diff --git a/api/db/workflow_run_client.py b/api/db/workflow_run_client.py
index 657804e..3cbf1bc 100644
--- a/api/db/workflow_run_client.py
+++ b/api/db/workflow_run_client.py
@@ -321,8 +321,11 @@ class WorkflowRunClient(BaseDBClient):
         state: str | None = None,
     ) -> WorkflowRunModel:
         async with self.async_session() as session:
+            # Use SELECT FOR UPDATE to lock the row during the update
             result = await session.execute(
-                select(WorkflowRunModel).where(WorkflowRunModel.id == run_id)
+                select(WorkflowRunModel)
+                .where(WorkflowRunModel.id == run_id)
+                .with_for_update()
             )
             run = result.scalars().first()
             if not run:
diff --git a/api/services/telephony/ari_manager.py b/api/services/telephony/ari_manager.py
index 47e9f30..a033c5a 100644
--- a/api/services/telephony/ari_manager.py
+++ b/api/services/telephony/ari_manager.py
@@ -479,7 +479,10 @@ class ARIConnection:
                 f"(caller={caller_number}, called={called_number})"
             )
 
-            # 5. Delegate to the standard pipeline
+            # 5. Answer the inbound channel
+            await self._answer_channel(channel_id)
+
+            # 6. Delegate to the standard pipeline
             await self._handle_stasis_start(
                 channel_id,
                 channel_state,
@@ -505,24 +508,17 @@ class ARIConnection:
         workflow_id: str,
         user_id: str,
     ):
-        """Handle StasisStart by answering (if needed), creating external media, and bridging."""
+        """Handle StasisStart by creating external media and bridging."""
         try:
-            # 1. Only answer the channel if it's not already up
-            # For outbound calls, the channel enters Stasis in "Up" state
-            # after the remote party answers — no need to answer again.
-            # For inbound calls, the channel may be in "Ring" state.
-            if channel_state != "Up":
-                await self._answer_channel(channel_id)
-
             logger.info(
                 f"[ARI org={self.organization_id}] Setting up external media for "
                 f"channel {channel_id} via ws_client={self.ws_client_name}"
             )
 
-            # 2. Track channel for StasisEnd cleanup (Redis)
+            # 1. Track channel for StasisEnd cleanup (Redis)
             await self._set_channel_run(channel_id, workflow_run_id)
 
-            # 3. Create external media channel via chan_websocket
+            # 2. Create external media channel via chan_websocket
             # Asterisk connects to our backend using websocket_client.conf config,
             # with routing params appended as URI query params via v()
             ext_channel_id = await self._create_external_media(
@@ -534,10 +530,10 @@ class ARIConnection:
                 )
                 return
 
-            # 4. Track ext channel for StasisEnd cleanup (Redis)
+            # 3. Track ext channel for StasisEnd cleanup (Redis)
             await self._set_channel_run(ext_channel_id, workflow_run_id)
 
-            # 5. Bridge the call channel with the external media channel
+            # 4. Bridge the call channel with the external media channel
             bridge_id = await self._create_bridge_and_add_channels(
                 [channel_id, ext_channel_id]
             )
@@ -547,7 +543,7 @@ class ARIConnection:
                 )
                 return
 
-            # 6. Store ARI resource IDs in gathered_context for cleanup/debugging
+            # 5. Store ARI resource IDs in gathered_context for cleanup/debugging
             await db_client.update_workflow_run(
                 run_id=int(workflow_run_id),
                 gathered_context={