diff --git a/fasttask/plugin/plugin.go b/fasttask/plugin/plugin.go
index a8689545cc..d33ec1b629 100644
--- a/fasttask/plugin/plugin.go
+++ b/fasttask/plugin/plugin.go
@@ -31,7 +31,10 @@ import (
 
 const fastTaskType = "fast-task"
 
-var statusUpdateNotFoundError = errors.New("StatusUpdateNotFound")
+var (
+	statusUpdateNotFoundError = errors.New("StatusUpdateNotFound")
+	taskContextNotFoundError  = errors.New("TaskContextNotFound")
+)
 
 type SubmissionPhase int
 
@@ -285,7 +288,7 @@ func (p *Plugin) Handle(ctx context.Context, tCtx core.TaskExecutionContext) (co
 		phase, reason, err := p.fastTaskService.CheckStatus(ctx, taskID, fastTaskEnvironment.GetQueueId(), pluginState.WorkerID)
 
 		now := time.Now()
-		if err != nil && !errors.Is(err, statusUpdateNotFoundError) {
+		if err != nil && !errors.Is(err, statusUpdateNotFoundError) && !errors.Is(err, taskContextNotFoundError) {
 			return core.UnknownTransition, err
 		} else if errors.Is(err, statusUpdateNotFoundError) && now.Sub(pluginState.LastUpdated) > GetConfig().GracePeriodStatusNotFound.Duration {
 			// if task has not been updated within the grace period we should abort
diff --git a/fasttask/plugin/service.go b/fasttask/plugin/service.go
index 55dd46c756..2f8003f45f 100644
--- a/fasttask/plugin/service.go
+++ b/fasttask/plugin/service.go
@@ -348,7 +348,7 @@ func (f *fastTaskServiceImpl) CheckStatus(ctx context.Context, taskID, queueID,
 		// if this plugin restarts then TaskContexts may not exist for tasks that are still active. we can
 		// create a TaskContext here because we ensure it will be cleaned up when the task completes.
 		f.taskStatusChannels.Store(taskID, make(chan *workerTaskStatus, GetConfig().TaskStatusBufferSize))
-		return core.PhaseUndefined, "", fmt.Errorf("task context not found")
+		return core.PhaseUndefined, "", fmt.Errorf("task context not found: %w", taskContextNotFoundError)
 	}
 
 	taskStatusChannel := taskStatusChannelResult.(chan *workerTaskStatus)
diff --git a/fasttask/plugin/service_test.go b/fasttask/plugin/service_test.go
index 2d63f0591e..612b93e4aa 100644
--- a/fasttask/plugin/service_test.go
+++ b/fasttask/plugin/service_test.go
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ func TestCheckStatus(t *testing.T) {
 			workerID:      "w1",
 			taskStatuses:  nil,
 			expectedPhase: core.PhaseUndefined,
-			expectedError: fmt.Errorf("task context not found"),
+			expectedError: fmt.Errorf("task context not found: %w", taskContextNotFoundError),
 		},
 		{
 			name:          "NoUpdates",