diff --git a/backend/src/backup_tool/execution.py b/backend/src/backup_tool/execution.py
index 7dd2d42..49bb2c9 100644
--- a/backend/src/backup_tool/execution.py
+++ b/backend/src/backup_tool/execution.py
@@ -54,9 +54,9 @@ async def enqueue(db: AsyncSession, job_id: str, trigger: str = "manual") -> Exe
     job_identifier = job.id
     execution = Execution(job_id=job_identifier, trigger=trigger, progress={})
     db.add(execution)
-    await db.flush()
-    await record_event(db, execution)
     try:
+        await db.flush()
+        await record_event(db, execution)
         await db.commit()
     except IntegrityError as error:
         await db.rollback()
@@ -69,8 +69,6 @@ async def enqueue(db: AsyncSession, job_id: str, trigger: str = "manual") -> Exe
             "execution_active", "Job already has an active execution.", existing
         ) from error
     await db.refresh(execution)
-    await record_event(db, execution)
-    await db.commit()
     return execution
 
 
@@ -92,11 +90,10 @@ async def claim(
     if getattr(result, "rowcount", 0) != 1:
         await db.rollback()
         return None
-    await db.commit()
     execution = await db.get(Execution, execution_id)
     if execution is not None:
         await record_event(db, execution)
-        await db.commit()
+    await db.commit()
     return execution
 
 
@@ -135,11 +132,10 @@ async def request_cancellation(db: AsyncSession, execution_id: str) -> Execution
     if getattr(result, "rowcount", 0) != 1:
         await db.rollback()
         return None
-    await db.commit()
     execution = await db.get(Execution, execution_id)
     if execution is not None:
         await record_event(db, execution)
-        await db.commit()
+    await db.commit()
     return execution
 
 
@@ -159,8 +155,14 @@ async def complete_cancellation(db: AsyncSession, execution_id: str, owner: str)
             lease_expires_at=None,
         )
     )
+    if getattr(result, "rowcount", 0) != 1:
+        await db.rollback()
+        return False
+    execution = await db.get(Execution, execution_id)
+    if execution is not None:
+        await record_event(db, execution)
     await db.commit()
-    return getattr(result, "rowcount", 0) == 1
+    return True
 
 
 async def retry(db: AsyncSession, execution_id: str) -> Execution | None:
@@ -176,6 +178,7 @@ async def retry(db: AsyncSession, execution_id: str) -> Execution | None:
     execution.heartbeat_at = None
     execution.reason_code = None
     execution.operator_message = None
+    await record_event(db, execution)
     try:
         await db.commit()
     except IntegrityError as error:
@@ -189,8 +192,6 @@ async def retry(db: AsyncSession, execution_id: str) -> Execution | None:
             "execution_active", "Job already has an active execution.", active_id
         ) from error
     await db.refresh(execution)
-    await record_event(db, execution)
-    await db.commit()
     return execution
 
 
@@ -237,32 +238,29 @@ def public_event(execution: Execution) -> dict[str, object]:
 
 
 async def recover_stale(db: AsyncSession) -> int:
+    """Atomically recover expired executions and append one event per mutation."""
     now = datetime.now(UTC)
-    cancelled = await db.execute(
-        update(Execution)
-        .where(Execution.state == "cancelling", Execution.lease_expires_at < now)
-        .values(
-            state="cancelled",
-            completed_at=now,
-            lease_owner=None,
-            lease_expires_at=None,
-            heartbeat_at=None,
-            reason_code="cancellation_requested",
-        )
-    )
-    recovered = await db.execute(
-        update(Execution)
-        .where(
-            Execution.state.in_({"preparing", "running", "verifying"}),
-            Execution.lease_expires_at < now,
-        )
-        .values(
-            state="queued",
-            lease_owner=None,
-            lease_expires_at=None,
-            heartbeat_at=None,
-            reason_code="worker_lost",
-        )
+    executions = list(
+        (
+            await db.scalars(
+                select(Execution).where(
+                    Execution.state.in_({"preparing", "running", "verifying", "cancelling"}),
+                    Execution.lease_expires_at < now,
+                )
+            )
+        ).all()
     )
+    for execution in executions:
+        if execution.state == "cancelling":
+            execution.state = "cancelled"
+            execution.completed_at = now
+            execution.reason_code = "cancellation_requested"
+        else:
+            execution.state = "queued"
+            execution.reason_code = "worker_lost"
+        execution.lease_owner = None
+        execution.lease_expires_at = None
+        execution.heartbeat_at = None
+        await record_event(db, execution)
     await db.commit()
-    return (getattr(cancelled, "rowcount", 0) or 0) + (getattr(recovered, "rowcount", 0) or 0)
+    return len(executions)
diff --git a/backend/src/backup_tool/worker.py b/backend/src/backup_tool/worker.py
index ae537e9..5837443 100644
--- a/backend/src/backup_tool/worker.py
+++ b/backend/src/backup_tool/worker.py
@@ -17,7 +17,14 @@ from sqlalchemy.ext.asyncio import async_sessionmaker
 from backup_tool.config import Settings
 from backup_tool.db.engine import create_engine
 from backup_tool.db.models import Execution
-from backup_tool.execution import claim, complete_cancellation, heartbeat, recover_stale, transition
+from backup_tool.execution import (
+    claim,
+    complete_cancellation,
+    heartbeat,
+    record_event,
+    recover_stale,
+    transition,
+)
 
 
 class Worker:
@@ -51,7 +58,7 @@ class Worker:
                 await complete_cancellation(db, execution.id, self.owner)
                 return True
             now = datetime.now(UTC)
-            await db.execute(
+            result = await db.execute(
                 update(Execution)
                 .where(
                     Execution.id == execution.id,
@@ -61,6 +68,9 @@ class Worker:
                 )
                 .values(state=transition("preparing", "running"), started_at=now)
             )
+            if getattr(result, "rowcount", 0) == 1:
+                await db.refresh(execution)
+                await record_event(db, execution)
             await db.commit()
             await heartbeat(db, execution.id, self.owner)
             return True