diff --git a/redis/auth/token_manager.py b/redis/auth/token_manager.py
index dd8d16233d..8b62e6f83f 100644
--- a/redis/auth/token_manager.py
+++ b/redis/auth/token_manager.py
@@ -145,20 +145,40 @@ def start(
         except RuntimeError:
             # Run loop in a separate thread to unblock main thread.
             loop = asyncio.new_event_loop()
-            thread = threading.Thread(
-                target=_start_event_loop_in_thread, args=(loop,), daemon=True
-            )
+
+            # Use threading.Event to signal when loop is ready
+            loop_ready = threading.Event()
+
+            def start_loop():
+                # This runs in the background thread. First, bind the event loop to
+                # this thread, then signal that the loop is ready so the calling
+                # thread can safely schedule work (via call_soon_threadsafe) before
+                # we block in run_forever().
+                asyncio.set_event_loop(loop)
+                loop_ready.set()  # Signal that loop is ready for cross-thread use
+                loop.run_forever()
+
+            thread = threading.Thread(target=start_loop, daemon=True)
             thread.start()
 
-        # Event to block for initial execution.
-        init_event = asyncio.Event()
-        self._init_timer = loop.call_later(
-            0, self._renew_token, skip_initial, init_event
-        )
+            # Wait for the loop to be ready before scheduling
+            loop_ready.wait()
+
+        # Use thread-safe Event for cross-thread synchronization
+        init_done = threading.Event()
+
+        def renew_with_callback():
+            try:
+                self._renew_token(skip_initial)
+            finally:
+                init_done.set()
+
+        # Schedule using call_soon_threadsafe for thread-safe scheduling
+        self._init_timer = loop.call_soon_threadsafe(renew_with_callback)
         logger.info("Token manager started")
 
-        # Blocks in thread-safe manner.
-        asyncio.run_coroutine_threadsafe(init_event.wait(), loop).result()
+        # Blocks using thread-safe Event
+        init_done.wait()
         return self.stop
 
     async def start_async(
@@ -247,9 +267,7 @@ def _delay_for_ratio_refresh(self, expire_date: float, issue_date: float):
             - (datetime.now(timezone.utc).timestamp() * 1000)
         )
 
-    def _renew_token(
-        self, skip_initial: bool = False, init_event: asyncio.Event = None
-    ):
+    def _renew_token(self, skip_initial: bool = False):
         """
         Task to renew token from identity provider.
         Schedules renewal tasks based on token TTL.
@@ -289,9 +307,6 @@ def _renew_token(
                 raise e
 
             self._listener.on_error(e)
-        finally:
-            if init_event:
-                init_event.set()
 
     async def _renew_token_async(
         self, skip_initial: bool = False, init_event: asyncio.Event = None
@@ -356,15 +371,3 @@ def wrapped():
         asyncio.ensure_future(coro_func(*args, **kwargs), loop=loop)
 
     return wrapped
-
-
-def _start_event_loop_in_thread(event_loop: asyncio.AbstractEventLoop):
-    """
-    Starts event loop in a thread.
-    Used to be able to schedule tasks using loop.call_later.
-
-    :param event_loop:
-    :return:
-    """
-    asyncio.set_event_loop(event_loop)
-    event_loop.run_forever()