diff --git a/airflow/executors/celery_executor.py b/airflow/executors/celery_executor.py
index 4dee7f4dfbcc..4c976cfe50ff 100644
--- a/airflow/executors/celery_executor.py
+++ b/airflow/executors/celery_executor.py
@@ -369,9 +369,7 @@ def _check_for_stalled_adopted_tasks(self):
                 "\n\t".join(repr(x) for x in timedout_keys),
             )
             for key in timedout_keys:
-                self.event_buffer[key] = (State.FAILED, None)
-                del self.tasks[key]
-                del self.adopted_task_timeouts[key]
+                self.change_state(key, State.FAILED)
 
     def debug_dump(self) -> None:
         """Called in response to SIGUSR2 by the scheduler"""
diff --git a/tests/executors/test_celery_executor.py b/tests/executors/test_celery_executor.py
index 91a18c7921f9..cd9f0f9be966 100644
--- a/tests/executors/test_celery_executor.py
+++ b/tests/executors/test_celery_executor.py
@@ -371,10 +371,12 @@ def test_check_for_stalled_adopted_tasks(self):
             key_1: queued_dttm + executor.task_adoption_timeout,
             key_2: queued_dttm + executor.task_adoption_timeout,
         }
+        executor.running = {key_1, key_2}
         executor.tasks = {key_1: AsyncResult("231"), key_2: AsyncResult("232")}
         executor.sync()
         assert executor.event_buffer == {key_1: (State.FAILED, None), key_2: (State.FAILED, None)}
         assert executor.tasks == {}
+        assert executor.running == set()
         assert executor.adopted_task_timeouts == {}