diff --git a/.changeset/fix-relay-deactivation-recovery.md b/.changeset/fix-relay-deactivation-recovery.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..9b44116
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/fix-relay-deactivation-recovery.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+"fetchium": patch
+---
+
+Fix relay not recovering after deactivation during in-flight refetch
diff --git a/packages/fetchium/src/QueryResult.ts b/packages/fetchium/src/QueryResult.ts
index b59878f..cafc8c5 100644
--- a/packages/fetchium/src/QueryResult.ts
+++ b/packages/fetchium/src/QueryResult.ts
@@ -145,9 +145,19 @@ export class QueryInstance<T extends Query> {
               this.setupSubscription();
             }
 
-            const refreshStaleOnReconnect = this.config?.refreshStaleOnReconnect ?? true;
-            if (refreshStaleOnReconnect && this.isStale) {
-              this.runDebounced();
+            // If the relay shows pending but the abort controller is gone, the
+            // previous fetch was aborted during deactivation.  runDebounced()
+            // would bail out because isPending is still true from the doomed
+            // promise.  Force an immediate refetch so the new setPromise() call
+            // replaces _promise, causing the stale AbortError rejection to hit
+            // the `promise !== this._promise` guard and be silently ignored.
+            if (this.relayState.isPending && this._abortController === undefined) {
+              this.runQueryImmediately();
+            } else {
+              const refreshStaleOnReconnect = this.config?.refreshStaleOnReconnect ?? true;
+              if (refreshStaleOnReconnect && this.isStale) {
+                this.runDebounced();
+              }
             }
           } else if (paramsDidChange) {
             this.setupSubscription();
diff --git a/packages/fetchium/src/__tests__/reactivity.test.ts b/packages/fetchium/src/__tests__/reactivity.test.ts
index 6909e00..44aa180 100644
--- a/packages/fetchium/src/__tests__/reactivity.test.ts
+++ b/packages/fetchium/src/__tests__/reactivity.test.ts
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ import { t } from '../typeDefs.js';
 import { RESTQuery } from '../rest/index.js';
 import { fetchQuery } from '../query.js';
 import { watcher, reactive } from 'signalium';
-import { testWithClient, setupTestClient } from './utils.js';
+import { testWithClient, sleep, setupTestClient } from './utils.js';
 
 /**
  * Signalium Reactivity Tests
@@ -72,6 +72,61 @@ describe('Signalium Reactivity', () => {
         expect(relay.error).toBe(error);
       });
     });
+
+    it('should recover after deactivation during in-flight refetch', async () => {
+      const { client, mockFetch } = getClient();
+
+      class GetPrice extends RESTQuery {
+        path = '/price';
+        result = { price: t.number };
+        config = { staleTime: 50, retry: false };
+      }
+
+      // Phase 1: Initial fetch succeeds
+      mockFetch.get('/price', { price: 100 });
+
+      await testWithClient(client, async () => {
+        const relay = fetchQuery(GetPrice);
+        await relay;
+        expect(relay.value!).toMatchObject({ price: 100 });
+      });
+
+      // Wait for staleTime to expire
+      await sleep(100);
+
+      // Phase 2: Resubscribe (triggers stale refetch), then deactivate mid-flight.
+      // The long delay ensures the fetch is still in-flight when the watcher ends.
+      mockFetch.get('/price', { price: 200 }, { delay: 500 });
+
+      await testWithClient(client, async () => {
+        const relay = fetchQuery(GetPrice);
+        // eslint-disable-next-line @typescript-eslint/no-unused-expressions -- trigger stale refetch
+        relay.value;
+        await sleep(20); // Let setTimeout(0) fire so the refetch starts
+        // testWithClient ends here -> watcher unsubscribes -> relay deactivates
+        // -> AbortController.abort() -> in-flight fetch will reject with AbortError
+      });
+
+      // Let the AbortError microtask settle
+      await sleep(50);
+
+      // Phase 3: Resubscribe again. The relay must recover and fetch fresh data
+      // instead of being permanently stuck with the AbortError.
+      mockFetch.get('/price', { price: 300 }, { delay: 50 });
+
+      await testWithClient(client, async () => {
+        const relay = fetchQuery(GetPrice);
+        // eslint-disable-next-line @typescript-eslint/no-unused-expressions -- trigger reactivation
+        relay.value;
+
+        // Wait for the recovery fetch to complete
+        await sleep(200);
+
+        expect(relay.isPending).toBe(false);
+        expect(relay.isRejected).toBe(false);
+        expect(relay.value!).toMatchObject({ price: 300 });
+      });
+    });
   });
 
   describe('Reactive Computations', () => {