diff --git a/src/worker/listener.rs b/src/worker/listener.rs
index 59f2385..bd780b1 100644
--- a/src/worker/listener.rs
+++ b/src/worker/listener.rs
@@ -51,6 +51,7 @@ struct ActionInput<T> {
 #[allow(clippy::too_many_arguments)]
 async fn handle_start_step_run(
     action_function_task_join_set: &mut tokio::task::JoinSet<crate::InternalResult<()>>,
+    local_set: &tokio::task::LocalSet,
     abort_handles: &mut HashMap<String, tokio::task::AbortHandle>,
     dispatcher: &mut DispatcherClient<
         tonic::service::interceptor::InterceptedService<
@@ -103,43 +104,56 @@ async fn handle_start_step_run(
 
     let worker_id = worker_id.to_string();
     let step_run_id = action.step_run_id.clone();
-    let abort_handle = action_function_task_join_set.spawn_local(async move {
-        let context = Context::new(
-            input.parents,
-            workflow_run_id,
-            workflow_step_run_id,
-            workflow_service_client,
-            data,
-        );
-        let action_event = match action_callable(context, input.input).catch_unwind().await {
-            Ok(Ok(output_value)) => step_action_event(
-                &worker_id,
-                &action,
-                StepActionEventType::StepEventTypeCompleted,
-                serde_json::to_string(&output_value).expect("must succeed"),
-            ),
-            Ok(Err(error)) => step_action_event(
-                &worker_id,
-                &action,
-                StepActionEventType::StepEventTypeFailed,
-                error.to_string(),
-            ),
-            Err(_) => step_action_event(
-                &worker_id,
-                &action,
-                StepActionEventType::StepEventTypeFailed,
-                "action panicked".to_owned(),
-            ),
-        };
-
-        dispatcher
-            .send_step_action_event(action_event)
-            .await
-            .map_err(crate::InternalError::CouldNotSendStepStatus)?
-            .into_inner();
-
-        Ok(())
-    });
+    let abort_handle = action_function_task_join_set.spawn_local_on(
+        async move {
+            let context = Context::new(
+                input.parents,
+                workflow_run_id,
+                workflow_step_run_id,
+                workflow_service_client,
+                data,
+            );
+            let action_event = match action_callable(context, input.input).catch_unwind().await {
+                Ok(Ok(output_value)) => step_action_event(
+                    &worker_id,
+                    &action,
+                    StepActionEventType::StepEventTypeCompleted,
+                    serde_json::to_string(&output_value).expect("must succeed"),
+                ),
+                Ok(Err(error)) => step_action_event(
+                    &worker_id,
+                    &action,
+                    StepActionEventType::StepEventTypeFailed,
+                    error.to_string(),
+                ),
+                Err(error) => {
+                    let message = error
+                        .downcast_ref::<&str>()
+                        .map(|value| value.to_string())
+                        .or_else(|| error.downcast_ref::<String>().map(|value| value.clone()));
+                    step_action_event(
+                        &worker_id,
+                        &action,
+                        StepActionEventType::StepEventTypeFailed,
+                        message.unwrap_or_else(|| {
+                            String::from(
+                                "task panicked with a payload that was not a `&str` nor a `String`",
+                            )
+                        }),
+                    )
+                }
+            };
+
+            dispatcher
+                .send_step_action_event(action_event)
+                .await
+                .map_err(crate::InternalError::CouldNotSendStepStatus)?
+                .into_inner();
+
+            Ok(())
+        },
+        local_set,
+    );
     abort_handles.insert(step_run_id, abort_handle);
 
     Ok(())
@@ -182,7 +196,7 @@ pub(crate) async fn run(
     listener_v2_timeout: Option<u64>,
     mut interrupt_receiver: tokio::sync::mpsc::Receiver<()>,
     data: Arc<DataMap>,
-) -> crate::InternalResult<()> {
+) -> crate::InternalResult<tokio::task::LocalSet> {
     use futures_util::StreamExt;
 
     let mut retries: usize = 0;
@@ -190,6 +204,7 @@ pub(crate) async fn run(
 
     let connection_attempt = tokio::time::Instant::now();
 
+    let local_set = tokio::task::LocalSet::new();
     let mut abort_handles = HashMap::new();
 
     'main_loop: loop {
@@ -252,7 +267,7 @@ pub(crate) async fn run(
                     let action = match result {
                         Err(status) => match status.code() {
                             tonic::Code::Cancelled => {
-                                return Ok(());
+                                return Ok(local_set);
                             }
                             tonic::Code::DeadlineExceeded => {
                                 continue 'main_loop;
@@ -279,7 +294,7 @@ pub(crate) async fn run(
 
                     match action_type {
                         ActionType::StartStepRun => {
-                            handle_start_step_run(action_function_task_join_set, &mut abort_handles, &mut dispatcher, workflow_service_client.clone(),  namespace, worker_id, &workflows, action, data.clone()).await?;
+                            handle_start_step_run(action_function_task_join_set, &local_set, &mut abort_handles, &mut dispatcher, workflow_service_client.clone(),  namespace, worker_id, &workflows, action, data.clone()).await?;
                         }
                         ActionType::CancelStepRun => {
                             handle_cancel_step_run(&mut abort_handles, action).await?;
@@ -298,5 +313,5 @@ pub(crate) async fn run(
         }
     }
 
-    Ok(())
+    Ok(local_set)
 }
diff --git a/src/worker/mod.rs b/src/worker/mod.rs
index 17a3bcb..cf092f8 100644
--- a/src/worker/mod.rs
+++ b/src/worker/mod.rs
@@ -326,12 +326,13 @@ impl Worker<'_> {
         let mut action_function_task_join_set =
             tokio::task::JoinSet::<crate::InternalResult<()>>::new();
 
-        futures_util::try_join! {
+        let (_, local_set) = futures_util::try_join! {
             heartbeat::run(dispatcher.clone(), &worker_id, heartbeat_interrupt_receiver),
             listener::run(&mut action_function_task_join_set, dispatcher, workflow_service_client, namespace, &worker_id, workflows, *listener_v2_timeout, listening_interrupt_receiver, data)
         }?;
 
         action_function_task_join_set.shutdown().await;
+        local_set.await;
 
         Ok(())
     }