diff --git a/python/ray/experimental/serve/api.py b/python/ray/experimental/serve/api.py
index 14ed208cf..01bff7e31 100644
--- a/python/ray/experimental/serve/api.py
+++ b/python/ray/experimental/serve/api.py
@@ -106,9 +106,9 @@ def _start_replica(backend_tag):
 
     runner = creator()
     setup_done = runner._ray_serve_setup.remote(
-        backend_tag, global_state.router_actor_handle)
+        backend_tag, global_state.router_actor_handle, runner)
     ray.get(setup_done)
-    runner._ray_serve_main_loop.remote(runner)
+    runner._ray_serve_main_loop.remote()
 
     global_state.backend_replicas[backend_tag].append(runner)
     global_state.metric_monitor_handle.add_target.remote(runner)
diff --git a/python/ray/experimental/serve/task_runner.py b/python/ray/experimental/serve/task_runner.py
index d0fa4c7de..af072e131 100644
--- a/python/ray/experimental/serve/task_runner.py
+++ b/python/ray/experimental/serve/task_runner.py
@@ -79,14 +79,14 @@ class RayServeMixin:
             },
         }
 
-    def _ray_serve_setup(self, my_name, _ray_serve_router_handle):
+    def _ray_serve_setup(self, my_name, router_handle, my_handle):
         self._ray_serve_dequeue_requestr_name = my_name
-        self._ray_serve_router_handle = _ray_serve_router_handle
+        self._ray_serve_router_handle = router_handle
+        self._ray_serve_self_handle = my_handle
         self._ray_serve_setup_completed = True
 
-    def _ray_serve_main_loop(self, my_handle):
+    def _ray_serve_main_loop(self):
         assert self._ray_serve_setup_completed
-        self._ray_serve_self_handle = my_handle
 
         # Only retrieve the next task if we have completed previous task.
         if self._ray_serve_cached_work_token is None:
@@ -104,7 +104,7 @@ class RayServeMixin:
             self._ray_serve_cached_work_token = None
         else:
             self._ray_serve_cached_work_token = work_token
-            self._ray_serve_self_handle._ray_serve_main_loop.remote(my_handle)
+            self._ray_serve_self_handle._ray_serve_main_loop.remote()
             return
 
         if work_item.request_context == TaskContext.Web:
@@ -136,7 +136,7 @@ class RayServeMixin:
         # It will now tail recursively schedule the main_loop again.
 
         # TODO(simon): remove tail recursion, ask router to callback instead
-        self._ray_serve_self_handle._ray_serve_main_loop.remote(my_handle)
+        self._ray_serve_self_handle._ray_serve_main_loop.remote()
 
 
 class TaskRunnerBackend(TaskRunner, RayServeMixin):
diff --git a/python/ray/experimental/serve/tests/test_task_runner.py b/python/ray/experimental/serve/tests/test_task_runner.py
index e26fa4434..7746a93df 100644
--- a/python/ray/experimental/serve/tests/test_task_runner.py
+++ b/python/ray/experimental/serve/tests/test_task_runner.py
@@ -34,8 +34,8 @@ def test_runner_actor(serve_instance):
 
     runner = TaskRunnerActor.remote(echo)
 
-    runner._ray_serve_setup.remote(CONSUMER_NAME, q)
-    runner._ray_serve_main_loop.remote(runner)
+    runner._ray_serve_setup.remote(CONSUMER_NAME, q, runner)
+    runner._ray_serve_main_loop.remote()
 
     q.link.remote(PRODUCER_NAME, CONSUMER_NAME)
 
@@ -69,8 +69,8 @@ def test_ray_serve_mixin(serve_instance):
 
     runner = CustomActor.remote(3)
 
-    runner._ray_serve_setup.remote(CONSUMER_NAME, q)
-    runner._ray_serve_main_loop.remote(runner)
+    runner._ray_serve_setup.remote(CONSUMER_NAME, q, runner)
+    runner._ray_serve_main_loop.remote()
 
     q.link.remote(PRODUCER_NAME, CONSUMER_NAME)
 
@@ -97,8 +97,8 @@ def test_task_runner_check_context(serve_instance):
 
     runner = TaskRunnerActor.remote(echo)
 
-    runner._ray_serve_setup.remote(CONSUMER_NAME, q)
-    runner._ray_serve_main_loop.remote(runner)
+    runner._ray_serve_setup.remote(CONSUMER_NAME, q, runner)
+    runner._ray_serve_main_loop.remote()
 
     q.link.remote(PRODUCER_NAME, CONSUMER_NAME)
     result_token = ray.ObjectID(