diff --git a/src/workerd/io/worker-entrypoint.c++ b/src/workerd/io/worker-entrypoint.c++
index e06af17ad00..e0c7ded01a7 100644
--- a/src/workerd/io/worker-entrypoint.c++
+++ b/src/workerd/io/worker-entrypoint.c++
@@ -507,36 +507,36 @@ kj::Promise<WorkerInterface::CustomEvent::Result>
   return maybeAddGcPassForTest(context, kj::mv(promise));
 }
 
-template <typename T>
-kj::Promise<T> WorkerEntrypoint::maybeAddGcPassForTest(
-    IoContext& context, kj::Promise<T> promise) {
-#ifdef KJ_DEBUG
-  kj::Maybe<kj::Own<const Worker>> worker;
-  if (isPredictableModeForTest()) {
-    worker = kj::atomicAddRef(context.getWorker());
-  }
-
-  static auto constexpr maybeRequestGc = [](auto& worker) {
-    if (isPredictableModeForTest()) {
-      jsg::V8StackScope stackScope;
-      auto lock = KJ_ASSERT_NONNULL(worker)->getIsolate().getApiIsolate().lock(stackScope);
-      lock->requestGcForTesting();
-    }
-  };
-#endif  // KJ_DEBUG
+namespace {
+void requestGc(const Worker& worker) {
+  jsg::V8StackScope stackScope;
+  auto lock = worker.getIsolate().getApiIsolate().lock(stackScope);
+  lock->requestGcForTesting();
+}
 
+template <typename T>
+kj::Promise<T> addGcPassForTest(IoContext& context, kj::Promise<T> promise) {
+  auto worker = kj::atomicAddRef(context.getWorker());
   if constexpr (kj::isSameType<T, void>()) {
     co_await promise;
-#ifdef KJ_DEBUG
-    maybeRequestGc(worker);
-#endif  // KJ_DEBUG
+    requestGc(*worker);
   } else {
     auto ret = co_await promise;
-#ifdef KJ_DEBUG
-    maybeRequestGc(worker);
-#endif  // KJ_DEBUG
+    requestGc(*worker);
     co_return kj::mv(ret);
   }
 }
+}  // namespace
+
+template <typename T>
+kj::Promise<T> WorkerEntrypoint::maybeAddGcPassForTest(
+    IoContext& context, kj::Promise<T> promise) {
+#ifdef KJ_DEBUG
+  if (isPredictableModeForTest()) {
+    return addGcPassForTest(context, kj::mv(promise));
+  }
+#endif
+  return kj::mv(promise);
+}
 
 } // namespace workerd