diff --git a/src/UnwrapReadableStream.php b/src/UnwrapReadableStream.php
index 536ac92..a0d256f 100644
--- a/src/UnwrapReadableStream.php
+++ b/src/UnwrapReadableStream.php
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
 use InvalidArgumentException;
 use React\Promise\PromiseInterface;
 use React\Stream\ReadableStreamInterface;
+use React\Stream\ThroughStream;
 use React\Stream\Util;
 use React\Stream\WritableStreamInterface;
 
@@ -75,13 +76,17 @@ function (ReadableStreamInterface $stream) use ($out, &$closed) {
                 return $stream;
             },
             function ($e) use ($out, &$closed) {
+                // Forward exception as error event if not already closed
                 if (!$closed) {
                     $out->emit('error', array($e, $out));
                     $out->close();
                 }
 
-                // resume() and pause() may attach to this promise, so ensure we actually reject here
-                throw $e;
+                // Both resume() and pause() may attach to this promise, so
+                // return a NOOP stream instance here.
+                $stream = new ThroughStream();
+                $stream->close();
+                return $stream;
             }
         );
     }
diff --git a/tests/FirstTest.php b/tests/FirstTest.php
index c40e64f..b5be03b 100644
--- a/tests/FirstTest.php
+++ b/tests/FirstTest.php
@@ -113,17 +113,6 @@ public function testCancelPendingStreamWillReject()
         $this->expectPromiseReject($promise);
     }
 
-    public function testNoGarbageCollectionCyclesAfterClosingStream()
-    {
-        \gc_collect_cycles();
-        $stream = new ThroughStream();
-        $promise = Stream\first($stream);
-
-        $stream->close();
-
-        $this->assertSame(0, \gc_collect_cycles());
-    }
-
     public function testShouldResolveWithoutCreatingGarbageCyclesAfterDataThenClose()
     {
         \gc_collect_cycles();