diff --git a/.changeset/witty-chicken-mate.md b/.changeset/witty-chicken-mate.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..5b667170355
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/witty-chicken-mate.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+"@firebase/firestore": patch
+---
+
+Fixed a regression that prevented the garbage collector from running if multi-tab was disabled.
diff --git a/packages/firestore/src/core/component_provider.ts b/packages/firestore/src/core/component_provider.ts
index 0c5340318f3..2bf13fc33e0 100644
--- a/packages/firestore/src/core/component_provider.ts
+++ b/packages/firestore/src/core/component_provider.ts
@@ -182,6 +182,15 @@ export class IndexedDbOfflineComponentProvider extends MemoryOfflineComponentPro
       this.onlineComponentProvider.syncEngine
     );
     await fillWritePipeline(this.onlineComponentProvider.remoteStore);
+
+    // NOTE: This will immediately call the listener, so we make sure to
+    // set it after localStore / remoteStore are started.
+    await this.persistence.setPrimaryStateListener(() => {
+      if (this.gcScheduler && !this.gcScheduler.started) {
+          this.gcScheduler.start(this.localStore);
+      }
+      return Promise.resolve();
+    });
   }
 
   createLocalStore(cfg: ComponentConfiguration): LocalStore {