diff --git a/packages/backend-core/src/context/index.ts b/packages/backend-core/src/context/index.ts
index 487585ea5f..1e430f01de 100644
--- a/packages/backend-core/src/context/index.ts
+++ b/packages/backend-core/src/context/index.ts
@@ -67,7 +67,10 @@ export const getTenantIDFromAppID = (appId: string) => {
 
 // used for automations, API endpoints should always be in context already
 export const doInTenant = (tenantId: string | null, task: any) => {
-  tenantId = tenantId || DEFAULT_TENANT_ID
+  // make sure default always selected in single tenancy
+  if (!env.MULTI_TENANCY) {
+    tenantId = tenantId || DEFAULT_TENANT_ID
+  }
   // the internal function is so that we can re-use an existing
   // context - don't want to close DB on a parent context
   async function internal(opts = { existing: false }) {