diff --git a/octue/cloud/deployment/google/answer_pub_sub_question.py b/octue/cloud/deployment/google/answer_pub_sub_question.py
index 703a67f5c..0f22453f0 100644
--- a/octue/cloud/deployment/google/answer_pub_sub_question.py
+++ b/octue/cloud/deployment/google/answer_pub_sub_question.py
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 import logging
 
+from octue.cloud.events.counter import EventCounter
 from octue.cloud.pub_sub.service import Service
 from octue.cloud.service_id import create_sruid, get_sruid_parts
 from octue.configuration import load_service_and_app_configuration
@@ -32,6 +33,7 @@ def answer_question(question, project_name):
 
     service = Service(service_id=service_sruid, backend=GCPPubSubBackend(project_name=project_name))
     question_uuid = get_nested_attribute(question, "attributes.question_uuid")
+    order = EventCounter()
 
     try:
         runner = Runner.from_configuration(
@@ -42,9 +44,9 @@ def answer_question(question, project_name):
         )
 
         service.run_function = runner.run
-        service.answer(question)
+        service.answer(question, order)
         logger.info("Analysis successfully run and response sent for question %r.", question_uuid)
 
     except BaseException as error:  # noqa
-        service.send_exception(question_uuid=question_uuid, originator="UNKNOWN")
+        service.send_exception(question_uuid=question_uuid, originator="UNKNOWN", order=order)
         logger.exception(error)
diff --git a/octue/cloud/pub_sub/service.py b/octue/cloud/pub_sub/service.py
index 054d8c255..69768edf4 100644
--- a/octue/cloud/pub_sub/service.py
+++ b/octue/cloud/pub_sub/service.py
@@ -203,16 +203,19 @@ def serve(self, timeout=None, delete_topic_and_subscription_on_exit=False, allow
 
         return future, subscriber
 
-    def answer(self, question, heartbeat_interval=120, timeout=30):
+    def answer(self, question, order=None, heartbeat_interval=120, timeout=30):
         """Answer a question from a parent - i.e. run the child's app on the given data and return the output values.
         Answers conform to the output values and output manifest schemas specified in the child's Twine file.
 
         :param dict|google.cloud.pubsub_v1.subscriber.message.Message question:
+        :param octue.cloud.events.counter.EventCounter|None order: an event counter keeping track of the order of emitted events
         :param int|float heartbeat_interval: the time interval, in seconds, at which to send heartbeats
         :param float|None timeout: time in seconds to keep retrying sending of the answer once it has been calculated
         :raise Exception: if any exception arises during running analysis and sending its results
         :return None:
         """
+        order = order or EventCounter()
+
         try:
             (
                 question,
@@ -226,7 +229,6 @@ def answer(self, question, heartbeat_interval=120, timeout=30):
             return
 
         heartbeater = None
-        order = EventCounter()
 
         try:
             self._send_delivery_acknowledgment(question_uuid, originator, order)