diff --git a/applications/audit_generator/handler.py b/applications/audit_generator/handler.py
index 939c408e..3bbed734 100644
--- a/applications/audit_generator/handler.py
+++ b/applications/audit_generator/handler.py
@@ -13,14 +13,11 @@ from infrastructure.postgres.engine import make_engine, make_session
 from infrastructure.s3.s3_client import S3Client
 from orchestration.audit_generator_orchestrator import AuditGeneratorOrchestrator
 from orchestration.audit_generator_unit_of_work import AuditGeneratorUnitOfWork
-from orchestration.task_orchestrator import TaskOrchestrator
 from utilities.aws_lambda.subtask_handler import subtask_handler
 
 
-@subtask_handler()
-def handler(
-    body: dict[str, Any], context: Any, task_orchestrator: TaskOrchestrator
-) -> None:
+@subtask_handler(pass_task_orchestrator=False)
+def handler(body: dict[str, Any], context: Any) -> None:
     trigger = AuditGeneratorTriggerRequest.model_validate(body)
 
     boto3_client: Any = (
diff --git a/tests/utilities/aws_lambda/test_subtask_handler.py b/tests/utilities/aws_lambda/test_subtask_handler.py
index d671adc4..b79de3b3 100644
--- a/tests/utilities/aws_lambda/test_subtask_handler.py
+++ b/tests/utilities/aws_lambda/test_subtask_handler.py
@@ -228,6 +228,31 @@ def test_subtask_handler_records_cloudwatch_url_on_subtask(
     assert "$255B$2524LATEST$255D" in saved_url
 
 
+def test_subtask_handler_completes_subtask_without_orchestrator_parameter(
+    harness: Harness,
+) -> None:
+    # arrange
+    task, subtask = harness.orchestrator.create_task_with_subtask(
+        task_source="manual:test"
+    )
+
+    received: dict[str, Any] = {}
+
+    @subtask_handler(orchestrator_cm=harness.factory, pass_task_orchestrator=False)
+    def handler(body: dict[str, Any], context: Any) -> None:
+        received["body"] = body
+        received["context"] = context
+
+    # act
+    handler(_direct_event(task.id, subtask.id), context="ctx-sentinel")
+
+    # assert — SubTask lifecycle completes and handler received correct args
+    assert harness.subtasks.get(subtask.id).status is SubTaskStatus.COMPLETE
+    assert harness.tasks.get(task.id).status is TaskStatus.COMPLETE
+    assert received["context"] == "ctx-sentinel"
+    assert received["body"]["sub_task_id"] == str(subtask.id)
+
+
 def test_subtask_handler_leaves_cloudwatch_url_unset_outside_lambda(
     harness: Harness, monkeypatch: pytest.MonkeyPatch
 ) -> None:
diff --git a/utilities/aws_lambda/subtask_handler.py b/utilities/aws_lambda/subtask_handler.py
index 592ffebf..e5ac086a 100644
--- a/utilities/aws_lambda/subtask_handler.py
+++ b/utilities/aws_lambda/subtask_handler.py
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ OrchestratorCM = Callable[[], AbstractContextManager[TaskOrchestrator]]
 def subtask_handler(
     *,
     orchestrator_cm: Optional[OrchestratorCM] = None,
+    pass_task_orchestrator: bool = True,
 ) -> Callable[[Callable[..., Any]], Callable[..., Any]]:
     """Run the wrapped function as the body of an existing SubTask.
 
@@ -37,6 +38,8 @@ def subtask_handler(
     factory = orchestrator_cm or default_orchestrator
 
     def decorator(func: Callable[..., Any]) -> Callable[..., Any]:
+        _wants_orchestrator = pass_task_orchestrator
+
         @wraps(func)
         def wrapper(event: dict[str, Any], context: Any) -> None:
             cloud_logs_url = _cloudwatch_url()
@@ -45,18 +48,27 @@ def subtask_handler(
                     body = _parse_body(record)
                     trigger = SubtaskTriggerBody.model_validate(body)
                     logger.info("Running subtask %s", trigger.sub_task_id)
+
+                    def _work_with(
+                        _body: dict[str, Any] = body,
+                        _o: TaskOrchestrator = orchestrator,
+                    ) -> Any:
+                        return func(_body, context, _o)
+
+                    def _work_without(_body: dict[str, Any] = body) -> Any:
+                        return func(_body, context)
+
+                    work: Callable[[], Any] = (
+                        _work_with if _wants_orchestrator else _work_without
+                    )
                     try:
                         orchestrator.run_subtask(
                             trigger.sub_task_id,
-                            work=lambda body=body, o=orchestrator: func(
-                                body, context, o
-                            ),
+                            work=work,
                             cloud_logs_url=cloud_logs_url,
                         )
                     except Exception:
-                        logger.exception(
-                            "Subtask %s failed", trigger.sub_task_id
-                        )
+                        logger.exception("Subtask %s failed", trigger.sub_task_id)
                         raise
                     logger.info("Subtask %s completed", trigger.sub_task_id)