diff --git a/.env.example b/.env.example
index 3701158c1d..113eff9814 100644
--- a/.env.example
+++ b/.env.example
@@ -35,6 +35,14 @@ LOGGER_FORMAT=
 # The cluster mode will not work in development mode either.
 CLUSTER_MODE=
 
+# Set server running mode, which determines how the server processes requests and background jobs.
+# - `<EMPTY>`: run as a standalone server, process all requests and background jobs.
+# - `!`: run as a master server, only process user requests from UI (http), but not background jobs.
+# - `*`: run as a worker server, only process background jobs.
+# - `<topic1>,<topic2>`: run as a worker server, only process background jobs for the specified topics.
+# - `!,<topic2>`: run as mixed mode, process user requests from UI (http) and background jobs for the specified topics.
+WORKER_MODE=
+
 ################# DATABASE #################
 
 # postgres | mysql | mariadb | sqlite
diff --git a/packages/core/server/src/application.ts b/packages/core/server/src/application.ts
index 734ad2e4eb..211d14a616 100644
--- a/packages/core/server/src/application.ts
+++ b/packages/core/server/src/application.ts
@@ -454,6 +454,32 @@ export class Application<StateT = DefaultState, ContextT = DefaultContext> exten
     return this._aesEncryptor;
   }
 
+  /**
+   * Check if the application is serving as a specific worker.
+   * @experimental
+   */
+  public serving(key?: string): boolean {
+    const { WORKER_MODE = '' } = process.env;
+    if (!WORKER_MODE) {
+      return true;
+    }
+    const topics = WORKER_MODE.trim().split(',');
+    if (key) {
+      if (WORKER_MODE === '*') {
+        return true;
+      }
+      if (topics.includes(key)) {
+        return true;
+      }
+      return false;
+    } else {
+      if (topics.includes('!')) {
+        return true;
+      }
+      return false;
+    }
+  }
+
   /**
    * @internal
    */
diff --git a/packages/plugins/@nocobase/plugin-workflow/src/server/Plugin.ts b/packages/plugins/@nocobase/plugin-workflow/src/server/Plugin.ts
index 2f270e2515..dcada2ac8a 100644
--- a/packages/plugins/@nocobase/plugin-workflow/src/server/Plugin.ts
+++ b/packages/plugins/@nocobase/plugin-workflow/src/server/Plugin.ts
@@ -56,6 +56,8 @@ export type EventOptions = {
 
 type CachedEvent = [WorkflowModel, any, EventOptions];
 
+const WORKER_MODE_WORKFLOW_PROCESS = 'workflow:process';
+
 export default class PluginWorkflowServer extends Plugin {
   instructions: Registry<InstructionInterface> = new Registry();
   triggers: Registry<Trigger> = new Registry();
@@ -64,7 +66,7 @@ export default class PluginWorkflowServer extends Plugin {
   snowflake: Snowflake;
 
   private ready = false;
-  private executing: Promise<void> | null = null;
+  private executing: Promise<any> | null = null;
   private pending: Pending[] = [];
   private events: CachedEvent[] = [];
   private eventsCount = 0;
@@ -79,13 +81,15 @@ export default class PluginWorkflowServer extends Plugin {
       filterByTk: event.executionId,
     });
     if (!execution || execution.status !== EXECUTION_STATUS.QUEUEING) {
+      this.getLogger('dispatcher').info(
+        `execution (${event.executionId}) from queue not found or not in queueing status, skip`,
+      );
       return;
     }
     this.getLogger(execution.workflowId).info(
       `execution (${execution.id}) received from queue, adding to pending list`,
     );
-    this.pending.push([execution]);
-    this.dispatch();
+    this.run(execution);
   };
 
   private onBeforeSave = async (instance: WorkflowModel, { transaction, cycling }) => {
@@ -345,10 +349,12 @@ export default class PluginWorkflowServer extends Plugin {
       custom_epoch: pluginRecord?.createdAt.getTime(),
     });
 
-    this.app.backgroundJobManager.subscribe(`${this.name}.pendingExecution`, {
-      idle: () => !this.executing && !this.pending.length && !this.events.length,
-      process: this.onQueueExecution,
-    });
+    if (this.app.serving(WORKER_MODE_WORKFLOW_PROCESS)) {
+      this.app.backgroundJobManager.subscribe(`${this.name}.pendingExecution`, {
+        idle: () => !this.executing && !this.pending.length && !this.events.length,
+        process: this.onQueueExecution,
+      });
+    }
   }
 
   /**
@@ -522,20 +528,32 @@ export default class PluginWorkflowServer extends Plugin {
     return null;
   }
 
-  public async resume(job) {
-    if (!job.execution) {
-      job.execution = await job.getExecution();
-    }
-    this.getLogger(job.execution.workflowId).info(
-      `execution (${job.execution.id}) resuming from job (${job.id}) added to pending list`,
-    );
-    this.pending.push([job.execution, job]);
-    if (this.executing) {
+  async run(execution: ExecutionModel, job?: JobModel): Promise<void> {
+    while (this.executing) {
       await this.executing;
     }
+
+    this.executing = this.process(execution, job);
+
+    await this.executing;
+
+    this.executing = null;
+
     this.dispatch();
   }
 
+  public async resume(job) {
+    let { execution } = job;
+    if (!execution) {
+      execution = await job.getExecution();
+    }
+    this.getLogger(execution.workflowId).info(
+      `execution (${execution.id}) resuming from job (${job.id}) added to pending list`,
+    );
+
+    this.run(execution, job);
+  }
+
   /**
    * Start a deferred execution
    * @experimental
@@ -545,11 +563,8 @@ export default class PluginWorkflowServer extends Plugin {
       return;
     }
     this.getLogger(execution.workflowId).info(`starting deferred execution (${execution.id})`);
-    this.pending.push([execution]);
-    if (this.executing) {
-      await this.executing;
-    }
-    this.dispatch();
+
+    this.run(execution);
   }
 
   private async validateEvent(workflow: WorkflowModel, context: any, options: EventOptions) {
@@ -692,6 +707,13 @@ export default class PluginWorkflowServer extends Plugin {
       return;
     }
 
+    if (!this.app.serving(WORKER_MODE_WORKFLOW_PROCESS)) {
+      this.getLogger('dispatcher').warn(
+        `${WORKER_MODE_WORKFLOW_PROCESS} is not serving, new dispatching will be ignored`,
+      );
+      return;
+    }
+
     if (this.executing) {
       this.getLogger('dispatcher').warn(`workflow executing is not finished, new dispatching will be ignored`);
       return;
@@ -717,7 +739,9 @@ export default class PluginWorkflowServer extends Plugin {
             async (transaction) => {
               const execution = (await this.db.getRepository('executions').findOne({
                 filter: {
-                  status: EXECUTION_STATUS.QUEUEING,
+                  status: {
+                    [Op.is]: EXECUTION_STATUS.QUEUEING,
+                  },
                   'workflow.enabled': true,
                 },
                 sort: 'id',
@@ -763,7 +787,7 @@ export default class PluginWorkflowServer extends Plugin {
     if (execution.status === EXECUTION_STATUS.QUEUEING) {
       const transaction = await this.useDataSourceTransaction('main', options.transaction);
       await execution.update({ status: EXECUTION_STATUS.STARTED }, { transaction });
-      logger.info(`queueing execution (${execution.id}) from pending list updated to started`);
+      logger.info(`execution (${execution.id}) from pending list updated to started`);
     }
     const processor = this.createProcessor(execution, options);