diff --git a/lib/interceptor/cache.js b/lib/interceptor/cache.js
index 63d56b6880b..9406a0b722f 100644
--- a/lib/interceptor/cache.js
+++ b/lib/interceptor/cache.js
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 'use strict'
 
+const assert = require('node:assert')
 const util = require('../core/util')
 const CacheHandler = require('../handler/cache-handler')
 const MemoryCacheStore = require('../cache/memory-cache-store')
@@ -39,41 +40,37 @@ module.exports = (opts = {}) => {
         return dispatch(opts, handler)
       }
 
+      // TODO (perf): For small entries support returning a Buffer instead of a stream.
       const stream = store.createReadStream(opts)
       if (!stream) {
         // Request isn't cached
         return dispatch(opts, new CacheHandler(globalOpts, opts, handler))
       }
 
-      let onErrorCalled = false
-
       /**
        * @param {import('../../types/cache-interceptor.d.ts').default.CacheStoreReadable} stream
        * @param {import('../../types/cache-interceptor.d.ts').default.CacheStoreValue} value
        */
       const respondWithCachedValue = (stream, value) => {
-        const ac = new AbortController()
-        const signal = ac.signal
+        let completed = false
 
-        signal.onabort = (_, err) => {
-          stream.destroy()
-          if (!onErrorCalled) {
-            handler.onError(err)
-            onErrorCalled = true
-          }
-        }
+        assert(!stream.destroyed, 'stream should not be destroyed')
+        assert(!stream.readableDidRead, 'stream should not be readableDidRead')
 
         stream.on('error', (err) => {
-          if (!onErrorCalled) {
+          if (!completed && typeof handler.onError === 'function') {
             handler.onError(err)
-            onErrorCalled = true
           }
         })
 
         try {
           if (typeof handler.onConnect === 'function') {
-            handler.onConnect(ac.abort)
-            signal.throwIfAborted()
+            handler.onConnect((err) => {
+              stream.destroy(err)
+            })
+            if (stream.destroyed) {
+              return
+            }
           }
 
           if (typeof handler.onHeaders === 'function') {
@@ -83,36 +80,33 @@ module.exports = (opts = {}) => {
 
             value.rawHeaders.push(AGE_HEADER, Buffer.from(`${age}`))
 
-            handler.onHeaders(value.statusCode, value.rawHeaders, stream.resume, value.statusMessage)
-            signal.throwIfAborted()
+            handler.onHeaders(value.statusCode, value.rawHeaders, () => stream.resume(), value.statusMessage)
+            if (stream.destroyed) {
+              return
+            }
           }
 
           if (opts.method === 'HEAD') {
             if (typeof handler.onComplete === 'function') {
+              completed = true
               handler.onComplete(null)
-              stream.destroy()
             }
+            stream.destroy()
           } else {
-            if (typeof handler.onData === 'function') {
-              stream.on('data', chunk => {
-                if (!handler.onData(chunk)) {
-                  stream.pause()
-                }
-              })
-            }
-
-            if (typeof handler.onComplete === 'function') {
-              stream.on('end', () => {
+            stream.on('data', chunk => {
+              if (typeof handler.onData === 'function' && !handler.onData(chunk)) {
+                stream.pause()
+              }
+            })
+
+            stream.on('end', () => {
+              if (typeof handler.onComplete === 'function') {
                 handler.onComplete(value.rawTrailers ?? [])
-              })
-            }
+              }
+            })
           }
         } catch (err) {
           stream.destroy(err)
-          if (!onErrorCalled && typeof handler.onError === 'function') {
-            handler.onError(err)
-            onErrorCalled = true
-          }
         }
       }
 
@@ -125,9 +119,11 @@ module.exports = (opts = {}) => {
           return dispatch(opts, new CacheHandler(globalOpts, opts, handler))
         }
 
+        // TODO (fix): It's weird that "value" lives on stream.
         const { value } = stream
 
-        // Dump body on error
+        // Dump body if cached...
+        // TODO (fix): This is a bit suspect.
         if (util.isStream(opts.body)) {
           opts.body?.on('error', () => {}).resume()
         }
@@ -135,11 +131,13 @@ module.exports = (opts = {}) => {
         // Check if the response is stale
         const now = Date.now()
         if (now >= value.staleAt) {
+          // TODO (fix): This whole bit is a bit suspect. In particular given that
+          // we dumped the body above.
+
           if (now >= value.deleteAt) {
             // Safety check in case the store gave us a response that should've been
-            //  deleted already
-            dispatch(opts, new CacheHandler(globalOpts, opts, handler))
-            return
+            // deleted already
+            return dispatch(opts, new CacheHandler(globalOpts, opts, handler))
           }
 
           if (!opts.headers) {
@@ -149,21 +147,23 @@ module.exports = (opts = {}) => {
           opts.headers['if-modified-since'] = new Date(value.cachedAt).toUTCString()
 
           // Need to revalidate the response
-          dispatch(
+          return dispatch(
             opts,
             new CacheRevalidationHandler(
               () => respondWithCachedValue(stream, value),
               new CacheHandler(globalOpts, opts, handler)
             )
           )
-
-          return
         }
 
         respondWithCachedValue(stream, value)
       }
 
-      Promise.resolve(stream).then(handleStream).catch(handler.onError)
+      Promise.resolve(stream).then(handleStream, err => {
+        if (typeof handler.onError === 'function') {
+          handler.onError(err)
+        }
+      })
 
       return true
     }
diff --git a/types/cache-interceptor.d.ts b/types/cache-interceptor.d.ts
index 7fa1aeab0ed..b05e0c871cb 100644
--- a/types/cache-interceptor.d.ts
+++ b/types/cache-interceptor.d.ts
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ declare namespace CacheHandler {
   export interface CacheStoreValue {
     statusCode: number;
     statusMessage: string;
-    rawHeaders: (Buffer | Buffer[])[];
+    rawHeaders: Buffer[];
     rawTrailers?: string[];
     /**
      * Headers defined by the Vary header and their respective values for