diff --git a/src/http_server/flb_hs.c b/src/http_server/flb_hs.c
index f49d0fcb2e2..74aaeee9d17 100644
--- a/src/http_server/flb_hs.c
+++ b/src/http_server/flb_hs.c
@@ -370,9 +370,9 @@ struct flb_hs *flb_hs_create(const char *listen, const char *tcp_port,
     options.networking_flags = 0;
     flb_net_setup_init(&hs->net_setup);
     options.networking_setup = &hs->net_setup;
-    options.event_loop = config->evl;
+    options.event_loop = NULL;
     options.system_context = config;
-    options.use_caller_event_loop = FLB_TRUE;
+    options.use_caller_event_loop = FLB_FALSE;
 
     ret = flb_http_server_init_with_options(&hs->server, &options);
     if (ret != 0) {
diff --git a/tests/integration/scenarios/internal_http_server/config/internal_http_server_exec_deadlock.yaml b/tests/integration/scenarios/internal_http_server/config/internal_http_server_exec_deadlock.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..27840f7a5f9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/integration/scenarios/internal_http_server/config/internal_http_server_exec_deadlock.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+service:
+  flush: 1
+  grace: 1
+  log_level: info
+  http_server: on
+  http_listen: 127.0.0.1
+  http_port: ${FLUENT_BIT_HTTP_MONITORING_PORT}
+
+pipeline:
+  inputs:
+    - name: exec
+      tag: test
+      command: curl -s http://127.0.0.1:${FLUENT_BIT_HTTP_MONITORING_PORT}/api/v1/metrics/prometheus
+      interval_sec: 1
+      buf_size: 128k
+
+  outputs:
+    - name: "null"
+      match: "*"
diff --git a/tests/integration/scenarios/internal_http_server/tests/test_internal_http_server_exec_deadlock_001.py b/tests/integration/scenarios/internal_http_server/tests/test_internal_http_server_exec_deadlock_001.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..4db4ece5087
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/integration/scenarios/internal_http_server/tests/test_internal_http_server_exec_deadlock_001.py
@@ -0,0 +1,63 @@
+import os
+import time
+
+from utils.http_matrix import run_curl_request
+from utils.test_service import FluentBitTestService
+
+
+class Service:
+    def __init__(self):
+        self.config_file = os.path.abspath(
+            os.path.join(os.path.dirname(__file__), "../config/internal_http_server_exec_deadlock.yaml")
+        )
+        self.service = FluentBitTestService(self.config_file)
+
+    def start(self):
+        self.service.start()
+        self.flb = self.service.flb
+        self.base_url = f"http://127.0.0.1:{self.flb.http_monitoring_port}"
+
+    def stop(self):
+        self.service.stop()
+
+    def request(self, path, *, method="GET", http_mode="http1.1"):
+        return run_curl_request(
+            f"{self.base_url}{path}",
+            method=method,
+            http_mode=http_mode,
+        )
+
+
+def test_http_server_responsive_after_exec_self_request():
+    """The built-in HTTP server must remain responsive after the exec input
+    plugin makes an HTTP request to it.  Before the fix, the exec child
+    process (curl) and the HTTP server shared the same event loop, causing
+    a deadlock that made the server permanently unresponsive."""
+
+    service = Service()
+    service.start()
+
+    try:
+        # Verify the server works before exec fires
+        result = service.request("/api/v1/uptime")
+        assert result["status_code"] == 200
+        assert "uptime_sec" in result["body"]
+
+        # Wait for exec to fire (interval_sec=1) plus a small buffer
+        time.sleep(2)
+
+        # Verify the server is still responsive after exec has fired
+        result = service.service.wait_for_condition(
+            lambda: (
+                response
+                if response["status_code"] == 200 and "uptime_sec" in response["body"]
+                else None
+            ) if (response := service.request("/api/v1/uptime")) else None,
+            timeout=10,
+            interval=1,
+            description="HTTP server responsive after exec self-request",
+        )
+        assert result["status_code"] == 200
+        assert "uptime_sec" in result["body"]
+    finally:
+        service.stop()