diff --git a/modules/queue/workergroup.go b/modules/queue/workergroup.go
index 147a4f335e..e3801ef2b2 100644
--- a/modules/queue/workergroup.go
+++ b/modules/queue/workergroup.go
@@ -60,6 +60,9 @@ func (q *WorkerPoolQueue[T]) doDispatchBatchToWorker(wg *workerGroup[T], flushCh
 		full = true
 	}
 
+	// TODO: the logic could be improved in the future, to avoid a data-race between "doStartNewWorker" and "workerNum"
+	// The root problem is that if we skip "doStartNewWorker" here, the "workerNum" might be decreased by other workers later
+	// So ideally, it should check whether there are enough workers by some approaches, and start new workers if necessary.
 	q.workerNumMu.Lock()
 	noWorker := q.workerNum == 0
 	if full || noWorker {
@@ -143,7 +146,11 @@ func (q *WorkerPoolQueue[T]) doStartNewWorker(wp *workerGroup[T]) {
 		log.Debug("Queue %q starts new worker", q.GetName())
 		defer log.Debug("Queue %q stops idle worker", q.GetName())
 
+		atomic.AddInt32(&q.workerStartedCounter, 1) // Only increase counter, used for debugging
+
 		t := time.NewTicker(workerIdleDuration)
+		defer t.Stop()
+
 		keepWorking := true
 		stopWorking := func() {
 			q.workerNumMu.Lock()
@@ -158,13 +165,18 @@ func (q *WorkerPoolQueue[T]) doStartNewWorker(wp *workerGroup[T]) {
 			case batch, ok := <-q.batchChan:
 				if !ok {
 					stopWorking()
-				} else {
-					q.doWorkerHandle(batch)
-					t.Reset(workerIdleDuration)
+					continue
+				}
+				q.doWorkerHandle(batch)
+				// reset the idle ticker, and drain the tick after reset in case a tick is already triggered
+				t.Reset(workerIdleDuration)
+				select {
+				case <-t.C:
+				default:
 				}
 			case <-t.C:
 				q.workerNumMu.Lock()
-				keepWorking = q.workerNum <= 1
+				keepWorking = q.workerNum <= 1 // keep the last worker running
 				if !keepWorking {
 					q.workerNum--
 				}
diff --git a/modules/queue/workerqueue.go b/modules/queue/workerqueue.go
index b28fd88027..4160622d81 100644
--- a/modules/queue/workerqueue.go
+++ b/modules/queue/workerqueue.go
@@ -40,6 +40,8 @@ type WorkerPoolQueue[T any] struct {
 	workerMaxNum    int
 	workerActiveNum int
 	workerNumMu     sync.Mutex
+
+	workerStartedCounter int32
 }
 
 type flushType chan struct{}
diff --git a/modules/queue/workerqueue_test.go b/modules/queue/workerqueue_test.go
index e60120162a..e09669c542 100644
--- a/modules/queue/workerqueue_test.go
+++ b/modules/queue/workerqueue_test.go
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ import (
 	"time"
 
 	"code.gitea.io/gitea/modules/setting"
+	"code.gitea.io/gitea/modules/test"
 
 	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
 )
@@ -175,11 +176,7 @@ func testWorkerPoolQueuePersistence(t *testing.T, queueSetting setting.QueueSett
 }
 
 func TestWorkerPoolQueueActiveWorkers(t *testing.T) {
-	oldWorkerIdleDuration := workerIdleDuration
-	workerIdleDuration = 300 * time.Millisecond
-	defer func() {
-		workerIdleDuration = oldWorkerIdleDuration
-	}()
+	defer test.MockVariableValue(&workerIdleDuration, 300*time.Millisecond)()
 
 	handler := func(items ...int) (unhandled []int) {
 		time.Sleep(100 * time.Millisecond)
@@ -250,3 +247,25 @@ func TestWorkerPoolQueueShutdown(t *testing.T) {
 	q, _ = newWorkerPoolQueueForTest("test-workpoolqueue", qs, handler, false)
 	assert.EqualValues(t, 20, q.GetQueueItemNumber())
 }
+
+func TestWorkerPoolQueueWorkerIdleReset(t *testing.T) {
+	defer test.MockVariableValue(&workerIdleDuration, 10*time.Millisecond)()
+
+	handler := func(items ...int) (unhandled []int) {
+		time.Sleep(50 * time.Millisecond)
+		return nil
+	}
+
+	q, _ := newWorkerPoolQueueForTest("test-workpoolqueue", setting.QueueSettings{Type: "channel", BatchLength: 1, MaxWorkers: 2, Length: 100}, handler, false)
+	stop := runWorkerPoolQueue(q)
+	for i := 0; i < 20; i++ {
+		assert.NoError(t, q.Push(i))
+	}
+
+	time.Sleep(500 * time.Millisecond)
+	assert.EqualValues(t, 2, q.GetWorkerNumber())
+	assert.EqualValues(t, 2, q.GetWorkerActiveNumber())
+	// when the queue never becomes empty, the existing workers should keep working
+	assert.EqualValues(t, 2, q.workerStartedCounter)
+	stop()
+}