diff --git a/config/initializers/100-sidekiq.rb b/config/initializers/100-sidekiq.rb
index a45ec085f77..f361c9fdeef 100644
--- a/config/initializers/100-sidekiq.rb
+++ b/config/initializers/100-sidekiq.rb
@@ -13,6 +13,9 @@ Sidekiq.configure_server do |config|
 end
 
 if Sidekiq.server?
+  # defer queue should simply run in sidekiq
+  Scheduler::Defer.async = false
+
   # warm up AR
   RailsMultisite::ConnectionManagement.each_connection do
     (ActiveRecord::Base.connection.tables - %w[schema_migrations]).each do |table|
diff --git a/lib/scheduler/defer.rb b/lib/scheduler/defer.rb
index 37116f58ed4..f8f37090bb2 100644
--- a/lib/scheduler/defer.rb
+++ b/lib/scheduler/defer.rb
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ module Scheduler
       @paused = false
     end
 
-    # for test
+    # for test and sidekiq
     def async=(val)
       @async = val
     end