diff --git a/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Core_and_Builtins/2025-03-03-20-33-44.gh-issue-130794.LwtGQc.rst b/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Core_and_Builtins/2025-03-03-20-33-44.gh-issue-130794.LwtGQc.rst
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000000..2dfb53f92d232f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Core_and_Builtins/2025-03-03-20-33-44.gh-issue-130794.LwtGQc.rst
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+Fix memory leak in the :term:`free threaded <free threading>` build when
+resizing a shared list or dictionary from multiple short-lived threads.
diff --git a/Objects/obmalloc.c b/Objects/obmalloc.c
index dd6be1490af016..33fca3abfb3509 100644
--- a/Objects/obmalloc.c
+++ b/Objects/obmalloc.c
@@ -1303,6 +1303,18 @@ static void
 process_interp_queue(struct _Py_mem_interp_free_queue *queue,
                      struct _qsbr_thread_state *qsbr, delayed_dealloc_cb cb,
                      void *state)
+{
+    assert(PyMutex_IsLocked(&queue->mutex));
+    process_queue(&queue->head, qsbr, false, cb, state);
+
+    int more_work = !llist_empty(&queue->head);
+    _Py_atomic_store_int_relaxed(&queue->has_work, more_work);
+}
+
+static void
+maybe_process_interp_queue(struct _Py_mem_interp_free_queue *queue,
+                           struct _qsbr_thread_state *qsbr, delayed_dealloc_cb cb,
+                           void *state)
 {
     if (!_Py_atomic_load_int_relaxed(&queue->has_work)) {
         return;
@@ -1310,11 +1322,7 @@ process_interp_queue(struct _Py_mem_interp_free_queue *queue,
 
     // Try to acquire the lock, but don't block if it's already held.
     if (_PyMutex_LockTimed(&queue->mutex, 0, 0) == PY_LOCK_ACQUIRED) {
-        process_queue(&queue->head, qsbr, false, cb, state);
-
-        int more_work = !llist_empty(&queue->head);
-        _Py_atomic_store_int_relaxed(&queue->has_work, more_work);
-
+        process_interp_queue(queue, qsbr, cb, state);
         PyMutex_Unlock(&queue->mutex);
     }
 }
@@ -1329,7 +1337,7 @@ _PyMem_ProcessDelayed(PyThreadState *tstate)
     process_queue(&tstate_impl->mem_free_queue, tstate_impl->qsbr, true, NULL, NULL);
 
     // Process shared interpreter work
-    process_interp_queue(&interp->mem_free_queue, tstate_impl->qsbr, NULL, NULL);
+    maybe_process_interp_queue(&interp->mem_free_queue, tstate_impl->qsbr, NULL, NULL);
 }
 
 void
@@ -1342,7 +1350,7 @@ _PyMem_ProcessDelayedNoDealloc(PyThreadState *tstate, delayed_dealloc_cb cb, voi
     process_queue(&tstate_impl->mem_free_queue, tstate_impl->qsbr, true, cb, state);
 
     // Process shared interpreter work
-    process_interp_queue(&interp->mem_free_queue, tstate_impl->qsbr, cb, state);
+    maybe_process_interp_queue(&interp->mem_free_queue, tstate_impl->qsbr, cb, state);
 }
 
 void
@@ -1364,10 +1372,15 @@ _PyMem_AbandonDelayed(PyThreadState *tstate)
         return;
     }
 
-    // Merge the thread's work queue into the interpreter's work queue.
     PyMutex_Lock(&interp->mem_free_queue.mutex);
+
+    // Merge the thread's work queue into the interpreter's work queue.
     llist_concat(&interp->mem_free_queue.head, queue);
-    _Py_atomic_store_int_relaxed(&interp->mem_free_queue.has_work, 1);
+
+    // Process the merged queue now (see gh-130794).
+    _PyThreadStateImpl *this_tstate = (_PyThreadStateImpl *)_PyThreadState_GET();
+    process_interp_queue(&interp->mem_free_queue, this_tstate->qsbr, NULL, NULL);
+
     PyMutex_Unlock(&interp->mem_free_queue.mutex);
 
     assert(llist_empty(queue));  // the thread's queue is now empty
diff --git a/Python/qsbr.c b/Python/qsbr.c
index 0df1285cc8e063..386a8451dc40c0 100644
--- a/Python/qsbr.c
+++ b/Python/qsbr.c
@@ -161,6 +161,7 @@ bool
 _Py_qsbr_poll(struct _qsbr_thread_state *qsbr, uint64_t goal)
 {
     assert(_Py_atomic_load_int_relaxed(&_PyThreadState_GET()->state) == _Py_THREAD_ATTACHED);
+    assert(((_PyThreadStateImpl *)_PyThreadState_GET())->qsbr == qsbr);
 
     if (_Py_qbsr_goal_reached(qsbr, goal)) {
         return true;