diff --git a/api/services/telephony/ari_manager.py b/api/services/telephony/ari_manager.py
index c8cf871..f24b64e 100644
--- a/api/services/telephony/ari_manager.py
+++ b/api/services/telephony/ari_manager.py
@@ -36,7 +36,9 @@ from api.services.telephony.transfer_event_protocol import (
 # Redis key pattern and TTL for channel-to-run mapping
 _CHANNEL_KEY_PREFIX = "ari:channel:"
 _EXT_CHANNEL_KEY_PREFIX = "ari:ext_channel:"
+_PENDING_BRIDGE_PREFIX = "ari:pending_bridge:"
 _CHANNEL_KEY_TTL = 3600  # 1 hour safety expiry
+_PENDING_BRIDGE_TTL = 300  # 5 min safety expiry for bridge-pending state
 
 
 class ARIConnection:
@@ -71,11 +73,6 @@ class ARIConnection:
         # Transfer manager for handling call transfers
         self._call_transfer_manager = None
 
-        # Bridge work waiting for the external media channel to enter Stasis.
-        # Keyed by ext_channel_id; each value carries the caller channel id
-        # and workflow run id needed to complete the bridge.
-        self._pending_bridges: Dict[str, dict] = {}
-
     async def _get_redis(self) -> aioredis.Redis:
         """Get Redis client instance (lazy init)."""
         if not self._redis_client:
@@ -127,6 +124,33 @@ class ARIConnection:
         r = await self._get_redis()
         await r.delete(f"{_EXT_CHANNEL_KEY_PREFIX}{channel_id}")
 
+    async def _set_pending_bridge(
+        self,
+        ext_channel_id: str,
+        caller_channel_id: str,
+        workflow_run_id: str,
+    ):
+        """Store the bridge context to be consumed when ext media enters Stasis."""
+        r = await self._get_redis()
+        await r.set(
+            f"{_PENDING_BRIDGE_PREFIX}{ext_channel_id}",
+            json.dumps(
+                {
+                    "caller_channel_id": caller_channel_id,
+                    "workflow_run_id": workflow_run_id,
+                }
+            ),
+            ex=_PENDING_BRIDGE_TTL,
+        )
+
+    async def _pop_pending_bridge(self, ext_channel_id: str) -> Optional[dict]:
+        """Read and delete the pending bridge context. Returns None if absent."""
+        r = await self._get_redis()
+        val = await r.getdel(f"{_PENDING_BRIDGE_PREFIX}{ext_channel_id}")
+        if val is None:
+            return None
+        return json.loads(val)
+
     @property
     def ws_url(self) -> str:
         """Build the ARI WebSocket URL."""
@@ -260,7 +284,7 @@ class ARIConnection:
                 # queued bridge for it, finish bridging now; otherwise the
                 # caller-side handler did not register one and this event is
                 # nothing for us to act on.
-                pending = self._pending_bridges.pop(channel_id, None)
+                pending = await self._pop_pending_bridge(channel_id)
                 if pending is None:
                     logger.debug(
                         f"[ARI org={self.organization_id}] StasisStart for ext "
@@ -632,10 +656,9 @@ class ARIConnection:
             #    pending bridge entry regardless of ordering.
             await self._mark_ext_channel(ext_channel_id)
             await self._set_channel_run(ext_channel_id, workflow_run_id)
-            self._pending_bridges[ext_channel_id] = {
-                "caller_channel_id": channel_id,
-                "workflow_run_id": workflow_run_id,
-            }
+            await self._set_pending_bridge(
+                ext_channel_id, channel_id, workflow_run_id
+            )
             await db_client.update_workflow_run(
                 run_id=int(workflow_run_id),
                 gathered_context={"ext_channel_id": ext_channel_id},
@@ -649,7 +672,7 @@ class ARIConnection:
                 channel_id=ext_channel_id,
             )
             if not created_id:
-                self._pending_bridges.pop(ext_channel_id, None)
+                await self._pop_pending_bridge(ext_channel_id)
                 logger.error(
                     f"[ARI org={self.organization_id}] Failed to create external "
                     f"media for {channel_id} (ext_channel_id={ext_channel_id})"
@@ -658,7 +681,7 @@ class ARIConnection:
             if created_id != ext_channel_id:
                 # Asterisk ignored our channelId — pending state is stale and
                 # will never be consumed. Clear it and surface loudly.
-                self._pending_bridges.pop(ext_channel_id, None)
+                await self._pop_pending_bridge(ext_channel_id)
                 logger.error(
                     f"[ARI org={self.organization_id}] Asterisk returned channel "
                     f"id {created_id} but we requested {ext_channel_id}; "
@@ -672,7 +695,7 @@ class ARIConnection:
                 f"waiting for ext channel StasisStart"
             )
         except Exception as e:
-            self._pending_bridges.pop(ext_channel_id, None)
+            await self._pop_pending_bridge(ext_channel_id)
             logger.error(
                 f"[ARI org={self.organization_id}] Error handling StasisStart "
                 f"for channel {channel_id}: {e}"