diff --git a/aa-core/src/userop/deployment.rs b/aa-core/src/userop/deployment.rs
index d66f436..6145f64 100644
--- a/aa-core/src/userop/deployment.rs
+++ b/aa-core/src/userop/deployment.rs
@@ -42,6 +42,15 @@ pub trait DeploymentLock: Send + Sync {
         chain_id: u64,
         account_address: &Address,
     ) -> impl Future<Output = Result<bool, EngineError>> + Send;
+
+    /// Release a deployment lock only if it still holds the given `lock_id`.
+    /// Atomic compare-and-delete; returns true if a matching lock was removed.
+    fn release_lock_if_owner(
+        &self,
+        chain_id: u64,
+        account_address: &Address,
+        lock_id: &str,
+    ) -> impl Future<Output = Result<bool, EngineError>> + Send;
 }
 
 pub enum DeploymentStatus {
@@ -104,9 +113,16 @@ where
                 if is_deployed {
                     return Ok(DeploymentStatus::Deployed);
                 }
+
+                // Stale lock, not deployed: previous holder died without releasing.
+                // Reclaim only the lock we observed, so we don't delete a lock that
+                // another worker acquired while we were checking chain state.
+                self.lock
+                    .release_lock_if_owner(chain_id, account_address, &lock_id)
+                    .await?;
+                return Ok(DeploymentStatus::NotDeployed);
             }
 
-            // Either fresh lock or stale but not deployed
             return Ok(DeploymentStatus::BeingDeployed {
                 stale: is_stale,
                 lock_id,
diff --git a/executors/src/external_bundler/deployment.rs b/executors/src/external_bundler/deployment.rs
index ac8a969..14b4fc1 100644
--- a/executors/src/external_bundler/deployment.rs
+++ b/executors/src/external_bundler/deployment.rs
@@ -7,13 +7,17 @@ use serde::{Deserialize, Serialize};
 use std::time::{Duration, SystemTime, UNIX_EPOCH};
 use twmq::{
     error::TwmqError,
-    redis::{AsyncCommands, Pipeline, aio::ConnectionManager},
+    redis::{AsyncCommands, Pipeline, SetExpiry, SetOptions, aio::ConnectionManager},
 };
 use uuid::Uuid;
 
 const CACHE_PREFIX: &str = "deployment_cache";
 const LOCK_PREFIX: &str = "deployment_lock";
 
+/// Fallback TTL so a lock that's never explicitly released (e.g. worker crash)
+/// can't block the account forever.
+const LOCK_TTL_SECONDS: u64 = 300;
+
 #[derive(Clone)]
 pub struct RedisDeploymentCache {
     connection_manager: twmq::redis::aio::ConnectionManager,
@@ -165,9 +169,13 @@ impl DeploymentLock for RedisDeploymentLock {
                 message: format!("Serialization failed: {e}"),
             })?;
 
-        // Use SET NX EX for atomic acquire
+        // SET NX EX: atomic acquire with a fallback expiry.
+        let opts = SetOptions::default()
+            .conditional_set(twmq::redis::ExistenceCheck::NX)
+            .with_expiration(SetExpiry::EX(LOCK_TTL_SECONDS));
+
         let result: Option<String> =
-            conn.set_nx(&key, &lock_data_str)
+            conn.set_options(&key, &lock_data_str, opts)
                 .await
                 .map_err(|e| EngineError::InternalError {
                     message: format!("Lock acquire failed: {e}"),
@@ -212,4 +220,38 @@ impl DeploymentLock for RedisDeploymentLock {
 
         Ok(deleted > 0)
     }
+
+    async fn release_lock_if_owner(
+        &self,
+        chain_id: u64,
+        account_address: &Address,
+        lock_id: &str,
+    ) -> Result<bool, EngineError> {
+        let mut conn = self.conn().clone();
+        let key = self.lock_key(chain_id, account_address);
+
+        // Atomic compare-and-delete: only DEL if the stored lock's lock_id matches.
+        let script = twmq::redis::Script::new(
+            r#"
+            local v = redis.call('GET', KEYS[1])
+            if not v then return 0 end
+            local ok, data = pcall(cjson.decode, v)
+            if ok and data.lock_id == ARGV[1] then
+                return redis.call('DEL', KEYS[1])
+            end
+            return 0
+            "#,
+        );
+
+        let deleted: i64 = script
+            .key(&key)
+            .arg(lock_id)
+            .invoke_async(&mut conn)
+            .await
+            .map_err(|e| EngineError::InternalError {
+                message: format!("Failed to release lock for account {account_address}: {e}"),
+            })?;
+
+        Ok(deleted > 0)
+    }
 }