diff --git a/app/models/service_retire_task.rb b/app/models/service_retire_task.rb
index 0178ad104fc..ce7b2f8f1f4 100644
--- a/app/models/service_retire_task.rb
+++ b/app/models/service_retire_task.rb
@@ -25,41 +25,43 @@ def after_request_task_create
     update_attributes(:description => get_description)
     parent_svc = Service.find_by(:id => options[:src_ids])
     _log.info("- creating service tasks for service <#{self.class.name}:#{id}>")
-
-    create_retire_subtasks(parent_svc)
+    create_retire_subtasks(parent_svc, self)
   end
 
-  def create_retire_subtasks(parent_service)
-    parent_service.direct_service_children.each { |child| create_retire_subtasks(child) }
+  def create_retire_subtasks(parent_service, parent_task)
     parent_service.service_resources.collect do |svc_rsc|
       next unless svc_rsc.resource.try(:retireable?)
       # TODO: the next line deals with the filtering for provisioning
       # (https://github.com/ManageIQ/manageiq/blob/3921e87915b5a69937b9d4a70bb24ab71b97c165/app/models/service_template/filter.rb#L5)
       # which should be extended to retirement as part of later work
       # svc_rsc.resource_type != "ServiceTemplate" || self.class.include_service_template?(self, srr.id, parent_service)
-      nh = attributes.except("id", "created_on", "updated_on", "type", "state", "status", "message")
+
+      # TODO: use changes here: https://github.com/ManageIQ/manageiq/pull/17996 to not have to filter by col_names
+      # 17996 removes virtual attributes from @attrs list
+      nh = attributes.slice(*self.class.column_names).except!("id", "created_on", "updated_on", "type", "state", "status", "message")
       nh['options'] = options.except(:child_tasks)
       # Initial Options[:dialog] to an empty hash so we do not pass down dialog values to child services tasks
       nh['options'][:dialog] = {}
-      new_task = create_task(svc_rsc, parent_service, nh)
+      new_task = create_task(svc_rsc, parent_service, nh, parent_task)
+      create_retire_subtasks(svc_rsc.resource, new_task) if svc_rsc.resource.kind_of?(Service)
       new_task.after_request_task_create
       miq_request.miq_request_tasks << new_task
-      new_task.deliver_to_automate
-      new_task
+      new_task.tap(&:deliver_to_automate)
     end.compact!
   end
 
-  def create_task(svc_rsc, parent_service, nh)
-    new_task = (svc_rsc.resource.type.demodulize + "RetireTask").constantize.new(nh)
-    new_task.options.merge!(
-      :src_id              => svc_rsc.resource.id,
-      :service_resource_id => svc_rsc.id,
-      :parent_service_id   => parent_service.id,
-      :parent_task_id      => id,
-    )
-    new_task.source = svc_rsc.resource
-    new_task.request_type = svc_rsc.resource.type.demodulize.downcase + "_retire"
-    new_task.save!
-    new_task
+  def create_task(svc_rsc, parent_service, nh, parent_task)
+    (svc_rsc.resource.type.demodulize + "RetireTask").constantize.new(nh).tap do |task|
+      task.options.merge!(
+        :src_id              => svc_rsc.resource.id,
+        :service_resource_id => svc_rsc.id,
+        :parent_service_id   => parent_service.id,
+        :parent_task_id      => parent_task.id,
+      )
+      task.request_type = svc_rsc.resource.type.demodulize.downcase + "_retire"
+      task.source = svc_rsc.resource
+      parent_task.miq_request_tasks << task
+      task.save!
+    end
   end
 end
diff --git a/spec/models/service_retire_task_spec.rb b/spec/models/service_retire_task_spec.rb
index be98a73a28e..9d980b06665 100644
--- a/spec/models/service_retire_task_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/models/service_retire_task_spec.rb
@@ -89,8 +89,8 @@
         service.service_resources << FactoryGirl.create(:service_resource, :resource_type => "Service", :service_id => service_c1.id, :resource_id => service_c1.id)
 
         @service_retire_task.after_request_task_create
-        expect(VmRetireTask.count).to eq(4)
-        expect(VmRetireTask.all.pluck(:message)).to eq(["Automation Starting", "Automation Starting", "Automation Starting", "Automation Starting"])
+        expect(VmRetireTask.count).to eq(2)
+        expect(VmRetireTask.all.pluck(:message)).to eq(["Automation Starting", "Automation Starting"])
         expect(ServiceRetireTask.count).to eq(1)
         expect(ServiceRetireRequest.count).to eq(1)
       end