diff --git a/awx/main/models/ha.py b/awx/main/models/ha.py
index 1e9c6d983a..ea9f7d8d0e 100644
--- a/awx/main/models/ha.py
+++ b/awx/main/models/ha.py
@@ -162,7 +162,9 @@ class Instance(HasPolicyEditsMixin, BaseModel):
         returns a dict that is passed to the python interface for the runner method corresponding to that command
         any kwargs will override that key=value combination in the returned dict
         """
-        vargs = dict(file_pattern='/tmp/{}*'.format(JOB_FOLDER_PREFIX % '*'))
+        vargs = dict()
+        if settings.AWX_CLEANUP_PATHS:
+            vargs['file_pattern'] = '/tmp/{}*'.format(JOB_FOLDER_PREFIX % '*')
         vargs.update(kwargs)
         if 'exclude_strings' not in vargs and vargs.get('file_pattern'):
             active_pks = list(UnifiedJob.objects.filter(execution_node=self.hostname, status__in=('running', 'waiting')).values_list('pk', flat=True))
diff --git a/awx/main/tasks.py b/awx/main/tasks.py
index 42fb01d253..8cf1e39969 100644
--- a/awx/main/tasks.py
+++ b/awx/main/tasks.py
@@ -108,7 +108,7 @@ from awx.main.utils.safe_yaml import safe_dump, sanitize_jinja
 from awx.main.utils.reload import stop_local_services
 from awx.main.utils.pglock import advisory_lock
 from awx.main.utils.handlers import SpecialInventoryHandler
-from awx.main.utils.receptor import get_receptor_ctl, worker_info, get_conn_type, get_tls_client, worker_cleanup
+from awx.main.utils.receptor import get_receptor_ctl, worker_info, get_conn_type, get_tls_client, worker_cleanup, administrative_workunit_reaper
 from awx.main.consumers import emit_channel_notification
 from awx.main import analytics
 from awx.conf import settings_registry
@@ -397,20 +397,22 @@ def _cleanup_images_and_files(**kwargs):
         return
     this_inst = Instance.objects.me()
     runner_cleanup_kwargs = this_inst.get_cleanup_task_kwargs(**kwargs)
-    stdout = ''
-    with StringIO() as buffer:
-        with redirect_stdout(buffer):
-            ansible_runner.cleanup.run_cleanup(runner_cleanup_kwargs)
-            stdout = buffer.getvalue()
-    if '(changed: True)' in stdout:
-        logger.info(f'Performed local cleanup with kwargs {kwargs}, output:\n{stdout}')
+    if runner_cleanup_kwargs:
+        stdout = ''
+        with StringIO() as buffer:
+            with redirect_stdout(buffer):
+                ansible_runner.cleanup.run_cleanup(runner_cleanup_kwargs)
+                stdout = buffer.getvalue()
+        if '(changed: True)' in stdout:
+            logger.info(f'Performed local cleanup with kwargs {kwargs}, output:\n{stdout}')
 
     # if we are the first instance alphabetically, then run cleanup on execution nodes
     checker_instance = Instance.objects.filter(node_type__in=['hybrid', 'control'], enabled=True, capacity__gt=0).order_by('-hostname').first()
     if checker_instance and this_inst.hostname == checker_instance.hostname:
-        logger.info(f'Running execution node cleanup with kwargs {kwargs}')
         for inst in Instance.objects.filter(node_type='execution', enabled=True, capacity__gt=0):
             runner_cleanup_kwargs = inst.get_cleanup_task_kwargs(**kwargs)
+            if not runner_cleanup_kwargs:
+                continue
             try:
                 stdout = worker_cleanup(inst.hostname, runner_cleanup_kwargs)
                 if '(changed: True)' in stdout:
@@ -649,6 +651,8 @@ def awx_receptor_workunit_reaper():
         receptor_ctl.simple_command(f"work cancel {job.work_unit_id}")
         receptor_ctl.simple_command(f"work release {job.work_unit_id}")
 
+    administrative_workunit_reaper(receptor_work_list)
+
 
 @task(queue=get_local_queuename)
 def awx_k8s_reaper():
@@ -3184,7 +3188,7 @@ class AWXReceptorJob:
                 receptor_params["secret_kube_config"] = kubeconfig_yaml
         else:
             private_data_dir = self.runner_params['private_data_dir']
-            if self.work_type == 'ansible-runner':
+            if self.work_type == 'ansible-runner' and settings.AWX_CLEANUP_PATHS:
                 # on execution nodes, we rely on the private data dir being deleted
                 cli_params = f"--private-data-dir={private_data_dir} --delete"
             else:
diff --git a/awx/main/utils/receptor.py b/awx/main/utils/receptor.py
index b92b57c46a..cadf51a1b1 100644
--- a/awx/main/utils/receptor.py
+++ b/awx/main/utils/receptor.py
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ import yaml
 import time
 
 from receptorctl.socket_interface import ReceptorControl
+
 from django.conf import settings
 
 from enum import Enum, unique
@@ -11,6 +12,8 @@ logger = logging.getLogger('awx.main.utils.receptor')
 
 __RECEPTOR_CONF = '/etc/receptor/receptor.conf'
 
+RECEPTOR_ACTIVE_STATES = ('Pending', 'Running')
+
 
 @unique
 class ReceptorConnectionType(Enum):
@@ -62,6 +65,32 @@ def get_conn_type(node_name, receptor_ctl):
             return ReceptorConnectionType(node.get('ConnType'))
 
 
+def administrative_workunit_reaper(work_list=None):
+    """
+    This releases completed work units that were spawned by actions inside of this module
+    specifically, this should catch any completed work unit left by
+     - worker_info
+     - worker_cleanup
+    These should ordinarily be released when the method finishes, but this is a
+    cleanup of last-resort, in case something went awry
+    """
+    receptor_ctl = get_receptor_ctl()
+    if work_list is None:
+        work_list = receptor_ctl.simple_command("work list")
+
+    for unit_id, work_data in work_list.items():
+        extra_data = work_data.get('ExtraData')
+        if (extra_data is None) or (extra_data.get('RemoteWorkType') != 'ansible-runner'):
+            continue  # if this is not ansible-runner work, we do not want to touch it
+        params = extra_data.get('RemoteParams', {}).get('params')
+        if not (params == '--worker-info' or params.startswith('cleanup')):
+            continue  # if this is not a cleanup or health check, we do not want to touch it
+        if work_data.get('StateName') in RECEPTOR_ACTIVE_STATES:
+            continue  # do not want to touch active work units
+        logger.info(f'Reaping orphaned work unit {unit_id} with params {params}')
+        receptor_ctl.simple_command(f"work release {unit_id}")
+
+
 class RemoteJobError(RuntimeError):
     pass
 
@@ -95,7 +124,7 @@ def run_until_complete(node, timing_data=None, **kwargs):
         while run_timing < 20.0:
             status = receptor_ctl.simple_command(f'work status {unit_id}')
             state_name = status.get('StateName')
-            if state_name not in ('Pending', 'Running'):
+            if state_name not in RECEPTOR_ACTIVE_STATES:
                 break
             run_timing = time.time() - run_start
             time.sleep(0.5)
@@ -110,9 +139,10 @@ def run_until_complete(node, timing_data=None, **kwargs):
 
     finally:
 
-        res = receptor_ctl.simple_command(f"work release {unit_id}")
-        if res != {'released': unit_id}:
-            logger.warn(f'Could not confirm release of receptor work unit id {unit_id} from {node}, data: {res}')
+        if settings.RECEPTOR_RELEASE_WORK:
+            res = receptor_ctl.simple_command(f"work release {unit_id}")
+            if res != {'released': unit_id}:
+                logger.warn(f'Could not confirm release of receptor work unit id {unit_id} from {node}, data: {res}')
 
         receptor_ctl.close()
 
diff --git a/awx/settings/defaults.py b/awx/settings/defaults.py
index 3f949abeca..3fda6efff9 100644
--- a/awx/settings/defaults.py
+++ b/awx/settings/defaults.py
@@ -68,7 +68,6 @@ DATABASES = {
 # the K8S cluster where awx itself is running)
 IS_K8S = False
 
-RECEPTOR_RELEASE_WORK = True
 AWX_CONTAINER_GROUP_K8S_API_TIMEOUT = 10
 AWX_CONTAINER_GROUP_DEFAULT_NAMESPACE = os.getenv('MY_POD_NAMESPACE', 'default')
 # Timeout when waiting for pod to enter running state. If the pod is still in pending state , it will be terminated. Valid time units are "s", "m", "h". Example : "5m" , "10s".
@@ -931,6 +930,9 @@ AWX_CALLBACK_PROFILE = False
 # Delete temporary directories created to store playbook run-time
 AWX_CLEANUP_PATHS = True
 
+# Delete completed work units in receptor
+RECEPTOR_RELEASE_WORK = True
+
 MIDDLEWARE = [
     'django_guid.middleware.GuidMiddleware',
     'awx.main.middleware.TimingMiddleware',