diff --git a/source/core/timed-out.ts b/source/core/timed-out.ts
index 57dc13687..53a5b6ffa 100644
--- a/source/core/timed-out.ts
+++ b/source/core/timed-out.ts
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ export default function timedOut(request: ClientRequest, delays: Delays, options
 	request[reentry] = true;
 	const cancelers: Array<typeof noop> = [];
 	const {once, unhandleAll} = unhandler();
-	const handled: Record<string, boolean> = {};
+	const handled: Map<string, boolean> = new Map<string, boolean>();
 
 	const addTimeout = (delay: number, callback: (delay: number, event: string) => void, event: string): (typeof noop) => {
 		const timeout = setTimeout(callback, delay, delay, event) as unknown as NodeJS.Timeout;
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ export default function timedOut(request: ClientRequest, delays: Delays, options
 		timeout.unref?.();
 
 		const cancel = (): void => {
-			handled[event] = true;
+			handled.set(event, true);
 			clearTimeout(timeout);
 		};
 
@@ -71,11 +71,13 @@ export default function timedOut(request: ClientRequest, delays: Delays, options
 	const {host, hostname} = options;
 
 	const timeoutHandler = (delay: number, event: string): void => {
-		setTimeout(() => {
-			if (!handled[event]) {
+		// Use queueMicroTask to allow for any cancelled events to be handled first, 
+		// to prevent firing any TimeoutError unneeded when the event loop is busy or blocked
+		queueMicrotask(() => {
+			if (!handled.has(event)) {
 				request.destroy(new TimeoutError(delay, event));
 			}
-		}, 0);
+		});
 	};
 
 	const cancelTimeouts = (): void => {