diff --git a/src/context.rs b/src/context.rs
index cd4bb40..50c14bd 100644
--- a/src/context.rs
+++ b/src/context.rs
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ use std::time::Duration;
 use uuid::Uuid;
 
 use crate::Durable;
+use crate::error::suspend_handle::SuspendMarker;
 use crate::error::{ControlFlow, TaskError, TaskResult};
 use std::sync::Arc;
 
@@ -69,6 +70,24 @@ where
 
     /// Cloneable heartbeat handle for use in step closures.
     heartbeat_handle: HeartbeatHandle,
+
+    /// Whether or not we've suspended the task
+    /// This is set to `true` when we construct a `ControlFlow::Suspend` error type,
+    /// which enforces that we cannot suspend again for this particular execution
+    /// (e.g. until the task is woken up and re-run by a durable worker).
+    /// This blocks incorrect patterns like:
+    /// ```rust
+    /// // Note the lack of '.await' and propagation of the error with `?`
+    /// let fut1 = ctx.sleep_for("first_sleep", Duration::from_secs(1));
+    /// let fut2 = ctx.sleep_for("second_sleep", Duration::from_secs(1));
+    ///
+    /// tokio::join!(fut1, fut2).await;
+    /// ```
+    ///
+    /// Producing `ControlFlow::Suspend` means that we've updated our task suspend
+    /// state in durable, so trying to call `ControlFlow::Suspend` again during the same
+    /// execution will overwrite state in Durable.
+    has_suspended: bool,
 }
 
 /// Validate that a user-provided step name doesn't use reserved prefix.
@@ -85,6 +104,16 @@ impl<State> TaskContext<State>
 where
     State: Clone + Send + Sync + 'static,
 {
+    pub(crate) fn mark_suspended(&mut self) -> TaskResult<()> {
+        if self.has_suspended {
+            return Err(TaskError::Validation {
+                message: "Task has already been suspended during this execution".to_string(),
+            });
+        }
+        self.has_suspended = true;
+        Ok(())
+    }
+
     /// Create a new TaskContext. Called by the worker before executing a task.
     /// Loads all existing checkpoints into the cache.
     #[allow(clippy::too_many_arguments)]
@@ -128,6 +157,7 @@ where
             step_counters: HashMap::new(),
             lease_extender,
             heartbeat_handle,
+            has_suspended: false,
         })
     }
 
@@ -335,7 +365,9 @@ where
                 .map_err(TaskError::from_sqlx_error)?;
 
         if needs_suspend {
-            return Err(TaskError::Control(ControlFlow::Suspend));
+            return Err(TaskError::Control(ControlFlow::Suspend(
+                SuspendMarker::new(self)?,
+            )));
         }
         Ok(())
     }
@@ -414,7 +446,9 @@ where
             .map_err(TaskError::from_sqlx_error)?;
 
         if result.should_suspend {
-            return Err(TaskError::Control(ControlFlow::Suspend));
+            return Err(TaskError::Control(ControlFlow::Suspend(
+                SuspendMarker::new(self)?,
+            )));
         }
 
         // Event arrived - cache and return
@@ -768,7 +802,9 @@ where
             .map_err(TaskError::from_sqlx_error)?;
 
         if result.should_suspend {
-            return Err(TaskError::Control(ControlFlow::Suspend));
+            return Err(TaskError::Control(ControlFlow::Suspend(
+                SuspendMarker::new(self)?,
+            )));
         }
 
         // Event arrived - parse and return
diff --git a/src/error.rs b/src/error.rs
index fcb5192..b93a069 100644
--- a/src/error.rs
+++ b/src/error.rs
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 use serde_json::Value as JsonValue;
 use thiserror::Error;
 
+use crate::error::suspend_handle::SuspendMarker;
+
 /// Signals that interrupt task execution without indicating failure.
 ///
 /// These are not errors - they represent intentional control flow that the worker
@@ -13,7 +15,7 @@ pub enum ControlFlow {
     /// Returned by [`TaskContext::sleep_for`](crate::TaskContext::sleep_for)
     /// and [`TaskContext::await_event`](crate::TaskContext::await_event)
     /// when the task needs to wait.
-    Suspend,
+    Suspend(SuspendMarker),
     /// Task was cancelled.
     ///
     /// Detected when database operations return error code AB001, indicating
@@ -27,6 +29,23 @@ pub enum ControlFlow {
     LeaseExpired,
 }
 
+pub mod suspend_handle {
+    use crate::{TaskContext, TaskResult};
+
+    // An internal marker type that helps prevent us from constructing `ControlFlow::Suspend` errors
+    // without calling `task_context.mark_suspended()` first.
+    #[derive(Debug, Clone, Copy, PartialEq, Eq)]
+    pub struct SuspendMarker {
+        _private: (),
+    }
+    impl SuspendMarker {
+        pub fn new<S: Clone + Send + Sync>(task_context: &mut TaskContext<S>) -> TaskResult<Self> {
+            task_context.mark_suspended()?;
+            Ok(Self { _private: () })
+        }
+    }
+}
+
 /// Error type for task execution.
 ///
 /// This enum distinguishes between control flow signals (suspension, cancellation)
diff --git a/src/worker.rs b/src/worker.rs
index bef8bc1..42df8ea 100644
--- a/src/worker.rs
+++ b/src/worker.rs
@@ -481,7 +481,7 @@ impl Worker {
                 #[cfg(feature = "telemetry")]
                 crate::telemetry::record_task_completed(&queue_name_for_metrics, &task_name);
             }
-            Err(TaskError::Control(ControlFlow::Suspend)) => {
+            Err(TaskError::Control(ControlFlow::Suspend(_))) => {
                 // Task suspended - do nothing, scheduler will resume it
                 #[cfg(feature = "telemetry")]
                 {