diff --git a/lib/api/api-request.js b/lib/api/api-request.js
index e48925a4c84..d321db624c2 100644
--- a/lib/api/api-request.js
+++ b/lib/api/api-request.js
@@ -56,25 +56,20 @@ class RequestHandler extends AsyncResource {
     this.onInfo = onInfo || null
     this.throwOnError = throwOnError
     this.highWaterMark = highWaterMark
-    this.signal = signal
     this.reason = null
     this.removeAbortListener = null
 
-    if (this.signal?.aborted) {
-      this.reason = this.signal.reason ?? new RequestAbortedError()
+    if (signal?.aborted) {
+      this.reason = signal.reason ?? new RequestAbortedError()
     } else if (signal) {
-      this.removeAbortListener = util.addAbortListener(this.signal, () => {
-        this.reason = this.signal.reason ?? new RequestAbortedError()
-      } else {
-        this.removeAbortListener = util.addAbortListener(this.signal, () => {
-          this.reason = this.signal.reason ?? new RequestAbortedError()
-          if (this.res) {
-            util.destroy(this.res, this.reason)
-          } else if (this.abort) {
-            this.abort(this.reason)
-          }
-        })
-      }
+      this.removeAbortListener = util.addAbortListener(signal, () => {
+        this.reason = signal.reason ?? new RequestAbortedError()
+        if (this.res) {
+          util.destroy(this.res, this.reason)
+        } else if (this.abort) {
+          this.abort(this.reason)
+        }
+      })
     }
   }