diff --git a/coderd/autobuild/lifecycle_executor_test.go b/coderd/autobuild/lifecycle_executor_test.go
index 89805429b9880..8e16982e36b7c 100644
--- a/coderd/autobuild/lifecycle_executor_test.go
+++ b/coderd/autobuild/lifecycle_executor_test.go
@@ -65,8 +65,8 @@ func TestExecutorAutostartOK(t *testing.T) {
 	p, err := coderdtest.GetProvisionerForTags(db, time.Now(), workspace.OrganizationID, map[string]string{})
 	require.NoError(t, err)
 	// When: the autobuild executor ticks after the scheduled time
+	tickTime := coderdtest.NextAutostartTick(t, workspace)
 	go func() {
-		tickTime := sched.Next(workspace.LatestBuild.CreatedAt)
 		coderdtest.UpdateProvisionerLastSeenAt(t, db, p.ID, tickTime)
 		tickCh <- tickTime
 		close(tickCh)
@@ -127,7 +127,7 @@ func TestMultipleLifecycleExecutors(t *testing.T) {
 	p, err := coderdtest.GetProvisionerForTags(db, time.Now(), workspace.OrganizationID, nil)
 	require.NoError(t, err)
 	// Get both clients to perform a lifecycle execution tick
-	next := sched.Next(workspace.LatestBuild.CreatedAt)
+	next := coderdtest.NextAutostartTick(t, workspace)
 	coderdtest.UpdateProvisionerLastSeenAt(t, db, p.ID, next)
 
 	startCh := make(chan struct{})
@@ -237,7 +237,7 @@ func TestExecutorBuildNumberRaceIsHandled(t *testing.T) {
 
 	p, err := coderdtest.GetProvisionerForTags(realDB, time.Now(), workspace.OrganizationID, nil)
 	require.NoError(t, err)
-	next := sched.Next(workspace.LatestBuild.CreatedAt)
+	next := coderdtest.NextAutostartTick(t, workspace)
 	coderdtest.UpdateProvisionerLastSeenAt(t, realDB, p.ID, next)
 
 	tickCh <- next
@@ -351,8 +351,8 @@ func TestExecutorAutostartTemplateUpdated(t *testing.T) {
 
 			t.Log("sending autobuild tick")
 			// When: the autobuild executor ticks after the scheduled time
+			tickTime := coderdtest.NextAutostartTick(t, workspace)
 			go func() {
-				tickTime := sched.Next(workspace.LatestBuild.CreatedAt)
 				coderdtest.UpdateProvisionerLastSeenAt(t, db, p.ID, tickTime)
 				tickCh <- tickTime
 				close(tickCh)
@@ -984,8 +984,8 @@ func TestExecutorAutostartMultipleOK(t *testing.T) {
 	require.NoError(t, err)
 
 	// When: the autobuild executor ticks past the scheduled time
+	tickTime := coderdtest.NextAutostartTick(t, workspace)
 	go func() {
-		tickTime := sched.Next(workspace.LatestBuild.CreatedAt)
 		coderdtest.UpdateProvisionerLastSeenAt(t, db, p.ID, tickTime)
 		tickCh <- tickTime
 		tickCh2 <- tickTime
@@ -1054,8 +1054,8 @@ func TestExecutorAutostartWithParameters(t *testing.T) {
 	require.NoError(t, err)
 
 	// When: the autobuild executor ticks after the scheduled time
+	tickTime := coderdtest.NextAutostartTick(t, workspace)
 	go func() {
-		tickTime := sched.Next(workspace.LatestBuild.CreatedAt)
 		coderdtest.UpdateProvisionerLastSeenAt(t, db, p.ID, tickTime)
 		tickCh <- tickTime
 		close(tickCh)
@@ -1927,7 +1927,7 @@ func TestExecutorAutostartSkipsWhenNoProvisionersAvailable(t *testing.T) {
 	p, err = coderdtest.GetProvisionerForTags(db, time.Now(), workspace.OrganizationID, provisionerDaemonTags)
 	require.NoError(t, err, "Error getting provisioner for workspace")
 
-	next = sched.Next(workspace.LatestBuild.CreatedAt)
+	next = coderdtest.NextAutostartTick(t, workspace)
 	notStaleTime := next.Add((-1 * provisionerdserver.StaleInterval) + 10*time.Second)
 	coderdtest.UpdateProvisionerLastSeenAt(t, db, p.ID, notStaleTime)
 	// Require that the provisioner time has actually been updated to the expected value.
@@ -2051,8 +2051,8 @@ func TestExecutorTaskWorkspace(t *testing.T) {
 		require.NoError(t, err)
 
 		// When: the autobuild executor ticks after the scheduled time
+		tickTime := coderdtest.NextAutostartTick(t, workspace)
 		go func() {
-			tickTime := sched.Next(workspace.LatestBuild.CreatedAt)
 			coderdtest.UpdateProvisionerLastSeenAt(t, db, p.ID, tickTime)
 			tickCh <- tickTime
 			close(tickCh)
diff --git a/coderd/coderdtest/coderdtest.go b/coderd/coderdtest/coderdtest.go
index 94c6fde72f603..5b46450c3cdd4 100644
--- a/coderd/coderdtest/coderdtest.go
+++ b/coderd/coderdtest/coderdtest.go
@@ -1843,6 +1843,18 @@ func UpdateProvisionerLastSeenAt(t *testing.T, db database.Store, id uuid.UUID,
 	t.Logf("Successfully updated provisioner LastSeenAt")
 }
 
+// NextAutostartTick returns workspace.NextStartAt for use as the autobuild
+// tick. The executor's eligibility query checks next_start_at <= tick.
+// Computing from build.CreatedAt is racy: next_start_at derives from build
+// completion time, so it can advance past sched.Next(build.CreatedAt) and
+// the workspace misses the eligibility window.
+func NextAutostartTick(t testing.TB, workspace codersdk.Workspace) time.Time {
+	t.Helper()
+	require.NotNil(t, workspace.NextStartAt,
+		"workspace next_start_at is nil; ensure autostart is enabled and the latest build has completed before calling NextAutostartTick")
+	return *workspace.NextStartAt
+}
+
 func MustWaitForAnyProvisioner(t *testing.T, db database.Store) {
 	t.Helper()
 	ctx := ctxWithProvisionerPermissions(testutil.Context(t, testutil.WaitShort))
diff --git a/coderd/workspaces_test.go b/coderd/workspaces_test.go
index b03253b76ba6a..c3731496c8a6f 100644
--- a/coderd/workspaces_test.go
+++ b/coderd/workspaces_test.go
@@ -6212,8 +6212,8 @@ func TestWorkspaceBuildsEnqueuedMetric(t *testing.T) {
 	p, err := coderdtest.GetProvisionerForTags(db, time.Now(), workspace.OrganizationID, map[string]string{})
 	require.NoError(t, err)
 
+	tickTime := coderdtest.NextAutostartTick(t, workspace)
 	go func() {
-		tickTime := sched.Next(workspace.LatestBuild.CreatedAt)
 		coderdtest.UpdateProvisionerLastSeenAt(t, db, p.ID, tickTime)
 		tickCh <- tickTime
 		close(tickCh)
diff --git a/enterprise/coderd/workspaces_test.go b/enterprise/coderd/workspaces_test.go
index 95bf50e74fda0..ef71a7227ecaf 100644
--- a/enterprise/coderd/workspaces_test.go
+++ b/enterprise/coderd/workspaces_test.go
@@ -1315,7 +1315,7 @@ func TestWorkspaceAutobuild(t *testing.T) {
 		ws = coderdtest.MustTransitionWorkspace(t, client, ws.ID, codersdk.WorkspaceTransitionStart, codersdk.WorkspaceTransitionStop)
 
 		// Assert that autostart works when the workspace isn't dormant..
-		tickTime := sched.Next(ws.LatestBuild.CreatedAt)
+		tickTime := coderdtest.NextAutostartTick(t, ws)
 		p, err := coderdtest.GetProvisionerForTags(db, time.Now(), ws.OrganizationID, nil)
 		require.NoError(t, err)
 		coderdtest.UpdateProvisionerLastSeenAt(t, db, p.ID, tickTime)
@@ -1518,7 +1518,7 @@ func TestWorkspaceAutobuild(t *testing.T) {
 		require.NoError(t, err)
 
 		// Kick of an autostart build.
-		tickTime := sched.Next(ws.LatestBuild.CreatedAt)
+		tickTime := coderdtest.NextAutostartTick(t, ws)
 		p, err := coderdtest.GetProvisionerForTags(db, time.Now(), ws.OrganizationID, nil)
 		require.NoError(t, err)
 		coderdtest.UpdateProvisionerLastSeenAt(t, db, p.ID, tickTime)
@@ -1545,12 +1545,12 @@ func TestWorkspaceAutobuild(t *testing.T) {
 
 		// Reset the workspace to the stopped state so we can try
 		// to autostart again.
-		coderdtest.MustTransitionWorkspace(t, client, ws.ID, codersdk.WorkspaceTransitionStart, codersdk.WorkspaceTransitionStop, func(req *codersdk.CreateWorkspaceBuildRequest) {
+		ws = coderdtest.MustTransitionWorkspace(t, client, ws.ID, codersdk.WorkspaceTransitionStart, codersdk.WorkspaceTransitionStop, func(req *codersdk.CreateWorkspaceBuildRequest) {
 			req.TemplateVersionID = ws.LatestBuild.TemplateVersionID
 		})
 
 		// Force an autostart transition again.
-		tickTime2 := sched.Next(firstBuild.CreatedAt)
+		tickTime2 := coderdtest.NextAutostartTick(t, ws)
 		coderdtest.UpdateProvisionerLastSeenAt(t, db, p.ID, tickTime2)
 		tickCh <- tickTime2
 		stats = <-statsCh