diff --git a/threadFramework.go b/threadFramework.go
index 6a3315a6..ff6032d5 100644
--- a/threadFramework.go
+++ b/threadFramework.go
@@ -60,49 +60,34 @@ func RegisterExternalWorker(worker WorkerExtension) {
 
 // startExternalWorkerPipe creates a pipe from an external worker to the main worker.
 func startExternalWorkerPipe(w *worker, externalWorker WorkerExtension, thread *phpThread) {
-	go func() {
-		defer func() {
-			if r := recover(); r != nil {
-				logger.LogAttrs(context.Background(), slog.LevelError, "external worker pipe panicked", slog.String("worker", w.name), slog.Any("panic", r))
-			}
-		}()
+	for {
+		rq := externalWorker.ProvideRequest()
 
-		for {
-			var rq *WorkerRequest
-			func() {
-				defer func() {
-					if r := recover(); r != nil {
-						logger.LogAttrs(context.Background(), slog.LevelError, "ProvideRequest panicked", slog.String("worker", w.name), slog.Any("panic", r))
-						rq = nil
-					}
+		if rq == nil || rq.Request == nil {
+			logger.LogAttrs(context.Background(), slog.LevelWarn, "external worker provided nil request", slog.String("worker", w.name))
+			continue
+		}
+
+		r := rq.Request
+		fr, err := NewRequestWithContext(r, WithOriginalRequest(r), WithWorkerName(w.name))
+		if err != nil {
+			logger.LogAttrs(context.Background(), slog.LevelError, "error creating request for external worker", slog.String("worker", w.name), slog.Any("error", err))
+			continue
+		}
+
+		if fc, ok := fromContext(fr.Context()); ok {
+			fc.responseWriter = rq.Response
+
+			// Queue the request and wait for completion if Done channel was provided
+			logger.LogAttrs(context.Background(), slog.LevelInfo, "queue the external worker request", slog.String("worker", w.name))
+
+			w.requestChan <- fc
+			if rq.Done != nil {
+				go func() {
+					<-fc.done
+					close(rq.Done)
 				}()
-				rq = externalWorker.ProvideRequest()
-			}()
-
-			if rq == nil || rq.Request == nil {
-				logger.LogAttrs(context.Background(), slog.LevelWarn, "external worker provided nil request", slog.String("worker", w.name))
-				continue
-			}
-
-			r := rq.Request
-			fr, err := NewRequestWithContext(r, WithOriginalRequest(r), WithWorkerName(w.name))
-			if err != nil {
-				logger.LogAttrs(context.Background(), slog.LevelError, "error creating request for external worker", slog.String("worker", w.name), slog.Any("error", err))
-				continue
-			}
-
-			if fc, ok := fromContext(fr.Context()); ok {
-				fc.responseWriter = rq.Response
-
-				// Queue the request and wait for completion if Done channel was provided
-				w.requestChan <- fc
-				if rq.Done != nil {
-					go func() {
-						<-fc.done
-						close(rq.Done)
-					}()
-				}
 			}
 		}
-	}()
+	}
 }
diff --git a/worker.go b/worker.go
index 39417e65..dcc07444 100644
--- a/worker.go
+++ b/worker.go
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ func initWorkers(opt []workerOpt) error {
 				// create a pipe from the external worker to the main worker
 				// note: this is locked to the initial thread size the external worker requested
 				if workerThread, ok := thread.handler.(*workerThread); ok && workerThread.externalWorker != nil {
-					startExternalWorkerPipe(w, workerThread.externalWorker, thread)
+					go startExternalWorkerPipe(w, workerThread.externalWorker, thread)
 				}
 				workersReady.Done()
 			}()