diff --git a/internal/manager/api_impl/workers.go b/internal/manager/api_impl/workers.go
index bffb68bc..71cf5bc2 100644
--- a/internal/manager/api_impl/workers.go
+++ b/internal/manager/api_impl/workers.go
@@ -322,6 +322,11 @@ func (f *Flamenco) ScheduleTask(e echo.Context) error {
 	f.taskLogAppendTimestamped(logger, dbTask,
 		fmt.Sprintf("Task assigned to worker %s (%s)\n", worker.Name, worker.UUID))
 
+	// Start timeout measurement as soon as the Worker gets the task assigned.
+	if err := f.workerPingedTask(e.Request().Context(), logger, dbTask); err != nil {
+		return sendAPIError(e, http.StatusInternalServerError, "internal error updating task for timeout calculation: %v", err)
+	}
+
 	// Convert database objects to API objects:
 	apiCommands := []api.Command{}
 	for _, cmd := range dbTask.Commands {
diff --git a/internal/manager/api_impl/workers_test.go b/internal/manager/api_impl/workers_test.go
index 2cc16dbd..ace58ec7 100644
--- a/internal/manager/api_impl/workers_test.go
+++ b/internal/manager/api_impl/workers_test.go
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@ func TestTaskScheduleHappy(t *testing.T) {
 		Job:  &job,
 	}
 	mf.persistence.EXPECT().ScheduleTask(echo.Request().Context(), &worker).Return(&task, nil)
+	mf.persistence.EXPECT().TaskTouchedByWorker(echo.Request().Context(), &task)
 
 	mf.logStorage.EXPECT().Write(gomock.Any(), job.UUID, task.UUID,
 		"2022-06-09T11:14:41+02:00 Task assigned to worker дрон (e7632d62-c3b8-4af0-9e78-01752928952c)\n")