diff --git a/packages/grpc-js/package.json b/packages/grpc-js/package.json
index 7b8801212..5dbf72506 100644
--- a/packages/grpc-js/package.json
+++ b/packages/grpc-js/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "@grpc/grpc-js",
-  "version": "1.9.3",
+  "version": "1.9.4",
   "description": "gRPC Library for Node - pure JS implementation",
   "homepage": "https://grpc.io/",
   "repository": "https://github.com/grpc/grpc-node/tree/master/packages/grpc-js",
diff --git a/packages/grpc-js/src/subchannel.ts b/packages/grpc-js/src/subchannel.ts
index 91455f7c1..0f8844720 100644
--- a/packages/grpc-js/src/subchannel.ts
+++ b/packages/grpc-js/src/subchannel.ts
@@ -120,6 +120,7 @@ export class Subchannel {
     this.backoffTimeout = new BackoffTimeout(() => {
       this.handleBackoffTimer();
     }, backoffOptions);
+    this.backoffTimeout.unref();
     this.subchannelAddressString = subchannelAddressToString(subchannelAddress);
 
     this.keepaliveTime = options['grpc.keepalive_time_ms'] ?? -1;