diff --git a/awx/main/exceptions.py b/awx/main/exceptions.py
index 6a9bb7ece4..2cd9a44418 100644
--- a/awx/main/exceptions.py
+++ b/awx/main/exceptions.py
@@ -36,3 +36,7 @@ class PostRunError(Exception):
         self.status = status
         self.tb = tb
         super(PostRunError, self).__init__(msg)
+
+
+class ReceptorNodeNotFound(RuntimeError):
+    pass
diff --git a/awx/main/tasks.py b/awx/main/tasks.py
index 9ff1120ea5..94d348400e 100644
--- a/awx/main/tasks.py
+++ b/awx/main/tasks.py
@@ -85,7 +85,7 @@ from awx.main.models import (
     build_safe_env,
 )
 from awx.main.constants import ACTIVE_STATES
-from awx.main.exceptions import AwxTaskError, PostRunError
+from awx.main.exceptions import AwxTaskError, PostRunError, ReceptorNodeNotFound
 from awx.main.queue import CallbackQueueDispatcher
 from awx.main.dispatch.publish import task
 from awx.main.dispatch import get_local_queuename, reaper
@@ -1546,6 +1546,8 @@ class BaseTask(object):
                 # ensure failure notification sends even if playbook_on_stats event is not triggered
                 handle_success_and_failure_notifications.apply_async([self.instance.job.id])
 
+        except ReceptorNodeNotFound as exc:
+            extra_update_fields['job_explanation'] = str(exc)
         except Exception:
             # this could catch programming or file system errors
             extra_update_fields['result_traceback'] = traceback.format_exc()
@@ -3069,7 +3071,7 @@ class AWXReceptorJob:
                 receptor_ctl.simple_command(f"work release {self.unit_id}")
             # If an error occured without the job itself failing, it could be a broken instance
             if self.work_type == 'ansible-runner' and ((res is None) or (getattr(res, 'rc', None) is None)):
-                execution_node_health_check(self.task.instance.execution_node)
+                execution_node_health_check.delay(self.task.instance.execution_node)
 
     @property
     def sign_work(self):
diff --git a/awx/main/utils/receptor.py b/awx/main/utils/receptor.py
index cadf51a1b1..edc3887587 100644
--- a/awx/main/utils/receptor.py
+++ b/awx/main/utils/receptor.py
@@ -1,12 +1,14 @@
 import logging
 import yaml
 import time
+from enum import Enum, unique
 
 from receptorctl.socket_interface import ReceptorControl
 
+from awx.main.exceptions import ReceptorNodeNotFound
+
 from django.conf import settings
 
-from enum import Enum, unique
 
 logger = logging.getLogger('awx.main.utils.receptor')
 
@@ -63,6 +65,7 @@ def get_conn_type(node_name, receptor_ctl):
     for node in all_nodes:
         if node.get('NodeID') == node_name:
             return ReceptorConnectionType(node.get('ConnType'))
+    raise ReceptorNodeNotFound(f'Instance {node_name} is not in the receptor mesh')
 
 
 def administrative_workunit_reaper(work_list=None):
@@ -183,6 +186,9 @@ def worker_info(node_name, work_type='ansible-runner'):
         else:
             error_list.append(details)
 
+    except ReceptorNodeNotFound as exc:
+        error_list.append(str(exc))
+
     # If we have a connection error, missing keys would be trivial consequence of that
     if not data['errors']:
         # see tasks.py usage of keys