diff --git a/backend/api/models.py b/backend/api/models.py
index 03c3b42c6..32eca05da 100644
--- a/backend/api/models.py
+++ b/backend/api/models.py
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@
 from django.utils import timezone
 from django.conf import settings
 from api.services import Providers, ServiceConfig
-from api.tasks.syncing import trigger_sync_tasks, trigger_syncs_for_referencing_envs
+from api.tasks.syncing import trigger_sync_tasks, detect_and_trigger_referencing_syncs
 from backend.quotas import (
     can_add_account,
     can_add_app,
@@ -467,10 +467,9 @@ class Environment(models.Model):
     objects = EnvironmentManager()
 
     def save(self, *args, **kwargs):
-        # Call the "real" save() method to save the Secret
         super().save(*args, **kwargs)
 
-        # Trigger all sync jobs associated with this environment
+        # Own syncs: synchronous, so queued status shows immediately.
         [
             trigger_sync_tasks(env_sync)
             for env_sync in EnvironmentSync.objects.filter(
@@ -479,9 +478,8 @@ def save(self, *args, **kwargs):
             if env_sync.is_active
         ]
 
-        # Trigger syncs for other environments whose secrets
-        # reference this one (cross-env and cross-app references)
-        trigger_syncs_for_referencing_envs(self)
+        # Referencing envs: deferred to a worker (detection decrypts + walks the org graph).
+        detect_and_trigger_referencing_syncs.delay(str(self.id))
 
 
 class EnvironmentKey(models.Model):
diff --git a/backend/api/tasks/syncing.py b/backend/api/tasks/syncing.py
index 5f6604062..12737b57f 100644
--- a/backend/api/tasks/syncing.py
+++ b/backend/api/tasks/syncing.py
@@ -515,8 +515,11 @@ def trigger_syncs_for_referencing_envs(changed_env):
     this we build the org's reference graph and follow it from each candidate
     environment until we reach the changed environment (cycle-safe).
 
-    Called synchronously from Environment.save() so the pending sync status is
-    reflected in the UI right away; the actual sync work is dispatched async.
+    Runs off the request path, dispatched from Environment.save() via the
+    detect_and_trigger_referencing_syncs RQ job — so referencing envs' syncs are
+    queued shortly after the write, not within it. (The changed environment's own
+    syncs are still triggered synchronously in Environment.save for immediate
+    status.) The actual provider sync work is dispatched async by trigger_sync_tasks.
     """
     from api.utils.secrets import get_referenced_environment_ids
 
@@ -602,3 +605,24 @@ def references_changed_env(start_env_id):
             logger.warning(
                 f"Failed to check references for environment {env_id}: {e}"
             )
+
+
+@job("default", timeout=DEFAULT_TIMEOUT)
+def detect_and_trigger_referencing_syncs(changed_env_id):
+    """
+    Async entrypoint for trigger_syncs_for_referencing_envs.
+
+    Dispatched from Environment.save() so the reference-graph detection — which
+    decrypts and scans every synced/intermediate environment in the org — runs
+    off the request path instead of blocking the secret write. The changed
+    environment's own syncs are still triggered synchronously by Environment.save
+    for immediate status feedback; only the cross-reference fan-out is deferred.
+    """
+    Environment = apps.get_model("api", "Environment")
+    try:
+        changed_env = Environment.objects.select_related(
+            "app", "app__organisation"
+        ).get(id=changed_env_id)
+    except Environment.DoesNotExist:
+        return
+    trigger_syncs_for_referencing_envs(changed_env)
diff --git a/backend/tests/tasks/test_syncing.py b/backend/tests/tasks/test_syncing.py
index fd4a93936..1b59a4856 100644
--- a/backend/tests/tasks/test_syncing.py
+++ b/backend/tests/tasks/test_syncing.py
@@ -1,5 +1,42 @@
 from unittest.mock import patch, MagicMock
-from api.tasks.syncing import trigger_syncs_for_referencing_envs
+from api.tasks.syncing import (
+    trigger_syncs_for_referencing_envs,
+    detect_and_trigger_referencing_syncs,
+)
+
+
+# --- detect_and_trigger_referencing_syncs (async wrapper) tests ---
+
+
+@patch("api.tasks.syncing.trigger_syncs_for_referencing_envs")
+@patch("api.tasks.syncing.apps.get_model")
+def test_detect_and_trigger_refetches_env_and_delegates(mock_get_model, mock_trigger):
+    """The async job re-fetches the env by id and runs the detection."""
+    env = MagicMock()
+    MockEnvironment = MagicMock()
+    MockEnvironment.objects.select_related.return_value.get.return_value = env
+    MockEnvironment.DoesNotExist = type("DoesNotExist", (Exception,), {})
+    mock_get_model.return_value = MockEnvironment
+
+    detect_and_trigger_referencing_syncs("env-id")
+
+    mock_trigger.assert_called_once_with(env)
+
+
+@patch("api.tasks.syncing.trigger_syncs_for_referencing_envs")
+@patch("api.tasks.syncing.apps.get_model")
+def test_detect_and_trigger_missing_env_is_noop(mock_get_model, mock_trigger):
+    """If the env was deleted before the job runs, it returns without error."""
+    MockEnvironment = MagicMock()
+    MockEnvironment.DoesNotExist = type("DoesNotExist", (Exception,), {})
+    MockEnvironment.objects.select_related.return_value.get.side_effect = (
+        MockEnvironment.DoesNotExist()
+    )
+    mock_get_model.return_value = MockEnvironment
+
+    detect_and_trigger_referencing_syncs("missing-env")
+
+    mock_trigger.assert_not_called()
 
 
 # --- trigger_syncs_for_referencing_envs tests ---