diff --git a/lib/oban/engines/basic.ex b/lib/oban/engines/basic.ex
index e5e0d3ca..24d2cd25 100644
--- a/lib/oban/engines/basic.ex
+++ b/lib/oban/engines/basic.ex
@@ -69,9 +69,13 @@ defmodule Oban.Engines.Basic do
 
   @impl Engine
   def insert_job(%Config{} = conf, %Changeset{} = changeset, opts) do
-    fun = fn -> insert_unique(conf, changeset, opts) end
+    if Repo.in_transaction?(conf) do
+      insert_unique(conf, changeset, opts)
+    else
+      fun = fn -> insert_unique(conf, changeset, opts) end
 
-    with {:ok, result} <- Repo.transaction(conf, fun), do: result
+      with {:ok, result} <- Repo.transaction(conf, fun), do: result
+    end
   end
 
   @impl Engine
diff --git a/test/oban/engine_test.exs b/test/oban/engine_test.exs
index b63c60e3..1ee15739 100644
--- a/test/oban/engine_test.exs
+++ b/test/oban/engine_test.exs
@@ -312,6 +312,16 @@ for engine <- [Oban.Engines.Basic, Oban.Engines.Lite, Oban.Engines.Dolphin] do
         assert job_1.id != job_2.id
         assert job_1.id == job_3.id
       end
+
+      @tag skip: @engine != Basic
+      @tag :unboxed
+      @tag oban_opts: [repo: UnboxedRepo]
+      test "propagating db errors raised when inserting within a multi", %{name: name} do
+        changeset = Worker.new(%{ref: 1}) |> Ecto.Changeset.put_change(:state, "bogus")
+        multi = Oban.insert(name, Multi.new(), :job, changeset)
+
+        assert_raise Postgrex.Error, fn -> UnboxedRepo.transaction(multi) end
+      end
     end
 
     describe "insert!/2" do