diff --git a/pkg/compose/executor_ops.go b/pkg/compose/executor_ops.go
index 47192c2d9..2231cd350 100644
--- a/pkg/compose/executor_ops.go
+++ b/pkg/compose/executor_ops.go
@@ -265,6 +265,15 @@ func (exec *planExecutor) execWaitCondition(ctx context.Context, op Operation) e
 // accepts — skips a second, redundant run of the hooks rather than erroring
 // on runners already consumed.
 func (exec *planExecutor) execRunPreStart(ctx context.Context, op Operation) error {
+	// Same interim narrowing as execStartContainer's guard (see its
+	// comment), not a full fix: this node hangs off the replica's create
+	// node, whose done-channel closes before errgroup's ctx is canceled when
+	// that create fails for a genuine reason, so a narrow window remains
+	// where pre_start hooks could still run against the runner containers.
+	if err := ctx.Err(); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
 	running, err := exec.compose.getContainers(ctx, exec.project.Name, oneOffExclude, false, op.Service.Name)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
diff --git a/pkg/compose/executor_start_test.go b/pkg/compose/executor_start_test.go
index 2bd37ae3b..3f89f59d7 100644
--- a/pkg/compose/executor_start_test.go
+++ b/pkg/compose/executor_start_test.go
@@ -211,6 +211,26 @@ func TestExecRunPreStart_SkipsWhenReplicaAlreadyRunning(t *testing.T) {
 	assert.NilError(t, err)
 }
 
+// TestExecRunPreStart_BailsOutWhenContextCanceled pins the same interim
+// narrowing execStartContainer and execRunPostStart carry: once ctx is
+// canceled (a sibling node failed), the node must neither touch the daemon
+// nor run hooks. No ContainerList expectation is registered: an unexpected
+// call fails the test.
+func TestExecRunPreStart_BailsOutWhenContextCanceled(t *testing.T) {
+	svc, _, _ := newStartPhaseTestService(t)
+
+	service := types.ServiceConfig{
+		Name:     "web",
+		PreStart: []types.PreStartHook{{ContainerSpec: types.ContainerSpec{Command: types.ShellCommand{"init"}}}},
+	}
+	ctx, cancel := context.WithCancel(t.Context())
+	cancel()
+
+	exec := svc.newPlanExecutor(&types.Project{Name: "test"}, emptyObservedState("test"), nil)
+	err := exec.execRunPreStart(ctx, Operation{Service: &service})
+	assert.ErrorIs(t, err, context.Canceled)
+}
+
 // TestExecRunPostStart_RunsHookAndStreamsToListener verifies that
 // execRunPostStart resolves the replica the start chain just brought up and
 // runs its post_start hooks, forwarding their output to the listener the