diff --git a/src/core/surface/completion_queue.c b/src/core/surface/completion_queue.c
index 368838860f5..31ec1b68dae 100644
--- a/src/core/surface/completion_queue.c
+++ b/src/core/surface/completion_queue.c
@@ -365,27 +365,30 @@ static void cq_alarm_cb(grpc_exec_ctx *exec_ctx, void *arg, int success) {
             do_nothing_end_completion, NULL, &cq_alarm->completion);
 }
 
-grpc_cq_alarm *grpc_cq_alarm_create(grpc_exec_ctx *exec_ctx,
-                                    grpc_completion_queue *cq,
+grpc_cq_alarm *grpc_cq_alarm_create(grpc_completion_queue *cq,
                                     gpr_timespec deadline, void *tag) {
     grpc_cq_alarm *cq_alarm = gpr_malloc(sizeof(grpc_cq_alarm));
+    grpc_exec_ctx exec_ctx = GRPC_EXEC_CTX_INIT;
 
     GRPC_CQ_INTERNAL_REF(cq, "cq_alarm");
     cq_alarm->cq = cq;
     cq_alarm->tag = tag;
 
-    grpc_alarm_init(exec_ctx, &cq_alarm->alarm, deadline, cq_alarm_cb, cq_alarm,
+    grpc_alarm_init(&exec_ctx, &cq_alarm->alarm, deadline, cq_alarm_cb, cq_alarm,
                     gpr_now(GPR_CLOCK_MONOTONIC));
     grpc_cq_begin_op(cq);
+    grpc_exec_ctx_finish(&exec_ctx);
     return cq_alarm;
 }
 
-void grpc_cq_alarm_cancel(grpc_exec_ctx *exec_ctx, grpc_cq_alarm *cq_alarm) {
-    grpc_alarm_cancel(exec_ctx, &cq_alarm->alarm);
+void grpc_cq_alarm_cancel(grpc_cq_alarm *cq_alarm) {
+    grpc_exec_ctx exec_ctx = GRPC_EXEC_CTX_INIT;
+    grpc_alarm_cancel(&exec_ctx, &cq_alarm->alarm);
+    grpc_exec_ctx_finish(&exec_ctx);
 }
 
-void grpc_cq_alarm_destroy(grpc_exec_ctx *exec_ctx, grpc_cq_alarm *cq_alarm) {
-    grpc_cq_alarm_cancel(exec_ctx, cq_alarm);
+void grpc_cq_alarm_destroy(grpc_cq_alarm *cq_alarm) {
+    grpc_cq_alarm_cancel(cq_alarm);
     GRPC_CQ_INTERNAL_UNREF(cq_alarm->cq, "cq_alarm");
     gpr_free(cq_alarm);
 }
diff --git a/src/core/surface/completion_queue.h b/src/core/surface/completion_queue.h
index ab5b87c5c8b..12a7e9a147a 100644
--- a/src/core/surface/completion_queue.h
+++ b/src/core/surface/completion_queue.h
@@ -99,15 +99,14 @@ int grpc_cq_is_server_cq(grpc_completion_queue *cc);
  * Once the alarm expires (at \a deadline) or it's cancelled (see ...), an event
  * with tag \a tag will be added to \a cq. If the alarm expired, the event's
  * success bit will be true, false otherwise (ie, upon cancellation). */
-grpc_cq_alarm *grpc_cq_alarm_create(grpc_exec_ctx *exec_ctx,
-                                    grpc_completion_queue *cq,
+grpc_cq_alarm *grpc_cq_alarm_create(grpc_completion_queue *cq,
                                     gpr_timespec deadline, void *tag);
 
 /** Cancel a completion queue alarm. Calling this function ove an alarm that has
  * already run has no effect. */
-void grpc_cq_alarm_cancel(grpc_exec_ctx *exec_ctx, grpc_cq_alarm *cq_alarm);
+void grpc_cq_alarm_cancel(grpc_cq_alarm *cq_alarm);
 
 /** Destroy the given completion queue alarm, cancelling it in the process. */
-void grpc_cq_alarm_destroy(grpc_exec_ctx *exec_ctx, grpc_cq_alarm *cq_alarm);
+void grpc_cq_alarm_destroy(grpc_cq_alarm *cq_alarm);
 
 #endif /* GRPC_INTERNAL_CORE_SURFACE_COMPLETION_QUEUE_H */
diff --git a/test/core/surface/completion_queue_test.c b/test/core/surface/completion_queue_test.c
index 785093c60fc..16bccc36091 100644
--- a/test/core/surface/completion_queue_test.c
+++ b/test/core/surface/completion_queue_test.c
@@ -104,7 +104,6 @@ static void test_cq_end_op(void) {
 
 static void test_cq_alarm(void) {
   grpc_completion_queue *cc;
-  grpc_exec_ctx exec_ctx = GRPC_EXEC_CTX_INIT;
 
   LOG_TEST("test_cq_alarm");
   cc = grpc_completion_queue_create(NULL);
@@ -112,35 +111,32 @@ static void test_cq_alarm(void) {
       /* regular expiry */
       grpc_event ev;
       void *tag = create_test_tag();
-      grpc_cq_alarm *cq_alarm = grpc_cq_alarm_create(
-          &exec_ctx, cc, GRPC_TIMEOUT_SECONDS_TO_DEADLINE(1), tag);
+      grpc_cq_alarm *cq_alarm =
+          grpc_cq_alarm_create(cc, GRPC_TIMEOUT_SECONDS_TO_DEADLINE(1), tag);
 
       ev = grpc_completion_queue_next(cc, GRPC_TIMEOUT_SECONDS_TO_DEADLINE(2),
                                       NULL);
       GPR_ASSERT(ev.type == GRPC_OP_COMPLETE);
       GPR_ASSERT(ev.tag == tag);
       GPR_ASSERT(ev.success);
-      grpc_cq_alarm_destroy(&exec_ctx, cq_alarm);
+      grpc_cq_alarm_destroy(cq_alarm);
   }
   {
       /* cancellation */
       grpc_event ev;
       void *tag = create_test_tag();
-      grpc_cq_alarm *cq_alarm = grpc_cq_alarm_create(
-          &exec_ctx, cc, GRPC_TIMEOUT_SECONDS_TO_DEADLINE(2), tag);
+      grpc_cq_alarm *cq_alarm =
+          grpc_cq_alarm_create(cc, GRPC_TIMEOUT_SECONDS_TO_DEADLINE(2), tag);
 
-      grpc_cq_alarm_cancel(&exec_ctx, cq_alarm);
-      GPR_ASSERT(grpc_exec_ctx_flush(&exec_ctx) == 1);
+      grpc_cq_alarm_cancel(cq_alarm);
       ev = grpc_completion_queue_next(cc, GRPC_TIMEOUT_SECONDS_TO_DEADLINE(1),
                                       NULL);
       GPR_ASSERT(ev.type == GRPC_OP_COMPLETE);
       GPR_ASSERT(ev.tag == tag);
       GPR_ASSERT(ev.success == 0);
-      grpc_cq_alarm_destroy(&exec_ctx, cq_alarm);
+      grpc_cq_alarm_destroy(cq_alarm);
   }
-
   shutdown_and_destroy(cc);
-  grpc_exec_ctx_finish(&exec_ctx);
 }
 
 static void test_shutdown_then_next_polling(void) {