diff --git a/lib/timers/promises.js b/lib/timers/promises.js
index ec13e873d84..1f245580f86 100644
--- a/lib/timers/promises.js
+++ b/lib/timers/promises.js
@@ -61,8 +61,7 @@ function setTimeout(after, value, options = {}) {
   }
   let oncancel;
   const ret = new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
-    const timeout = new Timeout(resolve, after, args, false, true);
-    if (!ref) timeout.unref();
+    const timeout = new Timeout(resolve, after, args, false, ref);
     insert(timeout, timeout._idleTimeout);
     if (signal) {
       oncancel = FunctionPrototypeBind(cancelListenerHandler,
@@ -141,8 +140,7 @@ async function* setInterval(after, value, options = {}) {
         callback();
         callback = undefined;
       }
-    }, after, undefined, true, true);
-    if (!ref) interval.unref();
+    }, after, undefined, true, ref);
     insert(interval, interval._idleTimeout);
     if (signal) {
       onCancel = () => {