diff --git a/src/Umbraco.Web/Scheduling/KeepAlive.cs b/src/Umbraco.Web/Scheduling/KeepAlive.cs
index 763e28b608..f4beb9d5b8 100644
--- a/src/Umbraco.Web/Scheduling/KeepAlive.cs
+++ b/src/Umbraco.Web/Scheduling/KeepAlive.cs
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ using System.Threading.Tasks;
 using Umbraco.Core;
 using Umbraco.Core.Configuration.UmbracoSettings;
 using Umbraco.Core.Logging;
+using Umbraco.Core.Sync;
 
 namespace Umbraco.Web.Scheduling
 {
@@ -20,9 +21,21 @@ namespace Umbraco.Web.Scheduling
             _appContext = appContext;
         }
 
+        private ILogger Logger { get { return _appContext.ProfilingLogger.Logger; } }
+
         public override async Task<bool> PerformRunAsync(CancellationToken token)
         {
             if (_appContext == null) return true; // repeat...
+            
+            switch (_appContext.GetCurrentServerRole())
+            {
+                case ServerRole.Slave:
+                    Logger.Debug<ScheduledPublishing>("Does not run on slave servers.");
+                    return true; // DO repeat, server role can change
+                case ServerRole.Unknown:
+                    Logger.Debug<ScheduledPublishing>("Does not run on servers with unknown role.");
+                    return true; // DO repeat, server role can change
+            }
 
             // ensure we do not run if not main domain, but do NOT lock it
             if (_appContext.MainDom.IsMainDom == false)
@@ -31,7 +44,7 @@ namespace Umbraco.Web.Scheduling
                 return false; // do NOT repeat, going down
             }
 
-            using (DisposableTimer.DebugDuration<KeepAlive>(() => "Keep alive executing", () => "Keep alive complete"))
+            using (_appContext.ProfilingLogger.DebugDuration<KeepAlive>("Keep alive executing", "Keep alive complete"))
             {
                 string umbracoAppUrl = null;
 
diff --git a/src/Umbraco.Web/Scheduling/ScheduledPublishing.cs b/src/Umbraco.Web/Scheduling/ScheduledPublishing.cs
index f8ff7e7080..919a531549 100644
--- a/src/Umbraco.Web/Scheduling/ScheduledPublishing.cs
+++ b/src/Umbraco.Web/Scheduling/ScheduledPublishing.cs
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ namespace Umbraco.Web.Scheduling
 
         private ILogger Logger { get { return _appContext.ProfilingLogger.Logger; } }
 
-        public override async Task<bool> PerformRunAsync(CancellationToken token)
+        public override bool PerformRun()
         {
             if (_appContext == null) return true; // repeat...
 
@@ -55,16 +55,18 @@ namespace Umbraco.Web.Scheduling
                 return false; // do NOT repeat, going down
             }
 
+            UmbracoContext tempContext = null;
             try
             {
                 // DO not run publishing if content is re-loading
                 if (content.Instance.isInitializing == false)
                 {
                     //TODO: We should remove this in v8, this is a backwards compat hack
+                    // see notes in CacheRefresherEventHandler
                     // because notifications will not be sent if there is no UmbracoContext
                     // see NotificationServiceExtensions
                     var httpContext = new HttpContextWrapper(new HttpContext(new SimpleWorkerRequest("temp.aspx", "", new StringWriter())));
-                    UmbracoContext.EnsureContext(
+                    tempContext = UmbracoContext.EnsureContext(
                         httpContext,
                         _appContext,
                         new WebSecurity(httpContext, _appContext),
@@ -81,13 +83,18 @@ namespace Umbraco.Web.Scheduling
             {
                 Logger.Error<ScheduledPublishing>("Failed (see exception).", e);
             }
+            finally
+            {
+                if (tempContext != null)
+                    tempContext.Dispose(); // nulls the ThreadStatic context
+            }
 
             return true; // repeat
         }
 
         public override bool IsAsync
         {
-            get { return true; }
+            get { return false; }
         }
     }
 }
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