diff --git a/packages/web-worker/src/utils.ts b/packages/web-worker/src/utils.ts
index 2da71f188..3f8aeacfa 100644
--- a/packages/web-worker/src/utils.ts
+++ b/packages/web-worker/src/utils.ts
@@ -31,16 +31,32 @@ function createClonedMessageEvent(
   debug('clone worker message %o', data)
   const origin = typeof location === 'undefined' ? undefined : location.origin
   const ports = transfer?.filter((t): t is MessagePort => t instanceof MessagePort)
-  const transferWithoutPorts = transfer?.filter( // `ports` must be excluded from the `transfer` option passed to `structuredClone` to keep the MessagePort objects working correctly in the same thread.
-    t => !(t instanceof MessagePort),
-  )
 
   if (typeof structuredClone === 'function' && clone === 'native') {
     debug('create message event, using native structured clone')
+    // A real Worker serializes `data` across realms and exposes the
+    // MessagePorts from `transfer` as `event.ports` on the receiving side.
+    // @vitest/web-worker runs both sides in a single realm, so we use
+    // `structuredClone` to emulate that transfer boundary.
+    //
+    // `MessageEvent.ports` must be the *cloned* ports returned by
+    // `structuredClone`, not the originals from `transfer`: once transferred,
+    // the originals are detached and can no longer communicate — e.g.
+    // `port1.postMessage(...)` on the caller side would not trigger
+    // `port2.onmessage` on a detached `port2`.
+    //
+    // `data` and `ports` must also be cloned in the *same* `structuredClone`
+    // call. A transferred object is detached immediately, so we cannot clone
+    // `data` first and then clone `ports` (or vice versa) — the second call
+    // would see already-detached ports. Passing them together as a single
+    // input also makes `structuredClone` deduplicate by identity, so a port
+    // referenced from inside `data` and from `transfer` resolves to the same
+    // transferred instance in the cloned graph.
+    const { data: clonedData, ports: clonedPorts } = structuredClone({ data, ports }, { transfer })
     return new MessageEvent('message', {
-      data: structuredClone(data, { transfer: transferWithoutPorts }),
+      data: clonedData,
       origin,
-      ports,
+      ports: clonedPorts,
     })
   }
   if (clone !== 'none') {
diff --git a/test/core/src/web-worker/worker.ts b/test/core/src/web-worker/worker.ts
index de29dcddd..b367525b9 100644
--- a/test/core/src/web-worker/worker.ts
+++ b/test/core/src/web-worker/worker.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,11 @@
 self.onmessage = (e) => {
   self.postMessage(`${e.data} world`)
 
+  const portPassedAsData = e.data?.port
+  if (portPassedAsData) {
+    portPassedAsData.postMessage(`Reply via port in data`)
+  }
+
   const port = e.ports[0]
   if (port) {
     port.postMessage(`${e.data} world via port`)
diff --git a/test/core/test/web-worker-node.test.ts b/test/core/test/web-worker-node.test.ts
index fd67a87f8..71a576ece 100644
--- a/test/core/test/web-worker-node.test.ts
+++ b/test/core/test/web-worker-node.test.ts
@@ -226,7 +226,7 @@ cloneTypes.forEach((clone) => {
       process.env.VITEST_WEB_WORKER_CLONE = undefined
     })
 
-    it('transfers MessagePort objects to worker as event.ports', async () => {
+    it('transfers a MessagePort object in the transfer list to worker as event.ports[0]', async () => {
       expect.assertions(1)
 
       const worker = new MyWorker()
@@ -238,6 +238,20 @@ cloneTypes.forEach((clone) => {
       worker.postMessage('hello', [channel.port2])
       await expect(promise).resolves.toBe('hello world via port')
     })
+
+    // Skipped for 'ponyfill' because it does not support transferring MessagePort objects.
+    it.skipIf(clone === 'ponyfill')('transfers a MessagePort object in the data argument to worker and the passed port works', async () => {
+      expect.assertions(1)
+
+      const worker = new MyWorker()
+      const channel = new MessageChannel()
+      const promise = new Promise<string>((resolve, reject) => {
+        channel.port1.onmessage = e => resolve(e.data as string)
+        channel.port1.onmessageerror = reject
+      })
+      worker.postMessage({ port: channel.port2 }, [channel.port2])
+      await expect(promise).resolves.toBe('Reply via port in data')
+    })
   })
 })