diff --git a/posthog/api/query.py b/posthog/api/query.py
index 0db629e22a4415..c5dcd276cc0259 100644
--- a/posthog/api/query.py
+++ b/posthog/api/query.py
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
 
 from django.http import JsonResponse
 from drf_spectacular.utils import OpenApiResponse
-from posthog.hogql_queries.query_runner import RecalculationMode
+from posthog.hogql_queries.query_runner import ExecutionMode
 from rest_framework import viewsets
 from rest_framework.decorators import action
 from rest_framework.exceptions import ValidationError, NotAuthenticated
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@ def create(self, request, *args, **kwargs) -> Response:
             result = process_query_model(
                 self.team,
                 data.query,
-                recalculation_mode=RecalculationMode.REQUEST if data.refresh else RecalculationMode.NEVER,
+                execution_mode=ExecutionMode.CALCULATION_REQUESTED if data.refresh else ExecutionMode.CACHE_ONLY,
             )
             return Response(result)
         except (ExposedHogQLError, ExposedCHQueryError) as e:
diff --git a/posthog/api/services/query.py b/posthog/api/services/query.py
index 1b84eae04d7247..2387791e99d98a 100644
--- a/posthog/api/services/query.py
+++ b/posthog/api/services/query.py
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@
 from posthog.hogql.autocomplete import get_hogql_autocomplete
 from posthog.hogql.metadata import get_hogql_metadata
 from posthog.hogql.modifiers import create_default_modifiers_for_team
-from posthog.hogql_queries.query_runner import RecalculationMode, get_query_runner
+from posthog.hogql_queries.query_runner import ExecutionMode, get_query_runner
 from posthog.models import Team
 from posthog.queries.time_to_see_data.serializers import SessionEventsQuerySerializer, SessionsQuerySerializer
 from posthog.queries.time_to_see_data.sessions import get_session_events, get_sessions
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ def process_query(
     query_json: dict,
     *,
     limit_context: Optional[LimitContext] = None,
-    recalculation_mode: RecalculationMode = RecalculationMode.IF_STALE,
+    execution_mode: ExecutionMode = ExecutionMode.CALCULATION_ONLY_IF_STALE,
 ) -> dict:
     model = QuerySchemaRoot.model_validate(query_json)
     tag_queries(query=query_json)
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ def process_query(
         team,
         model.root,
         limit_context=limit_context,
-        recalculation_mode=recalculation_mode,
+        execution_mode=execution_mode,
     )
 
 
@@ -78,13 +78,13 @@ def process_query_model(
     query: BaseModel,  # mypy has problems with unions and isinstance
     *,
     limit_context: Optional[LimitContext] = None,
-    recalculation_mode: RecalculationMode = RecalculationMode.IF_STALE,
+    execution_mode: ExecutionMode = ExecutionMode.CALCULATION_ONLY_IF_STALE,
 ) -> dict:
     result: dict | BaseModel
 
     if isinstance(query, QUERY_WITH_RUNNER):  # type: ignore
         query_runner = get_query_runner(query, team, limit_context=limit_context)
-        result = query_runner.run(recalculation_mode=recalculation_mode)
+        result = query_runner.run(execution_mode=execution_mode)
     elif isinstance(query, QUERY_WITH_RUNNER_NO_CACHE):  # type: ignore
         query_runner = get_query_runner(query, team, limit_context=limit_context)
         result = query_runner.calculate()
diff --git a/posthog/caching/calculate_results.py b/posthog/caching/calculate_results.py
index 958cae8aa50887..47577b0ca6d6f9 100644
--- a/posthog/caching/calculate_results.py
+++ b/posthog/caching/calculate_results.py
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 from typing import TYPE_CHECKING, Any, Dict, List, Optional, Tuple, Union
 
-from posthog.api.services.query import RecalculationMode
+from posthog.api.services.query import ExecutionMode
 import structlog
 from sentry_sdk import capture_exception
 
@@ -116,7 +116,7 @@ def calculate_for_query_based_insight(insight: Insight, *, refresh_requested: bo
     response = process_query(
         insight.team,
         insight.query,
-        recalculation_mode=RecalculationMode.REQUEST if refresh_requested else RecalculationMode.NEVER,
+        execution_mode=ExecutionMode.CALCULATION_REQUESTED if refresh_requested else ExecutionMode.CACHE_ONLY,
     )
 
     if "results" not in response:
diff --git a/posthog/clickhouse/client/execute_async.py b/posthog/clickhouse/client/execute_async.py
index 5f335bfad0ef41..118ac10cef2fd6 100644
--- a/posthog/clickhouse/client/execute_async.py
+++ b/posthog/clickhouse/client/execute_async.py
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@ def execute_process_query(
 ):
     manager = QueryStatusManager(query_id, team_id)
 
-    from posthog.api.services.query import process_query, RecalculationMode
+    from posthog.api.services.query import process_query, ExecutionMode
     from posthog.models import Team
 
     team = Team.objects.get(pk=team_id)
@@ -104,7 +104,7 @@ def execute_process_query(
             team=team,
             query_json=query_json,
             limit_context=limit_context,
-            recalculation_mode=RecalculationMode.REQUEST if refresh_requested else RecalculationMode.NEVER,
+            execution_mode=ExecutionMode.CALCULATION_REQUESTED if refresh_requested else ExecutionMode.CACHE_ONLY,
         )
         logger.info("Got results for team %s query %s", team_id, query_id)
         query_status.complete = True
diff --git a/posthog/hogql_queries/query_runner.py b/posthog/hogql_queries/query_runner.py
index 10072d813a8cc4..ed8dc860d06065 100644
--- a/posthog/hogql_queries/query_runner.py
+++ b/posthog/hogql_queries/query_runner.py
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 from abc import ABC, abstractmethod
 from datetime import datetime
-from enum import Enum, auto
+from enum import IntEnum
 from typing import Any, Generic, List, Optional, Type, Dict, TypeVar, Union, Tuple, cast, TypeGuard
 
 from django.conf import settings
@@ -58,13 +58,13 @@
 DataT = TypeVar("DataT")
 
 
-class RecalculationMode(Enum):
-    REQUEST = auto()
-    """Always recalculate, except if a VERY recent result is present in cache."""
-    IF_STALE = auto()
-    """Use cache, unless the results are stale or missing."""
-    NEVER = auto()
-    """Only use cache."""
+class ExecutionMode(IntEnum):
+    CALCULATION_REQUESTED = 2
+    """Always recalculate, except if very recent results are present in cache."""
+    CALCULATION_ONLY_IF_STALE = 1
+    """Use cache, unless the results are missing or stale."""
+    CACHE_ONLY = 0
+    """Do not initiate calculation."""
 
 
 class QueryResponse(BaseModel, Generic[DataT]):
@@ -318,12 +318,12 @@ def calculate(self) -> BaseModel:
         raise NotImplementedError()
 
     def run(
-        self, recalculation_mode: RecalculationMode = RecalculationMode.IF_STALE
+        self, execution_mode: ExecutionMode = ExecutionMode.CALCULATION_ONLY_IF_STALE
     ) -> CachedQueryResponse | CacheMissResponse:
         cache_key = f"{self._cache_key()}_{self.limit_context or LimitContext.QUERY}"
         tag_queries(cache_key=cache_key)
 
-        if recalculation_mode != RecalculationMode.REQUEST:
+        if execution_mode != ExecutionMode.CALCULATION_REQUESTED:
             cached_response = get_safe_cache(cache_key)
             if cached_response:
                 if not self._is_stale(cached_response):
@@ -334,7 +334,7 @@ def run(
                     QUERY_CACHE_HIT_COUNTER.labels(team_id=self.team.pk, cache_hit="stale").inc()
             else:
                 QUERY_CACHE_HIT_COUNTER.labels(team_id=self.team.pk, cache_hit="miss").inc()
-            if recalculation_mode == RecalculationMode.NEVER:
+            if execution_mode == ExecutionMode.CACHE_ONLY:
                 return CacheMissResponse(cache_key=cache_key)
 
         fresh_response_dict = cast(QueryResponse, self.calculate()).model_dump()