diff --git a/packages/server/src/api/controllers/query/index.ts b/packages/server/src/api/controllers/query/index.ts
index f68656086c..fd4842ea75 100644
--- a/packages/server/src/api/controllers/query/index.ts
+++ b/packages/server/src/api/controllers/query/index.ts
@@ -147,6 +147,7 @@ export async function preview(ctx: any) {
       parameters,
       transformer,
       queryId,
+      // have to pass down to the thread runner - can't put into context now
       environmentVariables: envVars,
       ctx: {
         user: ctx.user,
@@ -233,6 +234,7 @@ async function execute(
       parameters: enrichedParameters,
       transformer: query.transformer,
       queryId: ctx.params.queryId,
+      // have to pass down to the thread runner - can't put into context now
       environmentVariables: envVars,
       ctx: {
         user: ctx.user,
diff --git a/packages/server/src/definitions/automations.ts b/packages/server/src/definitions/automations.ts
index d4168c020f..79cbe6e4ac 100644
--- a/packages/server/src/definitions/automations.ts
+++ b/packages/server/src/definitions/automations.ts
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ export interface TriggerOutput {
 
 export interface AutomationContext extends AutomationResults {
   steps: any[]
+  env?: Record<string, string>
   trigger: any
 }
 
diff --git a/packages/server/src/sdk/app/datasources/datasources.ts b/packages/server/src/sdk/app/datasources/datasources.ts
index 3d257650d4..10f9ac889c 100644
--- a/packages/server/src/sdk/app/datasources/datasources.ts
+++ b/packages/server/src/sdk/app/datasources/datasources.ts
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ async function enrichDatasourceWithValues(datasource: Datasource) {
   const processed = processObjectSync(cloned, env)
   return {
     datasource: processed as Datasource,
-    envVars: env.env as Record<string, string>,
+    envVars: env as Record<string, string>,
   }
 }
 
diff --git a/packages/server/src/sdk/app/queries/queries.ts b/packages/server/src/sdk/app/queries/queries.ts
index c35b525b2b..ca74eb44b5 100644
--- a/packages/server/src/sdk/app/queries/queries.ts
+++ b/packages/server/src/sdk/app/queries/queries.ts
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ export async function enrichContext(
     return enrichedQuery
   }
   const env = await getEnvironmentVariables()
-  const parameters = { ...inputs, ...env }
+  const parameters = { ...inputs, env }
   // enrich the fields with dynamic parameters
   for (let key of Object.keys(fields)) {
     if (fields[key] == null) {
diff --git a/packages/server/src/sdk/utils/index.ts b/packages/server/src/sdk/utils/index.ts
index 0870eb32d4..03599412a6 100644
--- a/packages/server/src/sdk/utils/index.ts
+++ b/packages/server/src/sdk/utils/index.ts
@@ -12,5 +12,5 @@ export async function getEnvironmentVariables() {
 
     envVars = await environmentVariables.fetchValues(appEnv)
   }
-  return { env: envVars }
+  return envVars
 }
diff --git a/packages/server/src/threads/automation.ts b/packages/server/src/threads/automation.ts
index 44951869f4..9355c89794 100644
--- a/packages/server/src/threads/automation.ts
+++ b/packages/server/src/threads/automation.ts
@@ -16,7 +16,6 @@ import { storeLog } from "../automations/logging"
 import { Automation, AutomationStep, AutomationStatus } from "@budibase/types"
 import {
   LoopStep,
-  LoopStepType,
   LoopInput,
   TriggerOutput,
   AutomationContext,
@@ -26,6 +25,7 @@ import { WorkerCallback } from "./definitions"
 import { context, logging } from "@budibase/backend-core"
 import { processObject } from "@budibase/string-templates"
 import { cloneDeep } from "lodash/fp"
+import * as sdkUtils from "../sdk/utils"
 import env from "../environment"
 const FILTER_STEP_ID = actions.ACTION_DEFINITIONS.FILTER.stepId
 const LOOP_STEP_ID = actions.ACTION_DEFINITIONS.LOOP.stepId
@@ -221,6 +221,8 @@ class Orchestrator {
   }
 
   async execute() {
+    // this will retrieve from context created at start of thread
+    this._context.env = await sdkUtils.getEnvironmentVariables()
     let automation = this._automation
     let stopped = false
     let loopStep: AutomationStep | undefined = undefined
@@ -474,7 +476,11 @@ export const removeStalled = async (job: Job) => {
     throw new Error("Unable to execute, event doesn't contain app ID.")
   }
   await context.doInAppContext(appId, async () => {
-    const automationOrchestrator = new Orchestrator(job)
-    await automationOrchestrator.stopCron("stalled")
+    const envVars = await sdkUtils.getEnvironmentVariables()
+    // put into automation thread for whole context
+    await context.doInEnvironmentContext(envVars, async () => {
+      const automationOrchestrator = new Orchestrator(job)
+      await automationOrchestrator.stopCron("stalled")
+    })
   })
 }