diff --git a/internal/datastore/common/gc.go b/internal/datastore/common/gc.go
index 729739273e..fdf3430c24 100644
--- a/internal/datastore/common/gc.go
+++ b/internal/datastore/common/gc.go
@@ -196,7 +196,7 @@ func RunGarbageCollection(gc GarbageCollector, window, timeout time.Duration) er
 	}
 
 	defer func() {
-		err := gc.UnlockAfterGCRun(ctx)
+		err := gc.UnlockAfterGCRun(context.Background())
 		if err != nil {
 			log.Error().
 				Err(err).
diff --git a/internal/datastore/common/gc_test.go b/internal/datastore/common/gc_test.go
index 60a1db203e..796efabf03 100644
--- a/internal/datastore/common/gc_test.go
+++ b/internal/datastore/common/gc_test.go
@@ -23,6 +23,8 @@ type fakeGC struct {
 	deleter      gcDeleter
 	metrics      gcMetrics
 	lock         sync.RWMutex
+	wasLocked    bool
+	wasUnlocked  bool
 }
 
 type gcMetrics struct {
@@ -39,11 +41,27 @@ func newFakeGC(deleter gcDeleter) fakeGC {
 	}
 }
 
-func (*fakeGC) LockForGCRun(ctx context.Context) (bool, error) {
+func (f *fakeGC) LockForGCRun(ctx context.Context) (bool, error) {
+	if f.wasLocked {
+		return false, fmt.Errorf("already locked")
+	}
+	f.wasLocked = true
 	return true, nil
 }
 
-func (*fakeGC) UnlockAfterGCRun(ctx context.Context) error {
+func (f *fakeGC) UnlockAfterGCRun(ctx context.Context) error {
+	if ctx.Err() != nil {
+		return ctx.Err()
+	}
+
+	if !f.wasLocked {
+		return fmt.Errorf("not locked")
+	}
+
+	if f.wasUnlocked {
+		return fmt.Errorf("already unlocked")
+	}
+	f.wasUnlocked = true
 	return nil
 }
 
@@ -227,3 +245,23 @@ func TestGCFailureBackoffReset(t *testing.T) {
 	// the GC enough time to run.
 	require.Greater(t, gc.GetMetrics().markedCompleteCount, 20, "Next interval was not reset with backoff")
 }
+
+func TestGCUnlockOnTimeout(t *testing.T) {
+	gc := newFakeGC(alwaysErrorDeleter{})
+
+	ctx, cancel := context.WithCancel(context.Background())
+	defer cancel()
+
+	go func() {
+		interval := 10 * time.Millisecond
+		window := 10 * time.Second
+		timeout := 1 * time.Millisecond
+
+		require.Error(t, StartGarbageCollector(ctx, &gc, interval, window, timeout))
+	}()
+
+	time.Sleep(30 * time.Millisecond)
+	require.False(t, gc.HasGCRun(), "GC should not have run")
+	require.True(t, gc.wasLocked, "GC should have been locked")
+	require.True(t, gc.wasUnlocked, "GC should have been unlocked")
+}