diff --git a/packages/query-core/src/__tests__/removable.test.tsx b/packages/query-core/src/__tests__/removable.test.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..56e7f7220b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/query-core/src/__tests__/removable.test.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,182 @@
+import { afterEach, beforeEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from 'vitest'
+import { Removable } from '../removable'
+import { defaultTimeoutProvider, timeoutManager } from '../timeoutManager'
+import { setIsServer } from './utils'
+import type { TimeoutCallback } from '../timeoutManager'
+
+class RemovableTest extends Removable {
+  optionalRemoveSpy = vi.fn()
+
+  // Expose the protected members so they can be exercised directly.
+  callScheduleGc(): void {
+    this.scheduleGc()
+  }
+
+  callUpdateGcTime(newGcTime: number | undefined): void {
+    this.updateGcTime(newGcTime)
+  }
+
+  callClearGcTimeout(): void {
+    this.clearGcTimeout()
+  }
+
+  protected optionalRemove(): void {
+    this.optionalRemoveSpy()
+  }
+}
+
+describe('Removable', () => {
+  function createMockProvider() {
+    return {
+      setTimeout: vi.fn((_callback: TimeoutCallback, _delay: number) => 123),
+      clearTimeout: vi.fn(),
+      setInterval: vi.fn((_callback: TimeoutCallback, _delay: number) => 456),
+      clearInterval: vi.fn(),
+    }
+  }
+
+  let provider: ReturnType<typeof createMockProvider>
+
+  beforeEach(() => {
+    provider = createMockProvider()
+    timeoutManager.setTimeoutProvider(provider)
+  })
+
+  afterEach(() => {
+    timeoutManager.setTimeoutProvider(defaultTimeoutProvider)
+    vi.restoreAllMocks()
+  })
+
+  describe('updateGcTime', () => {
+    it('should default to 5 minutes when no gcTime is provided on the client', () => {
+      const removable = new RemovableTest()
+
+      removable.callUpdateGcTime(undefined)
+
+      expect(removable.gcTime).toBe(5 * 60 * 1000)
+    })
+
+    it('should use the provided gcTime when it is larger than the default', () => {
+      const removable = new RemovableTest()
+
+      removable.callUpdateGcTime(10 * 60 * 1000)
+
+      expect(removable.gcTime).toBe(10 * 60 * 1000)
+    })
+
+    it('should use an explicit gcTime even when it is smaller than the default', () => {
+      const removable = new RemovableTest()
+
+      removable.callUpdateGcTime(1000)
+
+      expect(removable.gcTime).toBe(1000)
+    })
+
+    it('should never decrease an already larger gcTime', () => {
+      const removable = new RemovableTest()
+
+      removable.callUpdateGcTime(10 * 60 * 1000)
+      removable.callUpdateGcTime(1000)
+
+      expect(removable.gcTime).toBe(10 * 60 * 1000)
+    })
+
+    it('should default to Infinity on the server', () => {
+      const resetIsServer = setIsServer(true)
+      try {
+        const removable = new RemovableTest()
+
+        removable.callUpdateGcTime(undefined)
+
+        expect(removable.gcTime).toBe(Infinity)
+      } finally {
+        resetIsServer()
+      }
+    })
+  })
+
+  describe('scheduleGc', () => {
+    it('should schedule optionalRemove after a valid gcTime', () => {
+      const removable = new RemovableTest()
+      removable.callUpdateGcTime(1000)
+
+      removable.callScheduleGc()
+
+      expect(provider.setTimeout).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1)
+      expect(provider.setTimeout).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+        expect.any(Function),
+        1000,
+      )
+
+      // The scheduled callback should invoke optionalRemove.
+      const [scheduledCallback] = provider.setTimeout.mock.lastCall ?? []
+      expect(removable.optionalRemoveSpy).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(0)
+      scheduledCallback?.()
+      expect(removable.optionalRemoveSpy).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1)
+    })
+
+    it('should not schedule when gcTime is not a valid timeout', () => {
+      const removable = new RemovableTest()
+      removable.gcTime = Infinity
+
+      removable.callScheduleGc()
+
+      expect(provider.setTimeout).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
+    })
+
+    it('should clear a previously scheduled timeout before scheduling a new one', () => {
+      const removable = new RemovableTest()
+      removable.callUpdateGcTime(1000)
+
+      removable.callScheduleGc()
+      removable.callScheduleGc()
+
+      // The second schedule clears the first timer before setting a new one.
+      expect(provider.clearTimeout).toHaveBeenCalledWith(123)
+      expect(provider.setTimeout).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(2)
+    })
+  })
+
+  describe('clearGcTimeout', () => {
+    it('should clear a scheduled timeout', () => {
+      const removable = new RemovableTest()
+      removable.callUpdateGcTime(1000)
+      removable.callScheduleGc()
+
+      removable.callClearGcTimeout()
+
+      expect(provider.clearTimeout).toHaveBeenCalledWith(123)
+    })
+
+    it('should do nothing when no timeout is scheduled', () => {
+      const removable = new RemovableTest()
+
+      removable.callClearGcTimeout()
+
+      expect(provider.clearTimeout).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
+    })
+
+    it('should not clear the same timeout twice', () => {
+      const removable = new RemovableTest()
+      removable.callUpdateGcTime(1000)
+      removable.callScheduleGc()
+
+      removable.callClearGcTimeout()
+      removable.callClearGcTimeout()
+
+      expect(provider.clearTimeout).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1)
+    })
+  })
+
+  describe('destroy', () => {
+    it('should clear the scheduled gc timeout', () => {
+      const removable = new RemovableTest()
+      removable.callUpdateGcTime(1000)
+      removable.callScheduleGc()
+
+      removable.destroy()
+
+      expect(provider.clearTimeout).toHaveBeenCalledWith(123)
+    })
+  })
+})