diff --git a/lib/internal/test_runner/test.js b/lib/internal/test_runner/test.js
index 3172d1ec2b40a5..9ea04dfceba527 100644
--- a/lib/internal/test_runner/test.js
+++ b/lib/internal/test_runner/test.js
@@ -523,6 +523,7 @@ class Test extends AsyncResource {
 
     // The test has run, so recursively cancel any outstanding subtests and
     // mark this test as failed if any subtests failed.
+    this.pendingSubtests = [];
     for (let i = 0; i < this.subtests.length; i++) {
       const subtest = this.subtests[i];
 
diff --git a/test/message/test_runner_unresolved_promise.js b/test/message/test_runner_unresolved_promise.js
index 00d231be34b6df..a36652669fc0a9 100644
--- a/test/message/test_runner_unresolved_promise.js
+++ b/test/message/test_runner_unresolved_promise.js
@@ -5,4 +5,4 @@ const test = require('node:test');
 
 test('pass');
 test('never resolving promise', () => new Promise(() => {}));
-test('fail');
+test('fail', () => console.log('this should not appear'));
diff --git a/test/message/test_runner_unresolved_promise.out b/test/message/test_runner_unresolved_promise.out
index d4e868cc9ef3c3..2bb543cd4554fe 100644
--- a/test/message/test_runner_unresolved_promise.out
+++ b/test/message/test_runner_unresolved_promise.out
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ not ok 2 - never resolving promise
 # Subtest: fail
 not ok 3 - fail
   ---
-  duration_ms: *
+  duration_ms: 0
   failureType: 'cancelledByParent'
   error: 'test did not finish before its parent and was cancelled'
   code: 'ERR_TEST_FAILURE'