diff --git a/daliuge-engine/dlg/drop.py b/daliuge-engine/dlg/drop.py
index 5c78b6549..7456aaf87 100644
--- a/daliuge-engine/dlg/drop.py
+++ b/daliuge-engine/dlg/drop.py
@@ -1199,7 +1199,7 @@ def path(self) -> str:
 # @param dataclass Data Class/my.awesome.data.Component/String/ComponentParameter/readonly//False/False/The python class that implements this data component
 # @param data_volume Data volume/5/Float/ComponentParameter/readwrite//False/False/Estimated size of the data contained in this node
 # @param group_end Group end/False/Boolean/ComponentParameter/readwrite//False/False/Is this node the end of a group?
-# @param streaming Streaming/False/Boolean/ComponentParameter/readwrite//False/False/Specifies whether this data component streams input and output data 
+# @param streaming Streaming/False/Boolean/ComponentParameter/readwrite//False/False/Specifies whether this data component streams input and output data
 # @param persist Persist/False/Boolean/ComponentParameter/readwrite//False/False/Specifies whether this data component contains data that should not be deleted after execution
 # @param dummy dummy//Object/InputPort/readwrite//False/False/Dummy input port
 # @param dummy dummy//Object/OutputPort/readwrite//False/False/Dummy output port
@@ -1931,11 +1931,18 @@ def async_execute(self):
         # Return immediately, but schedule the execution of this app
         # If we have been given a thread pool use that
         if hasattr(self, "_tp"):
-            self._tp.apply_async(self.execute)
+            self._tp.apply_async(self._execute_and_log_exception)
         else:
-            t = threading.Thread(target=self.execute)
+            t = threading.Thread(target=self._execute_and_log_exception)
             t.daemon = 1
             t.start()
+            return t
+
+    def _execute_and_log_exception(self):
+        try:
+            self.execute()
+        except:
+            logger.exception("Unexpected exception during drop (%r) execution", self)
 
     _dlg_proc_lock = threading.Lock()
 
diff --git a/daliuge-engine/test/test_input_fired_app_drop.py b/daliuge-engine/test/test_input_fired_app_drop.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..475d0152e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/daliuge-engine/test/test_input_fired_app_drop.py
@@ -0,0 +1,42 @@
+import threading
+from dlg.drop import InputFiredAppDROP
+from dlg.event import Event, EventHandler
+import pytest
+
+
+class MockThrowingDrop(InputFiredAppDROP):
+    def run():
+        raise RuntimeError("Drop throw")
+
+
+class MockThrowingHandler(EventHandler):
+    def handleEvent(self, e: Event) -> None:
+        raise RuntimeError("Handler throw")
+
+
+def test_async_execute_catches_and_logs_unexpected_exception(
+    caplog: pytest.LogCaptureFixture,
+):
+    drop = MockThrowingDrop("t", "t", n_effective_inputs=1)
+    handler = MockThrowingHandler()
+    drop.subscribe(handler)
+
+    thread = drop.async_execute()
+    assert isinstance(thread, threading.Thread)
+    thread.join()
+
+    assert "Handler throw" in caplog.text
+    # execute should handle exceptions in the run method
+    assert "Drop throw" not in caplog.text
+
+
+def test_execute_propogates_unexpected_exception():
+    drop = MockThrowingDrop("t", "t", n_effective_inputs=1)
+    handler = MockThrowingHandler()
+    drop.subscribe(handler)
+
+    with pytest.raises(RuntimeError) as e:
+        drop.execute()
+
+    assert "Handler throw" in str(e.value)
+    assert "Drop throw" not in str(e.value)