diff --git a/common.py b/common.py
index eb84a41b..d421a651 100644
--- a/common.py
+++ b/common.py
@@ -358,7 +358,10 @@ def create_task(queue, delay=None, **params):
         # return app.view_functions[endpoint](**args)
 
     body = urllib.parse.urlencode(sorted(params.items())).encode()
-    traceparent = request.headers.get('traceparent', '')
+    try:
+        traceparent = request.headers.get('traceparent', '')
+    except RuntimeError:  # not currently in a request context
+        traceparent = ''
     task = {
         'app_engine_http_request': {
             'http_method': 'POST',
diff --git a/tests/test_common.py b/tests/test_common.py
index c225ea9e..cd3fc650 100644
--- a/tests/test_common.py
+++ b/tests/test_common.py
@@ -274,3 +274,10 @@ def test_as2_request_type(self):
                   app.test_request_context('/', headers={'Accept': accept})):
                 self.assertEqual(expected, common.as2_request_type())
 
+
+    @patch('oauth_dropins.webutil.appengine_config.tasks_client.create_task')
+    def test_create_task_no_request_context(self, mock_create_task):
+        common.RUN_TASKS_INLINE = False
+        self.request_context.pop()
+        common.create_task('foo')
+        mock_create_task.assert_called()
diff --git a/tests/testutil.py b/tests/testutil.py
index 376ccf7e..1dde4132 100644
--- a/tests/testutil.py
+++ b/tests/testutil.py
@@ -367,7 +367,11 @@ def tearDown(self):
         super().tearDown()
 
         # this breaks if it's before super().tearDown(). why?!
-        self.request_context.pop()
+        try:
+            self.request_context.pop()
+        except LookupError as e:
+            # the test probably popped this already
+            logger.warning('', exc_info=e)
 
     def run(self, result=None):
         """Override to hide stdlib and virtualenv lines in tracebacks.