diff --git a/java-bigtable/google-cloud-bigtable/src/main/java/com/google/cloud/bigtable/data/v2/internal/channels/ChannelPoolDpImpl.java b/java-bigtable/google-cloud-bigtable/src/main/java/com/google/cloud/bigtable/data/v2/internal/channels/ChannelPoolDpImpl.java
index ae2dacb2d1aa..1ef72a91937a 100644
--- a/java-bigtable/google-cloud-bigtable/src/main/java/com/google/cloud/bigtable/data/v2/internal/channels/ChannelPoolDpImpl.java
+++ b/java-bigtable/google-cloud-bigtable/src/main/java/com/google/cloud/bigtable/data/v2/internal/channels/ChannelPoolDpImpl.java
@@ -26,7 +26,6 @@
 import com.google.common.base.Ticker;
 import com.google.common.collect.HashMultiset;
 import com.google.common.collect.Multiset;
-import com.google.common.util.concurrent.MoreExecutors;
 import io.grpc.CallOptions;
 import io.grpc.ClientCall;
 import io.grpc.ManagedChannel;
@@ -296,11 +295,15 @@ public synchronized SessionStream newStream(
     fw.numOutstanding++;
     totalStreams++;
 
-    // DirectExecutor: gRPC/Netty delivers SessionStream.Listener callbacks directly on the
-    // I/O thread. All work must be fast and non-blocking; blocking work goes to sessionSyncContext.
+    // Do NOT override the call executor with directExecutor(): SessionStream.Listener callbacks
+    // acquire the SessionPool lock (onReady/onGoAway/onClose/onVRpcComplete). directExecutor()
+    // delivers those callbacks inline on the Netty event-loop (I/O) thread, so a contended pool
+    // lock blocks the event loop; the blocked event loop then can't deliver the very completions
+    // that would release sessions and drain the lock -> self-sustaining pod-wide wedge. Leaving
+    // the executor unset delivers callbacks on gRPC's off-loop channel executor, keeping
+    // pool-lock acquisition off the transport threads.
     ClientCall<SessionRequest, SessionResponse> innerCall =
-        channelWrapper.channel.newCall(
-            desc, callOptions.withExecutor(MoreExecutors.directExecutor()));
+        channelWrapper.channel.newCall(desc, callOptions);
 
     return new SessionStreamImpl(innerCall) {
       // null until onBeforeSessionStart fires
diff --git a/java-bigtable/google-cloud-bigtable/src/main/java/com/google/cloud/bigtable/data/v2/internal/channels/SingleChannelPool.java b/java-bigtable/google-cloud-bigtable/src/main/java/com/google/cloud/bigtable/data/v2/internal/channels/SingleChannelPool.java
index bfd099f60d51..d69371adcd75 100644
--- a/java-bigtable/google-cloud-bigtable/src/main/java/com/google/cloud/bigtable/data/v2/internal/channels/SingleChannelPool.java
+++ b/java-bigtable/google-cloud-bigtable/src/main/java/com/google/cloud/bigtable/data/v2/internal/channels/SingleChannelPool.java
@@ -19,7 +19,6 @@
 import com.google.bigtable.v2.SessionClientConfiguration.ChannelPoolConfiguration;
 import com.google.bigtable.v2.SessionRequest;
 import com.google.bigtable.v2.SessionResponse;
-import com.google.common.util.concurrent.MoreExecutors;
 import io.grpc.CallOptions;
 import io.grpc.ManagedChannel;
 import io.grpc.MethodDescriptor;
@@ -46,10 +45,14 @@ public void close() {
   @Override
   public SessionStream newStream(
       MethodDescriptor<SessionRequest, SessionResponse> desc, CallOptions callOptions) {
-    // DirectExecutor: gRPC/Netty delivers SessionStream.Listener callbacks directly on the
-    // I/O thread. All work must be fast and non-blocking; blocking work goes to sessionSyncContext.
-    return new SessionStreamImpl(
-        channel.newCall(desc, callOptions.withExecutor(MoreExecutors.directExecutor())));
+    // Do NOT override the call executor with directExecutor(): SessionStream.Listener callbacks
+    // acquire the SessionPool lock (onReady/onGoAway/onClose/onVRpcComplete). directExecutor()
+    // delivers those callbacks inline on the Netty event-loop (I/O) thread, so a contended pool
+    // lock blocks the event loop; the blocked event loop then can't deliver the very completions
+    // that would release sessions and drain the lock -> self-sustaining pod-wide wedge. Leaving
+    // the executor unset delivers callbacks on gRPC's off-loop channel executor, keeping
+    // pool-lock acquisition off the transport threads.
+    return new SessionStreamImpl(channel.newCall(desc, callOptions));
   }
 
   @Override