diff --git a/.changeset/slimy-seas-type.md b/.changeset/slimy-seas-type.md
new file mode 100644
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/slimy-seas-type.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+'fetch-nodeshim': patch
+---
+
+Unref the incoming socket when the timeout is disabled, to prevent body streams that never start from keeping processes alive
diff --git a/src/fetch.ts b/src/fetch.ts
--- a/src/fetch.ts
+++ b/src/fetch.ts
@@ -149,6 +149,7 @@ const outgoing = protocol.request(requestOptions);
 
     outgoing.on('response', incoming => {
       incoming.setTimeout(0); // Forcefully disable timeout
+      incoming.socket.unref();
 
       const init = {
         status: incoming.statusCode,