetched => {
   }
   return { status, message }
 }
+
+// need to make sure all ctx structures have the
+// throw added to them, so that controllers don't
+// throw a ctx.throw undefined when error occurs
+exports.buildCtx = (appId, emitter, { body, params } = {}) => {
+  const ctx = {
+    appId,
+    user: { appId },
+    eventEmitter: emitter,
+    throw: (code, error) => {
+      throw error
+    },
+  }
+  if (body) {
+    ctx.request = { body }
+  }
+  if (params) {
+    ctx.params = params
+  }
+  return ctx
+}