diff --git a/lib/client-connect.js b/lib/client-connect.js
index 2b6fcad5dd7..bba455455e9 100644
--- a/lib/client-connect.js
+++ b/lib/client-connect.js
@@ -55,9 +55,9 @@ class ConnectHandler extends AsyncResource {
 
     if (callback) {
       this.callback = null
-      process.nextTick((self, callback, err, opaque) => {
-        self.runInAsyncScope(callback, null, err, { opaque })
-      }, this, callback, err, opaque)
+      util.queueMicrotask(() => {
+        this.runInAsyncScope(callback, null, err, { opaque })
+      })
     }
   }
 }
@@ -89,7 +89,9 @@ function connect (opts, callback) {
       signal
     }, connectHandler)
   } catch (err) {
-    process.nextTick(callback, err, { opaque: opts && opts.opaque })
+    util.queueMicrotask(() => {
+      callback(err, { opaque: opts && opts.opaque })
+    })
   }
 }
 
diff --git a/lib/client-request.js b/lib/client-request.js
index 7c65b76cb37..780c8c2f79d 100644
--- a/lib/client-request.js
+++ b/lib/client-request.js
@@ -128,8 +128,8 @@ class RequestHandler extends AsyncResource {
 
     if (callback) {
       this.callback = null
-      process.nextTick((self, callback, err, opaque) => {
-        self.runInAsyncScope(callback, null, err, { opaque })
+      util.queueMicrotask(() => {
+        this.runInAsyncScope(callback, null, err, { opaque })
       }, this, callback, err, opaque)
     }
 
@@ -158,7 +158,9 @@ function request (opts, callback) {
     this.dispatch(opts, new RequestHandler(opts, callback))
   } catch (err) {
     if (typeof callback === 'function') {
-      process.nextTick(callback, err, { opaque: opts && opts.opaque })
+      util.queueMicrotask(() => {
+        callback(err, { opaque: opts && opts.opaque })
+      })
     } else {
       throw err
     }
diff --git a/lib/client-stream.js b/lib/client-stream.js
index e9ddc86375c..5168e00d267 100644
--- a/lib/client-stream.js
+++ b/lib/client-stream.js
@@ -146,9 +146,9 @@ class StreamHandler extends AsyncResource {
       util.destroy(res, err)
     } else if (callback) {
       this.callback = null
-      process.nextTick((self, callback, err, opaque) => {
-        self.runInAsyncScope(callback, null, err, { opaque })
-      }, this, callback, err, opaque)
+      util.queueMicrotask(() => {
+        this.runInAsyncScope(callback, null, err, { opaque })
+      })
     }
 
     if (body) {
@@ -171,7 +171,9 @@ function stream (opts, factory, callback) {
     this.dispatch(opts, new StreamHandler(opts, factory, callback))
   } catch (err) {
     if (typeof callback === 'function') {
-      process.nextTick(callback, err, { opaque: opts && opts.opaque })
+      util.queueMicrotask(() => {
+        callback(err, { opaque: opts && opts.opaque })
+      })
     } else {
       throw err
     }
diff --git a/lib/client-upgrade.js b/lib/client-upgrade.js
index 38b1876c4d1..1aca611fce6 100644
--- a/lib/client-upgrade.js
+++ b/lib/client-upgrade.js
@@ -57,9 +57,9 @@ class UpgradeHandler extends AsyncResource {
 
     if (callback) {
       this.callback = null
-      process.nextTick((self, callback, err, opaque) => {
-        self.runInAsyncScope(callback, null, err, { opaque })
-      }, this, callback, err, opaque)
+      util.queueMicrotask(() => {
+        this.runInAsyncScope(callback, null, err, { opaque })
+      })
     }
   }
 }
@@ -94,7 +94,9 @@ function upgrade (opts, callback) {
       upgrade: protocol || 'Websocket'
     }, upgradeHandler)
   } catch (err) {
-    process.nextTick(callback, err, { opaque: opts && opts.opaque })
+    util.queueMicrotask(() => {
+      callback(err, { opaque: opts && opts.opaque })
+    })
   }
 }
 
diff --git a/lib/core/client.js b/lib/core/client.js
index f21950b59c6..56b0822377a 100644
--- a/lib/core/client.js
+++ b/lib/core/client.js
@@ -248,7 +248,7 @@ class Client extends EventEmitter {
       } else if (util.isStream(request.body)) {
         // Wait a tick in case stream is ended in the same tick.
         this[kResuming] = 1
-        process.nextTick(resume, this)
+        util.queueMicrotask(() => resume(this))
       } else {
         resume(this, true)
       }
@@ -275,7 +275,9 @@ class Client extends EventEmitter {
     }
 
     if (this[kDestroyed]) {
-      process.nextTick(callback, new ClientDestroyedError(), null)
+      util.queueMicrotask(() => {
+        callback(new ClientDestroyedError(), null)
+      })
       return
     }
 
@@ -310,7 +312,7 @@ class Client extends EventEmitter {
       if (this[kOnDestroyed]) {
         this[kOnDestroyed].push(callback)
       } else {
-        process.nextTick(callback, null, null)
+        util.queueMicrotask(() => callback(null, null))
       }
       return
     }
@@ -336,7 +338,7 @@ class Client extends EventEmitter {
     }
 
     if (!this[kSocket]) {
-      process.nextTick(onDestroyed)
+      util.queueMicrotask(() => onDestroyed())
     } else {
       util.destroy(this[kSocket].on('close', onDestroyed), err)
     }
@@ -967,7 +969,7 @@ function _resume (client, sync) {
     } else if (client[kNeedDrain] === 2) {
       if (sync) {
         client[kNeedDrain] = 1
-        process.nextTick(emitDrain, client)
+        util.queueMicrotask(() => emitDrain(client))
       } else {
         emitDrain(client)
       }
diff --git a/lib/core/util.js b/lib/core/util.js
index fd668e07647..09914874120 100644
--- a/lib/core/util.js
+++ b/lib/core/util.js
@@ -105,6 +105,7 @@ function destroy (stream, err) {
       stream.destroy(err)
     }
   } else if (err) {
+    // Node streams use nextTick.
     process.nextTick((stream, err) => {
       stream.emit('error', err)
     }, stream, err)
diff --git a/test/client-connect.js b/test/client-connect.js
index e007693cab6..b89ab0ada56 100644
--- a/test/client-connect.js
+++ b/test/client-connect.js
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ const { test } = require('tap')
 const { Client, errors } = require('..')
 const http = require('http')
 const EE = require('events')
+const util = require('../lib/core/util')
 
 test('basic connect', (t) => {
   t.plan(3)
@@ -161,7 +162,7 @@ test('connect wait for empty pipeline', (t) => {
       t.error(err)
     })
     client.once('connect', () => {
-      process.nextTick(() => {
+      util.queueMicrotask(() => {
         t.strictEqual(client.busy, false)
 
         client.connect({
diff --git a/test/client-errors.js b/test/client-errors.js
index 24119ef2f40..66d7ecfb526 100644
--- a/test/client-errors.js
+++ b/test/client-errors.js
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ const net = require('net')
 const { Readable } = require('stream')
 
 const { kSocket } = require('../lib/core/symbols')
+const util = require('../lib/core/util')
 
 test('GET errors and reconnect with pipelining 1', (t) => {
   t.plan(9)
@@ -639,7 +640,7 @@ test('socket fail while writing request body', (t) => {
     body.push('asd')
 
     client.on('connect', () => {
-      process.nextTick(() => {
+      util.queueMicrotask(() => {
         client[kSocket].destroy('kaboom')
       })
     })
@@ -674,7 +675,7 @@ test('socket fail while ending request body', (t) => {
 
     const _err = new Error('kaboom')
     client.on('connect', () => {
-      process.nextTick(() => {
+      util.queueMicrotask(() => {
         client[kSocket].destroy(_err)
       })
     })
diff --git a/test/client-pipeline.js b/test/client-pipeline.js
index 4b6142b6c88..d90add58769 100644
--- a/test/client-pipeline.js
+++ b/test/client-pipeline.js
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 
 const { test } = require('tap')
 const { Client, errors } = require('..')
+const util = require('../lib/core/util')
 const EE = require('events')
 const { createServer } = require('http')
 const {
@@ -231,7 +232,7 @@ test('pipeline error body', (t) => {
         method: 'PUT'
       }, ({ body }) => {
         const pt = new PassThrough()
-        process.nextTick(() => {
+        util.queueMicrotask(() => {
           pt.destroy(new Error('asd'))
         })
         body.on('error', (err) => {
@@ -271,7 +272,7 @@ test('pipeline destroy body', (t) => {
         method: 'PUT'
       }, ({ body }) => {
         const pt = new PassThrough()
-        process.nextTick(() => {
+        util.queueMicrotask(() => {
           pt.destroy()
         })
         body.on('error', (err) => {
@@ -999,7 +1000,7 @@ test('pipeline abort after headers', (t) => {
       method: 'GET',
       signal
     }, ({ body }) => {
-      process.nextTick(() => {
+      util.queueMicrotask(() => {
         signal.emit('abort')
       })
       return body
diff --git a/test/client-reconnect.js b/test/client-reconnect.js
index 000dedd6957..2f839a63b27 100644
--- a/test/client-reconnect.js
+++ b/test/client-reconnect.js
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ const { test } = require('tap')
 const { Client } = require('..')
 const { createServer } = require('http')
 const FakeTimers = require('@sinonjs/fake-timers')
+const util = require('../lib/core/util')
 
 test('multiple reconnect', (t) => {
   t.plan(5)
@@ -39,7 +40,7 @@ test('multiple reconnect', (t) => {
       if (++n === 1) {
         t.pass()
       }
-      process.nextTick(() => {
+      util.queueMicrotask(() => {
         clock.tick(1000)
       })
     })
diff --git a/test/client-request.js b/test/client-request.js
index 0541e06a9e0..060e0933533 100644
--- a/test/client-request.js
+++ b/test/client-request.js
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ test('request abort before headers', (t) => {
         signal
       }, (err) => {
         t.ok(err instanceof errors.RequestAbortedError)
-        t.strictEqual(signal.listenerCount('abort'), 1)
+        t.strictEqual(signal.listenerCount('abort'), 0)
       })
       t.strictEqual(signal.listenerCount('abort'), 2)
     })
diff --git a/test/client-stream.js b/test/client-stream.js
index 51c60194f35..42a51b1937d 100644
--- a/test/client-stream.js
+++ b/test/client-stream.js
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 
 const { test } = require('tap')
 const { Client, errors } = require('..')
+const util = require('../lib/core/util')
 const { createServer } = require('http')
 const { PassThrough, Writable, Readable } = require('stream')
 const EE = require('events')
@@ -623,7 +624,7 @@ test('stream backpressure', (t) => {
       highWaterMark: 1,
       write (chunk, encoding, callback) {
         buf += chunk
-        process.nextTick(callback)
+        util.queueMicrotask(callback)
       }
     }), (err, data) => {
       t.error(err)
diff --git a/test/client-upgrade.js b/test/client-upgrade.js
index 77010836a3a..3a6d63edb75 100644
--- a/test/client-upgrade.js
+++ b/test/client-upgrade.js
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ const { Client, errors } = require('..')
 const net = require('net')
 const http = require('http')
 const EE = require('events')
+const util = require('../lib/core/util')
 
 test('basic upgrade', (t) => {
   t.plan(6)
@@ -242,7 +243,7 @@ test('upgrade wait for empty pipeline', (t) => {
       t.error(err)
     })
     client.once('connect', () => {
-      process.nextTick(() => {
+      util.queueMicrotask(() => {
         t.strictEqual(client.busy, false)
 
         client.upgrade({
diff --git a/test/client-write-max-listeners.js b/test/client-write-max-listeners.js
index 31e61d01767..5b770301231 100644
--- a/test/client-write-max-listeners.js
+++ b/test/client-write-max-listeners.js
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ const { test } = require('tap')
 const { Client } = require('..')
 const { createServer } = require('http')
 const { Readable } = require('stream')
+const util = require('../lib/core/util')
 
 test('socket close listener does not leak', (t) => {
   t.plan(32)
@@ -18,7 +19,7 @@ test('socket close listener does not leak', (t) => {
   const makeBody = () => {
     return new Readable({
       read () {
-        process.nextTick(() => {
+        util.queueMicrotask(() => {
           this.push(null)
         })
       }
diff --git a/test/client.js b/test/client.js
index d4c738a219c..f130ac771c8 100644
--- a/test/client.js
+++ b/test/client.js
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ const { readFileSync, createReadStream } = require('fs')
 const { Readable } = require('stream')
 const { kSocket } = require('../lib/core/symbols')
 const EE = require('events')
+const util = require('../lib/core/util')
 const { kConnect } = require('../lib/core/symbols')
 
 test('basic get', (t) => {
@@ -466,7 +467,7 @@ test('basic POST with empty stream', (t) => {
         callback(!this._readableState.endEmitted ? new Error('asd') : err)
       }
     }).on('end', () => {
-      process.nextTick(() => {
+      util.queueMicrotask(() => {
         t.strictEqual(body.destroyed, true)
       })
     })
@@ -832,7 +833,7 @@ test('increase pipelining', (t) => {
     t.strictEqual(client.running, 0)
     client.on('connect', () => {
       t.strictEqual(client.running, 0)
-      process.nextTick(() => {
+      util.queueMicrotask(() => {
         t.strictEqual(client.running, 1)
         client.pipelining = 3
         t.strictEqual(client.running, 2)
@@ -923,7 +924,7 @@ test('POST empty with error', (t) => {
     })
     body.push(null)
     client.on('connect', () => {
-      process.nextTick(() => {
+      util.queueMicrotask(() => {
         body.emit('error', new Error('asd'))
       })
     })
diff --git a/test/close-and-destroy.js b/test/close-and-destroy.js
index 59101e9f83b..74b97fc5b15 100644
--- a/test/close-and-destroy.js
+++ b/test/close-and-destroy.js
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ const { test } = require('tap')
 const { Client, errors } = require('..')
 const { createServer } = require('http')
 const { kSocket } = require('../lib/core/symbols')
+const util = require('../lib/core/util')
 
 test('close waits for queued requests to finish', (t) => {
   t.plan(16)
@@ -29,7 +30,7 @@ test('close waits for queued requests to finish', (t) => {
 
       // needed because the next element in the queue will be called
       // after the current function completes
-      process.nextTick(function () {
+      util.queueMicrotask(function () {
         client.close()
       })
     })
diff --git a/test/pipeline-pipelining.js b/test/pipeline-pipelining.js
index b3d94d10d04..c0cd58c109c 100644
--- a/test/pipeline-pipelining.js
+++ b/test/pipeline-pipelining.js
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ const { test } = require('tap')
 const { Client } = require('..')
 const { createServer } = require('http')
 const { kConnect } = require('../lib/core/symbols')
+const util = require('../lib/core/util')
 
 test('pipeline pipelining', (t) => {
   t.plan(10)
@@ -41,7 +42,7 @@ test('pipeline pipelining', (t) => {
       t.strictEqual(client.busy, true)
       t.strictDeepEqual(client.running, 0)
       t.strictDeepEqual(client.pending, 2)
-      process.nextTick(() => {
+      util.queueMicrotask(() => {
         t.strictEqual(client.running, 2)
       })
     })
@@ -102,7 +103,7 @@ test('pipeline pipelining retry', (t) => {
       t.strictDeepEqual(client.running, 0)
       t.strictDeepEqual(client.pending, 3)
 
-      process.nextTick(() => {
+      util.queueMicrotask(() => {
         t.strictEqual(client.running, 3)
       })
 
diff --git a/test/request-timeout.js b/test/request-timeout.js
index 153713271ae..351e2eca464 100644
--- a/test/request-timeout.js
+++ b/test/request-timeout.js
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ const { createServer } = require('http')
 const EventEmitter = require('events')
 const FakeTimers = require('@sinonjs/fake-timers')
 const { AbortController } = require('abort-controller')
+const util = require('../lib/core/util')
 const {
   pipeline,
   Readable,
@@ -323,7 +324,7 @@ test('client.close should wait for the timeout', (t) => {
     })
 
     client.on('connect', () => {
-      process.nextTick(() => {
+      util.queueMicrotask(() => {
         clock.tick(100)
       })
     })