diff --git a/packages/workflow-executor/src/executors/base-step-executor.ts b/packages/workflow-executor/src/executors/base-step-executor.ts
index 8f6de37859..885d680a3f 100644
--- a/packages/workflow-executor/src/executors/base-step-executor.ts
+++ b/packages/workflow-executor/src/executors/base-step-executor.ts
@@ -173,9 +173,11 @@ export default abstract class BaseStepExecutor<TStep extends StepDefinition = St
     if (!timeoutMs || timeoutMs <= 0) return this.doExecute();
 
     let timer: NodeJS.Timeout | undefined;
+    let hasTimeoutFired = false;
     const execPromise = this.doExecute();
 
     execPromise.catch(err => {
+      if (!hasTimeoutFired) return;
       this.context.logger.info('Step work rejected after timeout — result discarded', {
         runId: this.context.runId,
         stepId: this.context.stepId,
@@ -188,7 +190,10 @@ export default abstract class BaseStepExecutor<TStep extends StepDefinition = St
       return await Promise.race([
         execPromise,
         new Promise<never>((_, reject) => {
-          timer = setTimeout(() => reject(new StepTimeoutError(timeoutMs)), timeoutMs);
+          timer = setTimeout(() => {
+            hasTimeoutFired = true;
+            reject(new StepTimeoutError(timeoutMs));
+          }, timeoutMs);
         }),
       ]);
     } finally {
diff --git a/packages/workflow-executor/test/executors/base-step-executor.test.ts b/packages/workflow-executor/test/executors/base-step-executor.test.ts
index 1b0f16bb1e..6cd5c51af0 100644
--- a/packages/workflow-executor/test/executors/base-step-executor.test.ts
+++ b/packages/workflow-executor/test/executors/base-step-executor.test.ts
@@ -453,6 +453,21 @@ describe('BaseStepExecutor', () => {
         process.off('unhandledRejection', unhandled);
       }
     }, 5_000);
+
+    it('does not log discard message when step rejects before timeout', async () => {
+      const logger = makeMockLogger();
+      const executor = new TestableExecutor(
+        makeContext({ stepTimeoutMs: 5_000, logger }),
+        new Error('normal step error'),
+      );
+
+      await executor.execute();
+
+      expect(logger.info).not.toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+        'Step work rejected after timeout — result discarded',
+        expect.anything(),
+      );
+    });
   });
 
   describe('activity log lifecycle', () => {