diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index f5323f1..6b82cfb 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -22,6 +22,8 @@ and this project adheres to [Semantic Versioning](http://semver.org/spec/v2.0.0.
   (#256).
 - `kick()` left a transaction open when the `utube` tube had no buried tasks
   (#256).
+- The `utubettl` driver could accumulate tasks in the status `READY` without
+  deleting (#261).
 
 ## [1.5.0] - 2026-07-10
 
diff --git a/queue/abstract/driver/utubettl.lua b/queue/abstract/driver/utubettl.lua
index 4d73ecc..3501dbc 100644
--- a/queue/abstract/driver/utubettl.lua
+++ b/queue/abstract/driver/utubettl.lua
@@ -652,7 +652,7 @@ function method.release(self, id, opts)
     else
         task = self.space:update(id, {
             { '=', i_status, state.READY },
-            { '=', i_next_event, util.time(task[i_created] + task[i_ttl]) }
+            { '=', i_next_event, task[i_created] + task[i_ttl] }
         })
 
         if self.ready_space_mode and task ~= nil then
diff --git a/t/040-utubettl.t b/t/040-utubettl.t
index f6f811e..5f85e3c 100755
--- a/t/040-utubettl.t
+++ b/t/040-utubettl.t
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ local yaml  = require('yaml')
 local fiber = require('fiber')
 
 local test = (require('tap')).test()
-test:plan(18)
+test:plan(19)
 
 local queue = require('queue')
 local state = require('queue.abstract.state')
@@ -394,6 +394,21 @@ test:test('ttl after delay test', function(test)
     test:is(task.ttr, TTR * 1000000, 'check TTR after release')
 end)
 
+test:test('test task deleted after release and ttl', function(test)
+    local TTL = 1
+    test:plan(2)
+    box.cfg{}
+    local tube = queue.create_tube('test_delete_after_release', 'utubettl', { if_not_exists = true })
+    tube:put({'test_task'}, {ttl = TTL, ttr = 10})
+    local task = tube:take(.1)
+    test:ok(task ~= nil, 'task was taken')
+    if task == nil then return end
+    tube:release(task[1]) -- No delay.
+
+    fiber.sleep(TTL + 0.3)
+    test:is(tube:take(.1), nil, 'task must be deleted by TTL after release without delay')
+end)
+
 test:test('Get tasks by state test', function(test)
     test:plan(2)
     local tube = queue.create_tube('test_task_it', 'utubettl')