diff --git a/packages/zone.js/lib/common/fetch.ts b/packages/zone.js/lib/common/fetch.ts
index c22edea28fb..3b8d1a2a5b8 100644
--- a/packages/zone.js/lib/common/fetch.ts
+++ b/packages/zone.js/lib/common/fetch.ts
@@ -99,22 +99,31 @@ export function patchFetch(Zone: ZoneType): void {
       options.signal = fetchSignal;
       args[1] = options;
 
+      let onAbort: () => void;
       if (signal) {
         const nativeAddEventListener =
           signal[Zone.__symbol__('addEventListener') as 'addEventListener'] ||
           signal.addEventListener;
 
-        nativeAddEventListener.call(
-          signal,
-          'abort',
-          function () {
-            ac!.abort();
-          },
-          {once: true},
-        );
+        onAbort = () => ac!.abort();
+        nativeAddEventListener.call(signal, 'abort', onAbort, {once: true});
       }
 
-      return createFetchTask('fetch', {fetchArgs: args} as FetchTaskData, fetch, this, args, ac);
+      return createFetchTask(
+        'fetch',
+        {fetchArgs: args} as FetchTaskData,
+        fetch,
+        this,
+        args,
+        ac,
+      ).finally(() => {
+        // We need to be good citizens and remove the `abort` listener once
+        // the fetch is settled. The `abort` listener may not be called at all,
+        // which means the event listener closure would retain a reference to
+        // the `ac` object even if it goes out of scope. Since browser's garbage
+        // collectors work differently, some may not be smart enough to collect a signal.
+        signal?.removeEventListener('abort', onAbort);
+      });
     };
 
     if (OriginalResponse?.prototype) {
diff --git a/packages/zone.js/test/common/fetch.spec.ts b/packages/zone.js/test/common/fetch.spec.ts
index 7e6c642972c..ca8b60761ab 100644
--- a/packages/zone.js/test/common/fetch.spec.ts
+++ b/packages/zone.js/test/common/fetch.spec.ts
@@ -169,6 +169,10 @@ describe(
                       'invokeTask:fetch:macroTask',
                       'scheduleTask:Promise.then:microTask',
                       'invokeTask:Promise.then:microTask',
+
+                      // This is the `finally` task, which is used for cleanup.
+                      'scheduleTask:Promise.then:microTask',
+                      'invokeTask:Promise.then:microTask',
                     ]);
                     done();
                   },
@@ -194,6 +198,11 @@ describe(
                       'invokeTask:fetch:macroTask',
                       'scheduleTask:Promise.then:microTask',
                       'invokeTask:Promise.then:microTask',
+
+                      // This is the `finally` task, which is used for cleanup.
+                      'scheduleTask:Promise.then:microTask',
+                      'invokeTask:Promise.then:microTask',
+
                       // Please refer to the issue link above. Previously, `Response` methods were not
                       // patched by zone.js, and their return values were considered only as
                       // microtasks (not macrotasks). The Angular zone stabilized prematurely,