diff --git a/packages/react-dom/src/client/ReactDOMComponentTree.js b/packages/react-dom/src/client/ReactDOMComponentTree.js
index fbf0a81e29064..ba72082a1706a 100644
--- a/packages/react-dom/src/client/ReactDOMComponentTree.js
+++ b/packages/react-dom/src/client/ReactDOMComponentTree.js
@@ -33,9 +33,11 @@ import {getParentSuspenseInstance} from './ReactDOMHostConfig';
 import invariant from 'shared/invariant';
 import {enableScopeAPI} from 'shared/ReactFeatureFlags';
 
-const randomKey = Math.random()
-  .toString(36)
-  .slice(2);
+// const randomKey = Math.random()
+//   .toString(36)
+//   .slice(2);
+// HACK: not so random anymore
+const randomKey = '';
 const internalInstanceKey = '__reactFiber$' + randomKey;
 const internalPropsKey = '__reactProps$' + randomKey;
 const internalContainerInstanceKey = '__reactContainer$' + randomKey;
diff --git a/packages/react-reconciler/src/ReactFiberCommitWork.new.js b/packages/react-reconciler/src/ReactFiberCommitWork.new.js
index 4e9acfae11356..d55125670c597 100644
--- a/packages/react-reconciler/src/ReactFiberCommitWork.new.js
+++ b/packages/react-reconciler/src/ReactFiberCommitWork.new.js
@@ -1044,7 +1044,7 @@ function commitUnmount(
           } while (effect !== firstEffect);
         }
       }
-      return;
+      break;
     }
     case ClassComponent: {
       safelyDetachRef(current, nearestMountedAncestor);
@@ -1056,11 +1056,28 @@ function commitUnmount(
           nearestMountedAncestor,
         );
       }
-      return;
+      break;
     }
     case HostComponent: {
       safelyDetachRef(current, nearestMountedAncestor);
-      return;
+      // HACK: detach fiber references from DOM
+      current.stateNode.__reactFiber$ = null;
+      current.stateNode.__reactProps$ = null;
+      current.stateNode.__reactContainer$ = null;
+      current.stateNode.__reactEvents$ = null;
+      current.stateNode.__reactListeners$ = null;
+      current.stateNode.__reactHandles$ = null;
+      break;
+    }
+    case HostText: {
+      // HACK: detach fiber references from DOM
+      current.stateNode.__reactFiber$ = null;
+      current.stateNode.__reactProps$ = null;
+      current.stateNode.__reactContainer$ = null;
+      current.stateNode.__reactEvents$ = null;
+      current.stateNode.__reactListeners$ = null;
+      current.stateNode.__reactHandles$ = null;
+      break;
     }
     case HostPortal: {
       // TODO: this is recursive.
@@ -1076,7 +1093,7 @@ function commitUnmount(
       } else if (supportsPersistence) {
         emptyPortalContainer(current);
       }
-      return;
+      break;
     }
     case FundamentalComponent: {
       if (enableFundamentalAPI) {
@@ -1086,7 +1103,7 @@ function commitUnmount(
           current.stateNode = null;
         }
       }
-      return;
+      break;
     }
     case DehydratedFragment: {
       if (enableSuspenseCallback) {
@@ -1098,15 +1115,21 @@ function commitUnmount(
           }
         }
       }
-      return;
+      break;
     }
     case ScopeComponent: {
       if (enableScopeAPI) {
         safelyDetachRef(current, nearestMountedAncestor);
       }
-      return;
+      break;
     }
   }
+
+  // Remove reference for GC
+  current.stateNode = null;
+  if (current.alternate != null) {
+    current.alternate.stateNode = null;
+  }
 }
 
 function commitNestedUnmounts(
@@ -1460,6 +1483,8 @@ function unmountHostComponents(
     }
 
     if (node.tag === HostComponent || node.tag === HostText) {
+      // Save stateNode reference so commitUnmount can clear it.
+      const stateNode: Instance | TextInstance = node.stateNode;
       commitNestedUnmounts(
         finishedRoot,
         node,
@@ -1469,15 +1494,9 @@ function unmountHostComponents(
       // After all the children have unmounted, it is now safe to remove the
       // node from the tree.
       if (currentParentIsContainer) {
-        removeChildFromContainer(
-          ((currentParent: any): Container),
-          (node.stateNode: Instance | TextInstance),
-        );
+        removeChildFromContainer(((currentParent: any): Container), stateNode);
       } else {
-        removeChild(
-          ((currentParent: any): Instance),
-          (node.stateNode: Instance | TextInstance),
-        );
+        removeChild(((currentParent: any): Instance), stateNode);
       }
       // Don't visit children because we already visited them.
     } else if (enableFundamentalAPI && node.tag === FundamentalComponent) {
diff --git a/packages/react-reconciler/src/ReactFiberCommitWork.old.js b/packages/react-reconciler/src/ReactFiberCommitWork.old.js
index e094e5bd9b5a8..6ad605ca3698b 100644
--- a/packages/react-reconciler/src/ReactFiberCommitWork.old.js
+++ b/packages/react-reconciler/src/ReactFiberCommitWork.old.js
@@ -906,7 +906,7 @@ function commitUnmount(
           } while (effect !== firstEffect);
         }
       }
-      return;
+      break;
     }
     case ClassComponent: {
       safelyDetachRef(current);
@@ -914,11 +914,28 @@ function commitUnmount(
       if (typeof instance.componentWillUnmount === 'function') {
         safelyCallComponentWillUnmount(current, instance);
       }
-      return;
+      break;
     }
     case HostComponent: {
       safelyDetachRef(current);
-      return;
+      // HACK: detach fiber references from DOM
+      current.stateNode.__reactFiber$ = null;
+      current.stateNode.__reactProps$ = null;
+      current.stateNode.__reactContainer$ = null;
+      current.stateNode.__reactEvents$ = null;
+      current.stateNode.__reactListeners$ = null;
+      current.stateNode.__reactHandles$ = null;
+      break;
+    }
+    case HostText: {
+      // HACK: detach fiber references from DOM
+      current.stateNode.__reactFiber$ = null;
+      current.stateNode.__reactProps$ = null;
+      current.stateNode.__reactContainer$ = null;
+      current.stateNode.__reactEvents$ = null;
+      current.stateNode.__reactListeners$ = null;
+      current.stateNode.__reactHandles$ = null;
+      break;
     }
     case HostPortal: {
       // TODO: this is recursive.
@@ -929,7 +946,7 @@ function commitUnmount(
       } else if (supportsPersistence) {
         emptyPortalContainer(current);
       }
-      return;
+      break;
     }
     case FundamentalComponent: {
       if (enableFundamentalAPI) {
@@ -939,7 +956,7 @@ function commitUnmount(
           current.stateNode = null;
         }
       }
-      return;
+      break;
     }
     case DehydratedFragment: {
       if (enableSuspenseCallback) {
@@ -951,15 +968,21 @@ function commitUnmount(
           }
         }
       }
-      return;
+      break;
     }
     case ScopeComponent: {
       if (enableScopeAPI) {
         safelyDetachRef(current);
       }
-      return;
+      break;
     }
   }
+
+  // Remove reference for GC
+  current.stateNode = null;
+  if (current.alternate != null) {
+    current.alternate.stateNode = null;
+  }
 }
 
 function commitNestedUnmounts(
@@ -1314,19 +1337,15 @@ function unmountHostComponents(
     }
 
     if (node.tag === HostComponent || node.tag === HostText) {
+      // Save stateNode reference so commitUnmount can clear it.
+      const stateNode: Instance | TextInstance = node.stateNode;
       commitNestedUnmounts(finishedRoot, node, renderPriorityLevel);
       // After all the children have unmounted, it is now safe to remove the
       // node from the tree.
       if (currentParentIsContainer) {
-        removeChildFromContainer(
-          ((currentParent: any): Container),
-          (node.stateNode: Instance | TextInstance),
-        );
+        removeChildFromContainer(((currentParent: any): Container), stateNode);
       } else {
-        removeChild(
-          ((currentParent: any): Instance),
-          (node.stateNode: Instance | TextInstance),
-        );
+        removeChild(((currentParent: any): Instance), stateNode);
       }
       // Don't visit children because we already visited them.
     } else if (enableFundamentalAPI && node.tag === FundamentalComponent) {