diff --git a/cmd/ateapi/internal/controlapi/workflow_resume.go b/cmd/ateapi/internal/controlapi/workflow_resume.go
index a41036ba2..d5b557e78 100644
--- a/cmd/ateapi/internal/controlapi/workflow_resume.go
+++ b/cmd/ateapi/internal/controlapi/workflow_resume.go
@@ -195,7 +195,7 @@ func (s *AssignWorkerStep) Execute(ctx context.Context, input *ResumeInput, stat
 		// to the free pool — nothing else reclaims a healthy worker whose
 		// actor moved on to a different pool. Best effort in the background.
 		go func(release *ateapipb.Worker) {
-			bgCtx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(ctx, 10*time.Second)
+			bgCtx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(context.Background(), 10*time.Second)
 			defer cancel()
 			if err := s.store.UpdateWorker(bgCtx, release, release.Version); err != nil {
 				slog.ErrorContext(bgCtx, "Failed to release stale worker assignment",