diff --git a/enterprise/server/remote_execution/execution_server/execution_server.go b/enterprise/server/remote_execution/execution_server/execution_server.go
index f06f65982ba..444a1e37e5d 100644
--- a/enterprise/server/remote_execution/execution_server/execution_server.go
+++ b/enterprise/server/remote_execution/execution_server/execution_server.go
@@ -832,7 +832,7 @@ func (s *ExecutionServer) waitExecution(ctx context.Context, req *repb.WaitExecu
 	}
 }
 
-func loopAfterTimeout(ctx context.Context, timeout time.Duration, f func()) {
+func loopAfterTimeout(ctx context.Context, timeout time.Duration, f func() bool) {
 	ticker := time.NewTicker(timeout)
 	defer ticker.Stop()
 	for {
@@ -843,7 +843,9 @@ func loopAfterTimeout(ctx context.Context, timeout time.Duration, f func()) {
 			}
 		case <-ticker.C:
 			{
-				f()
+				if shouldContinue := f(); !shouldContinue {
+					return
+				}
 			}
 		}
 	}
@@ -895,16 +897,18 @@ func (s *ExecutionServer) PublishOperation(stream repb.Execution_PublishOperatio
 	// if no pubsub listener receives our published updates, we *always*
 	// write the execution on stage == COMPLETE or after 5 seconds have
 	// passed with no writes.
-	go loopAfterTimeout(ctx, time.Second, func() {
+	go loopAfterTimeout(ctx, time.Second, func() bool {
 		mu.Lock()
 		defer mu.Unlock()
 		if time.Since(lastWrite) > 5*time.Second && taskID != "" {
 			if err := s.updateExecution(ctx, taskID, stage, lastOp); err != nil {
 				log.CtxWarningf(ctx, "PublishOperation: FlushWrite: error updating execution: %q: %s", taskID, err.Error())
-				return
+				return false
 			}
 			lastWrite = time.Now()
+			return false
 		}
+		return true
 	})
 
 	for {