diff --git a/backend/open_webui/utils/auth.py b/backend/open_webui/utils/auth.py
index 529fcdf9d..5a2ca89c7 100644
--- a/backend/open_webui/utils/auth.py
+++ b/backend/open_webui/utils/auth.py
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ from open_webui.models.users import Users
 from open_webui.constants import ERROR_MESSAGES
 from open_webui.env import WEBUI_SECRET_KEY, TRUSTED_SIGNATURE_KEY, STATIC_DIR, SRC_LOG_LEVELS
 
-from fastapi import Depends, HTTPException, Request, Response, status
+from fastapi import BackgroundTasks, Depends, HTTPException, Request, Response, status
 from fastapi.security import HTTPAuthorizationCredentials, HTTPBearer
 from passlib.context import CryptContext
 
@@ -145,6 +145,7 @@ def get_http_authorization_cred(auth_header: str):
 
 def get_current_user(
     request: Request,
+    background_tasks: BackgroundTasks,
     auth_token: HTTPAuthorizationCredentials = Depends(bearer_security),
 ):
     token = None
@@ -197,7 +198,9 @@ def get_current_user(
                 detail=ERROR_MESSAGES.INVALID_TOKEN,
             )
         else:
-            Users.update_user_last_active_by_id(user.id)
+            # Refresh the user's last active timestamp asynchronously
+            # to prevent blocking the request
+            background_tasks.add_task(Users.update_user_last_active_by_id, user.id)
         return user
     else:
         raise HTTPException(