diff --git a/cpp/src/torch_tensorrt/executorch/TensorRTBackend.cpp b/cpp/src/torch_tensorrt/executorch/TensorRTBackend.cpp
index b2e3b08232..6c5424f1b8 100644
--- a/cpp/src/torch_tensorrt/executorch/TensorRTBackend.cpp
+++ b/cpp/src/torch_tensorrt/executorch/TensorRTBackend.cpp
@@ -589,6 +589,7 @@ Error TensorRTBackend::execute(BackendExecutionContext& context, DelegateHandle*
   // output_staged_to_host, so outputs_needing_copy is empty on the skip path.
   const bool must_sync = output_staged_to_host || input_staged_from_host || !g_user_stream_set;
   if (must_sync) {
+    Error copy_err = Error::Ok;
     for (auto& output : outputs_needing_copy) {
       exec_aten::Tensor et_out = args[num_inputs + output.first]->toTensor();
       cuda_err =
@@ -599,7 +600,11 @@ Error TensorRTBackend::execute(BackendExecutionContext& context, DelegateHandle*
             "TensorRTBackend::execute: D2H copy failed for output %zu: %s",
             output.first,
             cudaGetErrorString(cuda_err));
-        return Error::InvalidProgram;
+        // The enqueue already succeeded, so the engine is still running on the
+        // stream. Drain below before returning, or the next call mutates a live
+        // execution context, which TensorRT forbids.
+        copy_err = Error::InvalidProgram;
+        break;
       }
     }
     cuda_err = cudaStreamSynchronize(stream);
@@ -608,6 +613,9 @@ Error TensorRTBackend::execute(BackendExecutionContext& context, DelegateHandle*
       ET_LOG(Error, "TensorRTBackend::execute: cudaStreamSynchronize failed: %s", cudaGetErrorString(cuda_err));
       return Error::InvalidProgram;
     }
+    if (copy_err != Error::Ok) {
+      return copy_err;
+    }
   } else {
     cuda_err = cudaEventRecord(engine->inflight_event, stream);
     if (cuda_err != cudaSuccess) {