diff --git a/dbos/_dbos.py b/dbos/_dbos.py
index cc6391d9..9d29c319 100644
--- a/dbos/_dbos.py
+++ b/dbos/_dbos.py
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@
     start_workflow,
     workflow_wrapper,
 )
-from ._queue import Queue, _queue_thread
+from ._queue import Queue, queue_thread
 from ._recovery import recover_pending_workflows, startup_recovery_thread
 from ._registrations import (
     DEFAULT_MAX_RECOVERY_ATTEMPTS,
@@ -283,6 +283,7 @@ def __init__(
         self.flask: Optional["Flask"] = flask
         self._executor_field: Optional[ThreadPoolExecutor] = None
         self._background_threads: List[threading.Thread] = []
+        self._executor_id: str = os.environ.get("DBOS__VMID", "local")
 
         # If using FastAPI, set up middleware and lifecycle events
         if self.fastapi is not None:
@@ -383,7 +384,7 @@ def _launch(self) -> None:
             evt = threading.Event()
             self.stop_events.append(evt)
             bg_queue_thread = threading.Thread(
-                target=_queue_thread, args=(evt, self), daemon=True
+                target=queue_thread, args=(evt, self), daemon=True
             )
             bg_queue_thread.start()
             self._background_threads.append(bg_queue_thread)
diff --git a/dbos/_queue.py b/dbos/_queue.py
index 98c552fe..8ad75b47 100644
--- a/dbos/_queue.py
+++ b/dbos/_queue.py
@@ -51,13 +51,13 @@ def enqueue(
         return start_workflow(dbos, func, self.name, False, *args, **kwargs)
 
 
-def _queue_thread(stop_event: threading.Event, dbos: "DBOS") -> None:
+def queue_thread(stop_event: threading.Event, dbos: "DBOS") -> None:
     while not stop_event.is_set():
         if stop_event.wait(timeout=1):
             return
         for _, queue in dbos._registry.queue_info_map.items():
             try:
-                wf_ids = dbos._sys_db.start_queued_workflows(queue)
+                wf_ids = dbos._sys_db.start_queued_workflows(queue, dbos._executor_id)
                 for id in wf_ids:
                     execute_workflow_by_id(dbos, id)
             except Exception:
diff --git a/dbos/_sys_db.py b/dbos/_sys_db.py
index 61e9536a..e555297f 100644
--- a/dbos/_sys_db.py
+++ b/dbos/_sys_db.py
@@ -1104,7 +1104,7 @@ def enqueue(self, workflow_id: str, queue_name: str) -> None:
                 .on_conflict_do_nothing()
             )
 
-    def start_queued_workflows(self, queue: "Queue") -> List[str]:
+    def start_queued_workflows(self, queue: "Queue", executor_id: str) -> List[str]:
         start_time_ms = int(time.time() * 1000)
         if queue.limiter is not None:
             limiter_period_ms = int(queue.limiter["period"] * 1000)
@@ -1159,7 +1159,7 @@ def start_queued_workflows(self, queue: "Queue") -> List[str]:
                     if len(ret_ids) + num_recent_queries >= queue.limiter["limit"]:
                         break
 
-                # To start a function, first set its status to PENDING
+                # To start a function, first set its status to PENDING and update its executor ID
                 c.execute(
                     SystemSchema.workflow_status.update()
                     .where(SystemSchema.workflow_status.c.workflow_uuid == id)
@@ -1167,7 +1167,10 @@ def start_queued_workflows(self, queue: "Queue") -> List[str]:
                         SystemSchema.workflow_status.c.status
                         == WorkflowStatusString.ENQUEUED.value
                     )
-                    .values(status=WorkflowStatusString.PENDING.value)
+                    .values(
+                        status=WorkflowStatusString.PENDING.value,
+                        executor_id=executor_id,
+                    )
                 )
 
                 # Then give it a start time