diff --git a/tokio/CHANGELOG.md b/tokio/CHANGELOG.md
index 6f5e56f2a..75500a0da 100644
--- a/tokio/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/tokio/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -64,6 +64,14 @@ This release reverts the LIFO slot stealing change introduced in 1.51.0
 [#8035]: https://github.com/tokio-rs/tokio/pull/8035
 [#8040]: https://github.com/tokio-rs/tokio/pull/8040
 
+# 1.51.4 (July 16th, 2026)
+
+### Fixed
+
+- runtime: don't skip the driver when `before_park` schedules work ([#8222])
+
+[#8222]: https://github.com/tokio-rs/tokio/pull/8222
+
 # 1.51.3 (May 8th, 2026)
 
 ### Fixed
diff --git a/tokio/src/runtime/scheduler/current_thread/mod.rs b/tokio/src/runtime/scheduler/current_thread/mod.rs
index f0b072d57..db8e273eb 100644
--- a/tokio/src/runtime/scheduler/current_thread/mod.rs
+++ b/tokio/src/runtime/scheduler/current_thread/mod.rs
@@ -385,8 +385,6 @@ impl Context {
             core = c;
         }
 
-        // If `before_park` spawns a task (or otherwise schedules work for us), then we should not
-        // park the thread.
         if !self.has_pending_work(&core) {
             // Park until the thread is signaled
             core.metrics.about_to_park();
@@ -396,6 +394,15 @@ impl Context {
 
             core.metrics.unparked();
             core.submit_metrics(handle);
+        } else {
+            // `before_park` scheduled work (e.g. an `on_thread_park` hook that woke the
+            // `block_on` future), so we don't block. We must still poll the driver once
+            // without blocking, or timer and I/O events would stall under a runtime driven
+            // by repeated short `block_on` calls. See
+            // <https://github.com/tokio-rs/tokio/issues/8212>.
+            core.submit_metrics(handle);
+
+            core = self.park_internal(core, handle, &mut driver, Some(Duration::from_millis(0)));
         }
 
         if let Some(f) = &handle.shared.config.after_unpark {
diff --git a/tokio/tests/rt_common_before_park.rs b/tokio/tests/rt_common_before_park.rs
index cb0dc152b..74a281632 100644
--- a/tokio/tests/rt_common_before_park.rs
+++ b/tokio/tests/rt_common_before_park.rs
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 
 use std::sync::atomic::{AtomicBool, Ordering};
 use std::sync::Arc;
+use std::time::Duration;
 use tokio::runtime::Builder;
 use tokio::sync::Notify;
 
@@ -90,3 +91,52 @@ fn wake_from_other_thread_block_on() {
 
     th.join().unwrap();
 }
+
+// Regression test for #8212: a current-thread runtime driven by repeated short
+// `block_on` calls, where `on_thread_park` wakes the `block_on` future, must
+// still drive the time driver so a spawned timer keeps making progress. Before
+// the fix, `before_park` setting the `woken` flag caused `park` to skip the
+// driver entirely, so the timer never fired.
+#[test]
+fn before_park_does_not_stall_spawned_timer() {
+    let notify = Arc::new(Notify::new());
+    let task_done = Arc::new(AtomicBool::new(false));
+
+    let rt = Builder::new_current_thread()
+        .enable_all()
+        .on_thread_park({
+            let notify = notify.clone();
+            move || notify.notify_waiters()
+        })
+        .build()
+        .unwrap();
+
+    rt.spawn({
+        let task_done = task_done.clone();
+        async move {
+            tokio::time::sleep(Duration::from_millis(1)).await;
+            task_done.store(true, Ordering::SeqCst);
+        }
+    });
+
+    // A current-thread runtime only runs tasks while inside `block_on`, so drive it
+    // once to let the spawned task register its timer.
+    rt.block_on(tokio::task::yield_now());
+
+    // Drive the runtime in short bursts, the way an external event loop would. Each
+    // burst parks via `on_thread_park` (which wakes the `block_on` future); the fix
+    // keeps polling the driver so the spawned timer still fires. A regression stalls
+    // the timer, failing the assert below instead of hanging.
+    for _ in 0..100 {
+        if task_done.load(Ordering::SeqCst) {
+            break;
+        }
+        rt.block_on(notify.notified());
+        std::thread::sleep(Duration::from_millis(1));
+    }
+
+    assert!(
+        task_done.load(Ordering::SeqCst),
+        "spawned task's timer never fired (issue #8212)"
+    );
+}