diff --git a/docs/source/changes.rst b/docs/source/changes.rst
index 9f344f7a9..17b267d22 100644
--- a/docs/source/changes.rst
+++ b/docs/source/changes.rst
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ chronological order. All previous releases should still be available on pip.
 .. _v0.12.0:
 
 ----------------------
-0.12.0rc4 - 2023-11-07
+0.12.0rc5 - 2023-11-12
 ----------------------
 
 
@@ -67,6 +67,7 @@ Improvements
 - :class:`~hydra_zen.BuildsFn` was introduced to permit customizable auto-config and type-refinement support in config-creation functions. See :pull:`553`.
 - :func:`~hydra_zen.builds` and :func:`~hydra_zen.make_custom_builds_fn` now accept a `zen_exclude` field for excluding parameters from auto-population, either by name or by pattern. See :pull:`558`.
 - :func:`~hydra_zen.builds` and :func:`~hydra_zen.just` can now configure static methods. Previously the incorrect ``_target_`` would be resolved. See :pull:`566`
+- :func:`hydra_zen.zen` now has first class support for running code in an isolated :py:class:`contextvars.Context`. This enables users to safely leverage state via :py:class:`contextvars.ContextVar` in their task functions. See :pull:`583`.
 - Adds formal support for Python 3.12. See :pull:`555`
 - Several new methods were added to :class:`~hydra_zen.ZenStore`, including the abilities to copy, update, and merge stores. As well as remap the groups of a store's entries and delete individual entries. See :pull:`569`
 
diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index b34cf8716..0dd8259c0 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ classifiers = [
 ]
 
 [project.optional-dependencies]
-test = ["pytest >= 3.8", "hypothesis >= 6.28.0"]
+test = ["pytest >= 3.8", "hypothesis >= 6.28.0", "pytest-trio >= 0.8.0"]
 pydantic = ["pydantic>=1.8.2,<2.0.0"]
 beartype = ["beartype>=0.8.0"]
 
@@ -104,6 +104,7 @@ exclude_lines = [
 
 [tool.pytest.ini_options]
 xfail_strict = true
+trio_mode = true
 
 
 [tool.pyright]
@@ -149,6 +150,7 @@ deps = setuptools
        pytest
        hypothesis
        pytest-xdist
+       pytest-trio
        tzdata
 commands = pytest tests/ {posargs: -n auto --maxprocesses=4}
 
diff --git a/src/hydra_zen/wrapper/_implementations.py b/src/hydra_zen/wrapper/_implementations.py
index 77e1407e9..63fa6d1fe 100644
--- a/src/hydra_zen/wrapper/_implementations.py
+++ b/src/hydra_zen/wrapper/_implementations.py
@@ -4,9 +4,10 @@
 
 import warnings
 from collections import defaultdict
+from contextvars import copy_context
 from copy import deepcopy
-from functools import wraps
-from inspect import Parameter, signature
+from functools import partial, wraps
+from inspect import Parameter, iscoroutinefunction, signature
 from typing import (
     Any,
     Callable,
@@ -139,6 +140,7 @@ def __init__(
         pre_call: PreCall = None,
         unpack_kwargs: bool = False,
         resolve_pre_call: bool = True,
+        run_in_context: bool = False,
     ) -> None:
         """
         Parameters
@@ -148,23 +150,41 @@ def __init__(
 
         unpack_kwargs: bool, optional (default=False)
             If `True` a `**kwargs` field in the wrapped function's signature will be
-            populated by all of the input config entries that are not specified by the
-            rest of the signature (and that are not specified by the `exclude`
-            argument).
+            populated by all of the input config entries that are not specified by the rest
+            of the signature (and that are not specified by the `exclude` argument).
 
         pre_call : Optional[Callable[[Any], Any] | Iterable[Callable[[Any], Any]]]
             One or more functions that will be called with the input config prior
-            to the wrapped functions. An iterable of pre-call functions are called
+            to the wrapped function. An iterable of pre-call functions are called
             from left (low-index) to right (high-index).
 
-        exclude: Optional[str | Iterable[str]]
+            This is useful, e.g., for seeding a RNG prior to the instantiation phase
+            that is triggered when calling the wrapped function.
+
+        resolve_pre_call : bool, (default=True)
+            If `True`, the config passed to the zen-wrapped function has its
+            interpolated fields resolved prior to being passed to any pre-call
+            functions. Otherwise, the interpolation occurs after the pre-call functions
+            are called.
+
+        exclude : Optional[str | Iterable[str]]
             Specifies one or more parameter names in the function's signature
             that will not be extracted from input configs by the zen-wrapped function.
 
             A single string of comma-separated names can be specified.
+
+        run_in_context : bool, optional (default=False)
+            If `True`, the zen-wrapped function - and the `pre_call` function, if
+            specified - is run in a copied :py:class:`contextvars.Context`; i.e.
+            changes made to any :py:class:`contextvars.ContextVar` will be isolated to
+            that call of the wrapped function.
+
+            `run_in_context` is not supported for async functions.
         """
-        self.func: Callable[P, R] = __func
+        if run_in_context and iscoroutinefunction(__func):
+            raise TypeError(f"`{run_in_context=} is not supported for async functions.")
 
+        self.func: Callable[P, R] = __func
         try:
             # Must cast to dict so that `self` is pickle-compatible.
             self.parameters: Mapping[str, Parameter] = dict(
@@ -183,11 +203,18 @@ def __init__(
             raise TypeError(
                 f"`resolve_pre_call` must be type `bool` got {resolve_pre_call}"
             )
+
+        if not isinstance(run_in_context, bool):  # pragma: no cover
+            raise TypeError(
+                f"`run_in_context` must be type `bool` got {run_in_context}"
+            )
+
         self._resolve = resolve_pre_call
         self._unpack_kwargs: bool = unpack_kwargs and any(
             p.kind is p.VAR_KEYWORD for p in self.parameters.values()
         )
 
+        self._run_in_context: bool = run_in_context
         self._exclude: Set[str]
 
         if exclude is None:
@@ -216,7 +243,13 @@ def __init__(
             if _f is None:
                 continue
 
-            _f_params = signature(_f).parameters
+            if run_in_context and isinstance(_f, Zen) and _f._run_in_context:
+                raise HydraZenValidationError(
+                    f"zen-wrapped pre_call function {_f!r} cannot specify "
+                    f"`run_in_context=True` when the main wrapper specifies it as well."
+                )
+
+            _f_params = signature(_f).parameters  # type: ignore
 
             if (sum(p.default is p.empty for p in _f_params.values()) > 1) or len(
                 _f_params
@@ -353,8 +386,15 @@ def __call__(self, __cfg: Union[ConfigLike, str]) -> R:
             # resolves all interpolated values in-place
             OmegaConf.resolve(cfg)
 
+        context = copy_context() if self._run_in_context else None
+
         if self.pre_call is not None:
-            self.pre_call(cfg)
+            pre_call = (
+                self.pre_call
+                if context is None
+                else partial(context.run, self.pre_call)
+            )
+            pre_call(cfg)
 
         args_ = list(getattr(cfg, "_args_", []))
 
@@ -377,7 +417,10 @@ def __call__(self, __cfg: Union[ConfigLike, str]) -> R:
                 and isinstance(name, str)
             )
             cfg_kwargs.update({name: cfg[name] for name in names})
-        return self.func(
+
+        func = self.func if context is None else partial(context.run, self.func)
+
+        return func(
             *(self.instantiate(x) if is_instantiable(x) else x for x in args_),
             **{
                 name: self.instantiate(val) if is_instantiable(val) else val
@@ -472,6 +515,7 @@ def zen(
     pre_call: PreCall = ...,
     ZenWrapper: Type[Zen[Any, Any]] = ...,
     resolve_pre_call: bool = ...,
+    run_in_context: bool = ...,
     exclude: Optional[Union[str, Iterable[str]]] = ...,
 ) -> Zen[P, R]:
     ...
@@ -485,6 +529,7 @@ def zen(
     pre_call: PreCall = ...,
     resolve_pre_call: bool = ...,
     ZenWrapper: Type[Zen[Any, Any]] = ...,
+    run_in_context: bool = ...,
     exclude: Optional[Union[str, Iterable[str]]] = ...,
 ) -> Callable[[Callable[P2, R2]], Zen[P2, R2]]:
     ...
@@ -497,6 +542,7 @@ def zen(
     pre_call: PreCall = None,
     exclude: Optional[Union[str, Iterable[str]]] = None,
     resolve_pre_call: bool = True,
+    run_in_context: bool = False,
     ZenWrapper: Type[Zen[Any, Any]] = Zen,
 ) -> Union[Callable[[Callable[P2, R2]], Zen[P2, R2]], Zen[P, R]]:
     r"""zen(func, /, pre_call, ZenWrapper)
@@ -545,6 +591,14 @@ def zen(
 
         A single string of comma-separated names can be specified.
 
+    run_in_context : bool, optional (default=False)
+        If `True`, the zen-wrapped function - and the `pre_call` function, if
+        specified - is run in a copied :py:class:`contextvars.Context`; i.e.
+        changes made to any :py:class:`contextvars.ContextVar` will be isolated to
+        that call of the wrapped function.
+
+        `run_in_context` is not supported for async functions.
+
     ZenWrapper : Type[hydra_zen.wrapper.Zen], optional (default=Zen)
         If specified, a subclass of `Zen` that customizes the behavior of the wrapper.
 
@@ -746,6 +800,7 @@ def task(x: int, y: int):
                 exclude=exclude,
                 unpack_kwargs=unpack_kwargs,
                 resolve_pre_call=resolve_pre_call,
+                run_in_context=run_in_context,
             ),
         )
 
@@ -758,6 +813,7 @@ def wrap(f: Callable[P2, R2]) -> Zen[P2, R2]:
                 exclude=exclude,
                 unpack_kwargs=unpack_kwargs,
                 resolve_pre_call=resolve_pre_call,
+                run_in_context=run_in_context,
             ),
         )
         return out
diff --git a/tests/test_zen.py b/tests/test_zen.py
index b0b32c104..6c4e41a1a 100644
--- a/tests/test_zen.py
+++ b/tests/test_zen.py
@@ -625,3 +625,10 @@ def pikl(x):
 def test_pickle_compatible():
     loaded = pickle.loads(pickle.dumps(zpikl))
     assert loaded({"x": 3}) == pikl(3)
+
+
+async def test_async_compatible():
+    async def foo(x: int):
+        return x
+
+    assert await zen(foo)(dict(x=builds(int, 22))) == 22
diff --git a/tests/test_zen_context_isolation.py b/tests/test_zen_context_isolation.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..11970a46b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_zen_context_isolation.py
@@ -0,0 +1,87 @@
+# Copyright (c) 2023 Massachusetts Institute of Technology
+# SPDX-License-Identifier: MIT
+
+import random
+from contextvars import ContextVar
+from typing import Any, Dict, Optional
+
+import pytest
+
+from hydra_zen import zen
+from hydra_zen.errors import HydraZenValidationError
+
+config: ContextVar[Optional[Dict[str, Any]]] = ContextVar("config", default=None)
+var: ContextVar[Dict[str, Any]] = ContextVar("var", default=dict())
+
+
+@pytest.fixture(autouse=True)
+def clean_context_vars():
+    assert config.get() is None
+    assert var.get() == {}
+    yield
+    config.set(None)
+    var.set({})
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize(
+    "run_in_context",
+    [
+        True,
+        pytest.param(False, marks=pytest.mark.xfail),
+    ],
+)
+def test_context_isolation(run_in_context: bool):
+    def foo(x: str, zen_cfg):
+        config.set(zen_cfg)
+        conf = var.get().copy()
+        conf[str(random.randint(1, 100))] = random.randint(1, 100)
+        var.set(conf)
+        assert len(conf) == 1
+
+    zfoo = zen(foo, run_in_context=run_in_context)
+
+    for letter in "ab":
+        zfoo(dict(x=letter))
+        assert config.get() is None
+        assert var.get() == dict()
+
+
+def test_async_func_run_in_context_not_supported():
+    async def foo():
+        ...
+
+    with pytest.raises(TypeError, match="not supported"):
+        zen(foo, run_in_context=True)
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize(
+    "run_in_context",
+    [
+        True,
+        pytest.param(False, marks=pytest.mark.xfail),
+    ],
+)
+def test_pre_call_shares_context_with_wrapped_func(run_in_context: bool):
+    assert var.get() == {}
+
+    def pre_call(cfg):
+        var.set({"swagger": 22})
+
+    def func():
+        assert var.get() == {"swagger": 22}
+
+    zen(func, pre_call=pre_call, run_in_context=run_in_context)({})
+    assert var.get() == {}
+
+
+def test_pre_call_run_in_its_own_context_is_forbidden():
+    def f(x):
+        ...
+
+    with pytest.raises(HydraZenValidationError):
+        zen(f, pre_call=zen(f, run_in_context=True), run_in_context=True)
+
+
+def test_validation():
+    with pytest.raises(TypeError, match="must be type"):
+        zen(lambda x: x, run_in_context=None)  # type: ignore