diff --git a/app/models/ci/runner.rb b/app/models/ci/runner.rb
index 30f5a2ee092..4f96f4f3645 100644
--- a/app/models/ci/runner.rb
+++ b/app/models/ci/runner.rb
@@ -124,19 +124,30 @@ module Ci
       ]
     end
 
-    def tick_update
+    def tick_runner_queue
       new_update = Time.new.inspect
-      Gitlab::Redis.with { |redis| redis.set(redis_key, new_update, ex: 60.minutes) }
+      Gitlab::Redis.with { |redis| redis.set(runner_queue_key, new_update, ex: 60.minutes) }
       new_update
     end
 
-    def last_build_queue_update
-      Gitlab::Redis.with { |redis| redis.get(redis_key) }
+    def ensure_runner_queue_value
+      Gitlab::Redis.with do |redis|
+        value = redis.get(runner_queue_key)
+        if value == ""
+          value = Time.new.inspect
+          redis.set(runner_queue_key, value, ex: 60.minutes)
+        end
+        value
+      end
+    end
+
+    def is_runner_queue_value_latest?(value)
+      ensure_runner_queue_value == value if value.present?
     end
 
     private
 
-    def redis_key
+    def runner_queue_key
       "runner:build_queue:#{self.id}"
     end
 
diff --git a/app/services/ci/update_build_queue_service.rb b/app/services/ci/update_build_queue_service.rb
index 348ba6f5cc4..dd1097f5dbe 100644
--- a/app/services/ci/update_build_queue_service.rb
+++ b/app/services/ci/update_build_queue_service.rb
@@ -1,6 +1,5 @@
 module Ci
   class UpdateBuildQueueService < BaseService
-
     def execute(build)
       build.project.runners.select do |runner|
         if runner.can_pick?(build)
diff --git a/app/workers/build_queue_worker.rb b/app/workers/build_queue_worker.rb
index 8cc99eabdfe..c0ceb8d423a 100644
--- a/app/workers/build_queue_worker.rb
+++ b/app/workers/build_queue_worker.rb
@@ -4,8 +4,7 @@ class BuildQueueWorker
 
   def perform(build_id)
     Ci::Build.find_by(id: build_id).try do |build|
-      UpdateBuildQueueService.new(build)
+      UpdateBuildQueueService.execute(build)
     end
   end
-
 end
diff --git a/lib/ci/api/builds.rb b/lib/ci/api/builds.rb
index fb14f043a18..b1b66313092 100644
--- a/lib/ci/api/builds.rb
+++ b/lib/ci/api/builds.rb
@@ -16,13 +16,9 @@ module Ci
           not_found! unless current_runner.active?
           update_runner_info
 
-          last_update = current_runner.last_build_queue_update
-
-          if params[:last_update].present?
-            if params[:last_update] == last_update
-              headers 'X-GitLab-Last-Update', last_update
-              return build_not_found!
-            end
+          if current_runner.is_runner_queue_value_latest?(params[:last_update])
+            headers 'X-GitLab-Last-Update', params[:last_update]
+            return build_not_found!
           end
 
           build = Ci::RegisterBuildService.new.execute(current_runner)
@@ -35,7 +31,7 @@ module Ci
           else
             Gitlab::Metrics.add_event(:build_not_found)
 
-            new_update = current_runner.tick_update
+            new_update = current_runner.ensure_runner_queue_value
             headers 'X-GitLab-Last-Update', new_update
 
             build_not_found!