diff --git a/src/uct/ib/mlx5/gdaki/gdaki.c b/src/uct/ib/mlx5/gdaki/gdaki.c
index 414b5c9c856..bad16e53b8b 100644
--- a/src/uct/ib/mlx5/gdaki/gdaki.c
+++ b/src/uct/ib/mlx5/gdaki/gdaki.c
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@
 #include <uct/ib/base/ib_verbs.h>
 #include <uct/ib/mlx5/rc/rc_mlx5.h>
 #include <uct/cuda/cuda_copy/cuda_copy_md.h>
+#include <uct/cuda/base/cuda_ctx.h>
 #include <uct/cuda/base/cuda_util.h>
 
 #include "gpunetio/common/doca_gpunetio_verbs_def.h"
@@ -33,6 +34,7 @@ typedef struct {
     uct_rc_iface_common_config_t      super;
     uct_rc_mlx5_iface_common_config_t mlx5;
     unsigned                          num_channels;
+    int                               retain_primary_ctx;
 } uct_rc_gdaki_iface_config_t;
 
 ucs_config_field_t uct_rc_gdaki_iface_config_table[] = {
@@ -50,6 +52,11 @@ ucs_config_field_t uct_rc_gdaki_iface_config_table[] = {
      ucs_offsetof(uct_rc_gdaki_iface_config_t, num_channels),
      UCS_CONFIG_TYPE_UINT},
 
+    {"RETAIN_PRIMARY_CTX", "n",
+     "Retain and use an inactive CUDA primary context for memory allocation",
+     ucs_offsetof(uct_rc_gdaki_iface_config_t, retain_primary_ctx),
+     UCS_CONFIG_TYPE_BOOL},
+
     {NULL}
 };
 
@@ -763,17 +770,13 @@ static UCS_CLASS_INIT_FUNC(uct_rc_gdaki_iface_t, uct_md_h tl_md,
         return status;
     }
 
-    status = UCT_CUDADRV_FUNC_LOG_ERR(
-            cuDevicePrimaryCtxRetain(&self->cuda_ctx, self->cuda_dev));
+    status = uct_cuda_ctx_primary_push(self->cuda_dev,
+                                       config->retain_primary_ctx,
+                                       UCS_LOG_LEVEL_ERROR);
     if (status != UCS_OK) {
         return status;
     }
 
-    status = UCT_CUDADRV_FUNC_LOG_ERR(cuCtxPushCurrent(self->cuda_ctx));
-    if (status != UCS_OK) {
-        goto err_ctx_release;
-    }
-
     status = uct_rc_gdaki_alloc(sizeof(uint64_t), sizeof(uint64_t),
                                 (void**)&self->atomic_buff, &self->atomic_raw);
     if (status != UCS_OK) {
@@ -797,11 +800,9 @@ static UCS_CLASS_INIT_FUNC(uct_rc_gdaki_iface_t, uct_md_h tl_md,
 err_lock:
     ibv_dereg_mr(self->atomic_mr);
 err_atomic:
-    cuMemFree(self->atomic_raw);
+    (void)UCT_CUDADRV_FUNC_LOG_WARN(cuMemFree(self->atomic_raw));
 err_ctx:
-    (void)UCT_CUDADRV_FUNC_LOG_WARN(cuCtxPopCurrent(NULL));
-err_ctx_release:
-    (void)UCT_CUDADRV_FUNC_LOG_WARN(cuDevicePrimaryCtxRelease(self->cuda_dev));
+    uct_cuda_ctx_primary_pop_and_release(self->cuda_dev);
     return status;
 }
 
@@ -809,7 +810,7 @@ static UCS_CLASS_CLEANUP_FUNC(uct_rc_gdaki_iface_t)
 {
     pthread_mutex_destroy(&self->ep_init_lock);
     ibv_dereg_mr(self->atomic_mr);
-    cuMemFree(self->atomic_raw);
+    (void)UCT_CUDADRV_FUNC_LOG_WARN(cuMemFree(self->atomic_raw));
     (void)UCT_CUDADRV_FUNC_LOG_WARN(cuDevicePrimaryCtxRelease(self->cuda_dev));
 }