diff --git a/lib/web/fetch/index.js b/lib/web/fetch/index.js
index 935bc9d4c90..29e422894cf 100644
--- a/lib/web/fetch/index.js
+++ b/lib/web/fetch/index.js
@@ -1388,8 +1388,45 @@ function httpRedirectFetch (fetchParams, response) {
   // actualResponse.
   setRequestReferrerPolicyOnRedirect(request, actualResponse)
 
-  // 20. Return the result of running main fetch given fetchParams and true.
-  return mainFetch(fetchParams, true)
+  // The redirect response is never exposed, so nothing will ever read its body.
+  // Leaving the stream unread pins the connection it arrived on, and with a pooled
+  // dispatcher each redirect can hold a slot until the pool is exhausted.
+  // `request()` already discards 3xx bodies in RedirectHandler; do the same here.
+
+  // The redirect response is never exposed, so nothing will ever read its body.
+  // An unread stream leaves the connection it arrived on un-reusable, and with a
+  // pooled dispatcher each redirect can hold a slot until the pool is exhausted.
+  // `request()` already reads and discards 3xx bodies in RedirectHandler.
+  // The body cannot simply be cancelled here: the stream's cancel algorithm aborts
+  // fetchParams' controller, which would also abort the redirect we are about to follow.
+  return drainResponseBody(actualResponse).then(() => {
+    // 20. Return the result of running main fetch given fetchParams and true.
+    return mainFetch(fetchParams, true)
+  })
+}
+
+/**
+ * Reads a response body to completion and discards it, so the underlying
+ * connection can be released back to the pool.
+ */
+async function drainResponseBody (response) {
+  const stream = response.body?.stream
+
+  if (stream == null || stream.locked) {
+    return
+  }
+
+  const reader = stream.getReader()
+
+  try {
+    while (!(await reader.read()).done) {
+      // discarded on purpose
+    }
+  } catch {
+    // a failed drain must not fail the redirect
+  } finally {
+    reader.releaseLock()
+  }
 }
 
 // https://fetch.spec.whatwg.org/#http-network-or-cache-fetch
diff --git a/test/fetch/redirect-body-drain.js b/test/fetch/redirect-body-drain.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..ab7362bd573
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/fetch/redirect-body-drain.js
@@ -0,0 +1,40 @@
+'use strict'
+
+const { test } = require('node:test')
+const assert = require('node:assert')
+const { createServer } = require('node:http')
+const { once } = require('node:events')
+const { fetch, Agent } = require('../..')
+
+test('fetch does not pin a pooled connection on a redirect with an unread body', async (t) => {
+  // Large enough that the 3xx body does not fit in the stream's buffer, so an
+  // undrained body leaves the socket unusable for the follow-up request.
+  const redirectBody = Buffer.alloc(128 * 1024, 0x78)
+
+  const server = createServer((req, res) => {
+    if (req.url === '/redirect') {
+      res.writeHead(301, { Location: '/final' })
+      res.end(redirectBody)
+      return
+    }
+    res.end('ok')
+  })
+
+  // A single connection, so a pinned socket cannot be worked around.
+  const dispatcher = new Agent({ connections: 1, keepAliveTimeout: 10_000 })
+
+  t.after(async () => {
+    await dispatcher.destroy()
+    server.close()
+  })
+
+  server.listen(0)
+  await once(server, 'listening')
+
+  const url = `http://127.0.0.1:${server.address().port}/redirect`
+  const response = await fetch(url, { dispatcher, redirect: 'follow' })
+
+  assert.strictEqual(response.status, 200)
+  assert.strictEqual(await response.text(), 'ok')
+  assert.ok(response.redirected)
+})