diff --git a/cloud_pipelines_backend/api_server_sql.py b/cloud_pipelines_backend/api_server_sql.py
index 861f1c9..2851777 100644
--- a/cloud_pipelines_backend/api_server_sql.py
+++ b/cloud_pipelines_backend/api_server_sql.py
@@ -111,6 +111,50 @@ def _fail_if_changing_system_annotation(self, *, key: str) -> None:
         if key.startswith(filter_query_sql.SYSTEM_KEY_PREFIX):
             raise errors.ApiValidationError(self._SYSTEM_KEY_RESERVED_MSG)
 
+    def _build_pipeline_run(
+        self,
+        session: orm.Session,
+        root_task: structures.TaskSpec,
+        annotations: Optional[dict[str, Any]],
+        created_by: str | None,
+    ) -> bts.PipelineRun:
+        """Create a single pipeline run within an existing transaction.
+
+        Builds the execution tree, inserts the PipelineRun record, flushes to
+        obtain the server-generated ID, and mirrors system annotations.
+
+        The caller is responsible for transaction boundaries (begin/commit).
+        """
+        pipeline_name = root_task.component_ref.spec.name
+
+        root_execution_node = _recursively_create_all_executions_and_artifacts_root(
+            session=session,
+            root_task_spec=root_task,
+        )
+
+        current_time = _get_current_time()
+        pipeline_run = bts.PipelineRun(
+            root_execution=root_execution_node,
+            created_at=current_time,
+            updated_at=current_time,
+            annotations=annotations,
+            created_by=created_by,
+            extra_data={
+                self._PIPELINE_NAME_EXTRA_DATA_KEY: pipeline_name,
+            },
+        )
+        session.add(pipeline_run)
+        # Flush to populate pipeline_run.id (server-generated) before inserting annotation FKs.
+        # TODO: Use ORM relationship instead of explicit flush + manual FK assignment.
+        session.flush()
+        _mirror_system_annotations(
+            session=session,
+            pipeline_run_id=pipeline_run.id,
+            created_by=created_by,
+            pipeline_name=pipeline_name,
+        )
+        return pipeline_run
+
     def create(
         self,
         session: orm.Session,
@@ -125,36 +169,12 @@ def create(
         # TODO: Load and validate all components
         # TODO: Fetch missing components and populate component specs
 
-        pipeline_name = root_task.component_ref.spec.name
-
         with session.begin():
-
-            root_execution_node = _recursively_create_all_executions_and_artifacts_root(
+            pipeline_run = self._build_pipeline_run(
                 session=session,
-                root_task_spec=root_task,
-            )
-
-            # Store into DB.
-            current_time = _get_current_time()
-            pipeline_run = bts.PipelineRun(
-                root_execution=root_execution_node,
-                created_at=current_time,
-                updated_at=current_time,
+                root_task=root_task,
                 annotations=annotations,
                 created_by=created_by,
-                extra_data={
-                    self._PIPELINE_NAME_EXTRA_DATA_KEY: pipeline_name,
-                },
-            )
-            session.add(pipeline_run)
-            # Flush to populate pipeline_run.id (server-generated) before inserting annotation FKs.
-            # TODO: Use ORM relationship instead of explicit flush + manual FK assignment.
-            session.flush()
-            _mirror_system_annotations(
-                session=session,
-                pipeline_run_id=pipeline_run.id,
-                created_by=created_by,
-                pipeline_name=pipeline_name,
             )
             session.commit()
 
@@ -178,33 +198,11 @@ def create_batch(
 
         with session.begin():
             for run_request in runs:
-                pipeline_name = run_request.root_task.component_ref.spec.name
-
-                root_execution_node = (
-                    _recursively_create_all_executions_and_artifacts_root(
-                        session=session,
-                        root_task_spec=run_request.root_task,
-                    )
-                )
-
-                current_time = _get_current_time()
-                pipeline_run = bts.PipelineRun(
-                    root_execution=root_execution_node,
-                    created_at=current_time,
-                    updated_at=current_time,
-                    annotations=run_request.annotations,
-                    created_by=created_by,
-                    extra_data={
-                        self._PIPELINE_NAME_EXTRA_DATA_KEY: pipeline_name,
-                    },
-                )
-                session.add(pipeline_run)
-                session.flush()
-                _mirror_system_annotations(
+                pipeline_run = self._build_pipeline_run(
                     session=session,
-                    pipeline_run_id=pipeline_run.id,
+                    root_task=run_request.root_task,
+                    annotations=run_request.annotations,
                     created_by=created_by,
-                    pipeline_name=pipeline_name,
                 )
                 pipeline_runs.append(pipeline_run)