diff --git a/backend/cmd/server/VERSION b/backend/cmd/server/VERSION
index e52af70615..74956299aa 100644
--- a/backend/cmd/server/VERSION
+++ b/backend/cmd/server/VERSION
@@ -1 +1 @@
-0.1.110.28
+0.1.110.29
diff --git a/backend/internal/service/gateway_service.go b/backend/internal/service/gateway_service.go
index 32c96de22d..a4571db28d 100644
--- a/backend/internal/service/gateway_service.go
+++ b/backend/internal/service/gateway_service.go
@@ -7529,14 +7529,21 @@ func finalizePostUsageBilling(p *postUsageBillingParams, deps *billingDeps, resu
 
 	deps.deferredService.ScheduleLastUsedUpdate(p.Account.ID)
 
-	notifyBalanceLow(p, deps, result)
-	notifyAccountQuota(p, deps, result)
+	// Notification checks run async — all parameters are already captured,
+	// no dependency on the request context or upstream connection.
+	go notifyBalanceLow(p, deps, result)
+	go notifyAccountQuota(p, deps, result)
 }
 
 // notifyBalanceLow sends balance low notification after deduction.
 // When result.NewBalance is available (from DB transaction RETURNING), it is used directly
 // to reconstruct oldBalance, avoiding stale Redis reads and concurrent-deduction races.
 func notifyBalanceLow(p *postUsageBillingParams, deps *billingDeps, result *UsageBillingApplyResult) {
+	defer func() {
+		if r := recover(); r != nil {
+			slog.Error("panic in notifyBalanceLow", "recover", r)
+		}
+	}()
 	if p.IsSubscriptionBill || p.Cost.ActualCost <= 0 || p.User == nil || deps.balanceNotifyService == nil {
 		slog.Debug("notifyBalanceLow: skipped",
 			"is_subscription", p.IsSubscriptionBill,
@@ -7573,6 +7580,11 @@ func resolveOldBalance(p *postUsageBillingParams, result *UsageBillingApplyResul
 // When result.QuotaState is available (from DB transaction RETURNING), it is passed directly
 // to avoid a separate DB read that may see stale or concurrently-modified data.
 func notifyAccountQuota(p *postUsageBillingParams, deps *billingDeps, result *UsageBillingApplyResult) {
+	defer func() {
+		if r := recover(); r != nil {
+			slog.Error("panic in notifyAccountQuota", "recover", r)
+		}
+	}()
 	if p.Cost.TotalCost <= 0 || p.Account == nil || !p.Account.IsAPIKeyOrBedrock() || deps.balanceNotifyService == nil {
 		slog.Debug("notifyAccountQuota: skipped",
 			"total_cost", p.Cost.TotalCost,