diff --git a/backend/app/graph/graphiti_backend.py b/backend/app/graph/graphiti_backend.py
index 8ce10f97..cbc93a18 100644
--- a/backend/app/graph/graphiti_backend.py
+++ b/backend/app/graph/graphiti_backend.py
@@ -521,8 +521,9 @@ class GraphitiBackend(GraphBackend):
         )
 
     async def _execute_neo4j_query(self, query: str, parameters: dict = None):
-        """Execute a raw Cypher query against Neo4j via the sync driver in the shared event loop."""
-        result = await asyncio.get_event_loop().run_in_executor(
+        """Execute a raw Cypher query against Neo4j via the sync driver in a thread pool."""
+        loop = asyncio.get_running_loop()
+        result = await loop.run_in_executor(
             None,
             lambda: self._client.driver.execute_query(query, **({"parameters_": parameters} if parameters else {}))
         )
@@ -548,15 +549,9 @@ class GraphitiBackend(GraphBackend):
         """
         await self._execute_neo4j_query(clone_rels_query, {"src": src_group_id, "dst": dst_group_id})
 
-    async def delete_graph_async(self, group_id: str) -> None:
-        """Delete all nodes and relationships for a given group_id (async version)."""
-        delete_query = "MATCH (n) WHERE n.group_id = $gid DETACH DELETE n"
-        await self._execute_neo4j_query(delete_query, {"gid": group_id})
-
     def delete_graph(self, graph_id: str) -> None:
-        _run_async(
-            self._client.driver.execute_query(
-                "MATCH (n {group_id: $gid}) DETACH DELETE n",
-                params={"gid": graph_id},
-            )
-        )
+        """Delete all nodes and relationships for a given group_id."""
+        _run_async(self._execute_neo4j_query(
+            "MATCH (n) WHERE n.group_id = $gid DETACH DELETE n",
+            {"gid": graph_id},
+        ))
diff --git a/backend/tests/test_graph_clone.py b/backend/tests/test_graph_clone.py
index 82e3802f..99233cc7 100644
--- a/backend/tests/test_graph_clone.py
+++ b/backend/tests/test_graph_clone.py
@@ -1,7 +1,8 @@
 # backend/tests/test_graph_clone.py
+import asyncio
 import pytest
 from unittest.mock import AsyncMock, MagicMock, patch
-import asyncio
+
 
 def test_clone_graph_executes_two_queries():
     """clone_graph should run exactly 2 Cypher queries: one for nodes, one for relationships."""
@@ -10,6 +11,7 @@ def test_clone_graph_executes_two_queries():
     backend = GraphitiBackend.__new__(GraphitiBackend)
 
     executed_queries = []
+
     async def fake_execute_query(query, parameters=None, **kwargs):
         executed_queries.append(query)
         return []
@@ -21,18 +23,23 @@ def test_clone_graph_executes_two_queries():
     combined = " ".join(executed_queries).lower()
     assert "group_id" in combined
 
+
 def test_delete_graph_executes_detach_delete():
-    """delete_graph should run a DETACH DELETE query."""
+    """delete_graph should run a DETACH DELETE query against the correct group_id."""
     from backend.app.graph.graphiti_backend import GraphitiBackend
 
     backend = GraphitiBackend.__new__(GraphitiBackend)
 
     executed_queries = []
+
     async def fake_execute_query(query, parameters=None, **kwargs):
         executed_queries.append(query)
         return []
 
     backend._execute_neo4j_query = fake_execute_query
-    asyncio.run(backend.delete_graph_async("group_to_delete"))
+
+    import backend.app.graph.graphiti_backend as gb_module
+    with patch.object(gb_module, '_run_async', side_effect=lambda coro: asyncio.run(coro)):
+        backend.delete_graph("group_to_delete")
 
     assert any("DETACH DELETE" in q for q in executed_queries)