diff --git a/ext/dapr-ext-workflow/dapr/ext/workflow/_durabletask/worker.py b/ext/dapr-ext-workflow/dapr/ext/workflow/_durabletask/worker.py
index b79f7eb8..b76d07d6 100644
--- a/ext/dapr-ext-workflow/dapr/ext/workflow/_durabletask/worker.py
+++ b/ext/dapr-ext-workflow/dapr/ext/workflow/_durabletask/worker.py
@@ -331,6 +331,7 @@ def __init__(
         self._current_channel: Optional[grpc.Channel] = None  # Store channel reference for cleanup
         self._channel_cleanup_threads: list[threading.Thread] = []  # Deferred channel close threads
         self._stream_ready = threading.Event()
+        self._runLoop: Optional[Thread] = None
         # Use provided concurrency options or create default ones
         self._concurrency_options = (
             concurrency_options if concurrency_options is not None else ConcurrencyOptions()
@@ -387,8 +388,13 @@ def run_loop():
         self._logger.info(f'Starting gRPC worker that connects to {self._host_address}')
         self._runLoop = Thread(target=run_loop, name='WorkerRunLoop')
         self._runLoop.start()
-        if not self._stream_ready.wait(timeout=10):
-            raise RuntimeError('Failed to establish work item stream connection within 10 seconds')
+        while not self._stream_ready.wait(timeout=1):
+            if self._shutdown.is_set():
+                raise RuntimeError('Worker was stopped before the work item stream was established')
+            if not self._runLoop.is_alive():
+                raise RuntimeError(
+                    'Worker run loop exited before the work item stream was established'
+                )
         self._is_running = True
 
     async def _keepalive_loop(self, stub):
@@ -801,7 +807,9 @@ def _deferred_close():
 
     def stop(self):
         """Stops the worker and waits for any pending work items to complete."""
-        if not self._is_running:
+        # Guards on _runLoop rather than _is_running so stop() can unblock a start()
+        # that is still waiting for the work item stream to be established.
+        if self._runLoop is None:
             return
 
         self._logger.info('Stopping gRPC worker...')
@@ -833,6 +841,7 @@ def stop(self):
         self._async_worker_manager.shutdown()
         self._logger.info('Worker shutdown completed')
         self._is_running = False
+        self._runLoop = None
 
     # TODO: This should be removed in the future as we do handle grpc errs
     def _handle_grpc_execution_error(self, rpc_error: grpc.RpcError, request_type: str):
diff --git a/ext/dapr-ext-workflow/tests/durabletask/test_worker_stop.py b/ext/dapr-ext-workflow/tests/durabletask/test_worker_stop.py
index 30789c23..0fef6ab8 100644
--- a/ext/dapr-ext-workflow/tests/durabletask/test_worker_stop.py
+++ b/ext/dapr-ext-workflow/tests/durabletask/test_worker_stop.py
@@ -1,6 +1,10 @@
+import asyncio
+import threading
+import time
 from unittest.mock import MagicMock, patch
 
 import grpc
+import pytest
 from dapr.ext.workflow._durabletask.worker import TaskHubGrpcWorker
 
 
@@ -146,3 +150,65 @@ def test_deferred_close_prunes_finished_threads():
     worker._channel_cleanup_threads[-1].join(timeout=2)
     # Only the still-alive (or just-finished ch2) thread remains; ch1's was pruned
     assert len(worker._channel_cleanup_threads) <= 1
+
+
+def test_stop_before_start_is_noop():
+    """stop() is safe to call before start() — _runLoop is None, no AttributeError."""
+    worker = TaskHubGrpcWorker()
+    with patch.object(worker._shutdown, 'set') as shutdown_set:
+        worker.stop()
+        shutdown_set.assert_not_called()
+
+
+def test_stop_is_idempotent():
+    """A second stop() returns early because _runLoop was cleared by the first."""
+    worker = _make_running_worker()
+    worker._current_channel = MagicMock()
+    worker.stop()
+    assert worker._runLoop is None
+    with patch.object(worker._shutdown, 'set') as shutdown_set:
+        worker.stop()
+        shutdown_set.assert_not_called()
+
+
+def test_start_raises_when_run_loop_exits_early():
+    """start() raises RuntimeError if the run loop thread exits before _stream_ready is set."""
+    worker = TaskHubGrpcWorker()
+
+    async def fast_exit():
+        return
+
+    with patch.object(worker, '_async_run_loop', side_effect=fast_exit):
+        with pytest.raises(RuntimeError, match='Worker run loop exited'):
+            worker.start()
+
+
+def test_start_raises_when_stopped_during_startup():
+    """stop() unblocks a start() that is waiting for _stream_ready; start() raises."""
+    worker = TaskHubGrpcWorker()
+
+    async def wait_for_shutdown():
+        # Block without setting _stream_ready so start() stays in its wait loop.
+        while not worker._shutdown.is_set():
+            await asyncio.sleep(0.05)
+
+    errors = []
+
+    def _start():
+        try:
+            worker.start()
+        except Exception as e:  # noqa: BLE001
+            errors.append(e)
+
+    with patch.object(worker, '_async_run_loop', side_effect=wait_for_shutdown):
+        t = threading.Thread(target=_start)
+        t.start()
+        # Let start() enter its wait loop (timeout=1 per iteration).
+        time.sleep(1.2)
+        worker.stop()
+        t.join(timeout=5)
+
+    assert not t.is_alive(), 'start() did not return after stop()'
+    assert len(errors) == 1, f'Expected exactly one error, got: {errors}'
+    assert isinstance(errors[0], RuntimeError)
+    assert 'Worker was stopped' in str(errors[0])