diff --git a/packages/vitest/src/runtime/rpc.ts b/packages/vitest/src/runtime/rpc.ts
index 2ad6cf98addf..7875598eac19 100644
--- a/packages/vitest/src/runtime/rpc.ts
+++ b/packages/vitest/src/runtime/rpc.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,13 @@
-import { getWorkerState } from '../utils'
+import { getWorkerState, withSafeTimers } from '../utils'
 
 export const rpc = () => {
-  return getWorkerState().rpc
+  const { rpc } = getWorkerState()
+  return new Proxy(rpc, {
+    get(target, p, handler) {
+      const sendCall = Reflect.get(target, p, handler)
+      const safeSendCall = (...args: any[]) => withSafeTimers(() => sendCall(...args))
+      safeSendCall.asEvent = sendCall.asEvent
+      return safeSendCall
+    },
+  })
 }
diff --git a/packages/vitest/src/utils/timers.ts b/packages/vitest/src/utils/timers.ts
index 2a877bcb5b01..159a0074421a 100644
--- a/packages/vitest/src/utils/timers.ts
+++ b/packages/vitest/src/utils/timers.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,37 @@
-export const setTimeout = globalThis.setTimeout
-export const setInterval = globalThis.setInterval
-export const clearInterval = globalThis.clearInterval
-export const clearTimeout = globalThis.clearTimeout
+const {
+  setTimeout: safeSetTimeout,
+  setInterval: safeSetInterval,
+  clearInterval: safeClearInterval,
+  clearTimeout: safeClearTimeout,
+} = globalThis
+
+export {
+  safeSetTimeout as setTimeout,
+  safeSetInterval as setInterval,
+  safeClearInterval as clearInterval,
+  safeClearTimeout as clearTimeout,
+}
+
+// can only work with sync code to not potentially mess with other code
+export function withSafeTimers(fn: () => void) {
+  const currentSetTimeout = globalThis.setTimeout
+  const currentSetInterval = globalThis.setInterval
+  const currentClearInterval = globalThis.clearInterval
+  const currentClearTimeout = globalThis.clearTimeout
+
+  try {
+    globalThis.setTimeout = safeSetTimeout
+    globalThis.setInterval = safeSetInterval
+    globalThis.clearInterval = safeClearInterval
+    globalThis.clearTimeout = safeClearTimeout
+
+    const result = fn()
+    return result
+  }
+  finally {
+    globalThis.setTimeout = currentSetTimeout
+    globalThis.setInterval = currentSetInterval
+    globalThis.clearInterval = currentClearInterval
+    globalThis.clearTimeout = currentClearTimeout
+  }
+}
diff --git a/test/core/test/rpc.spec.ts b/test/core/test/rpc.spec.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..f104bfdfb5b2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/core/test/rpc.spec.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,35 @@
+import { afterAll, beforeAll, describe, test, vi } from 'vitest'
+
+const { setTimeout } = globalThis
+
+function delay(timeout: number) {
+  return new Promise((resolve) => {
+    setTimeout(resolve, timeout)
+  })
+}
+
+function checkExtraTimers(location: string) {
+  const count = vi.getTimerCount()
+  if (count > 0)
+    throw new Error(`got extra timers (${location}): ${count}`)
+}
+
+beforeAll(() => {
+  vi.useFakeTimers()
+})
+
+afterAll(() => {
+  vi.useRealTimers()
+})
+
+describe.each([1, 2])('group %d', (group) => {
+  test('test', async () => {
+    checkExtraTimers(`group ${group}a`)
+    vi.advanceTimersByTime(60000 + 1)
+
+    await delay(10)
+
+    checkExtraTimers(`group ${group}b`)
+    vi.advanceTimersByTime(60000 + 1)
+  })
+})