diff --git a/packages/node_modules/@node-red/runtime/lib/nodes/flows/util.js b/packages/node_modules/@node-red/runtime/lib/nodes/flows/util.js
index b67ab6b43..b6074d792 100644
--- a/packages/node_modules/@node-red/runtime/lib/nodes/flows/util.js
+++ b/packages/node_modules/@node-red/runtime/lib/nodes/flows/util.js
@@ -479,7 +479,7 @@ module.exports = {
                     }
                 }
                 try {
-                    conf._flow = flow;
+                    Object.defineProperty(conf,'_flow', {value: flow, enumerable: false, writable: true })
                     newNode = new nodeTypeConstructor(conf);
                 } catch (err) {
                     Log.log({