diff --git a/.changeset/tall-moons-repeat.md b/.changeset/tall-moons-repeat.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..b445ff975af
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/tall-moons-repeat.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+'@tanstack/preact-query': patch
+---
+
+fix(preact-query): do not go into optimistic fetching state when not subscribed
diff --git a/packages/preact-query/src/__tests__/useQueries.test.tsx b/packages/preact-query/src/__tests__/useQueries.test.tsx
index ccb3b3a34f4..6ca70b2828f 100644
--- a/packages/preact-query/src/__tests__/useQueries.test.tsx
+++ b/packages/preact-query/src/__tests__/useQueries.test.tsx
@@ -64,6 +64,34 @@ describe('useQueries', () => {
     expect(results[2]).toMatchObject([{ data: 1 }, { data: 2 }])
   })
 
+  it('should not optimistically show fetching when unsubscribed', () => {
+    const key = queryKey()
+    const queryFn = vi.fn(() => Promise.resolve('data'))
+
+    function Page() {
+      const [query] = useQueries({
+        queries: [{ queryKey: key, queryFn }],
+        subscribed: false,
+      })
+
+      return (
+        <div>
+          <span>isFetching: {String(query.isFetching)}</span>
+          <span>fetchStatus: {query.fetchStatus}</span>
+        </div>
+      )
+    }
+
+    const rendered = renderWithClient(queryClient, <Page />)
+
+    expect(queryFn).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
+    expect(
+      queryClient.getQueryCache().find({ queryKey: key })!.observers.length,
+    ).toBe(0)
+    rendered.getByText('isFetching: false')
+    rendered.getByText('fetchStatus: idle')
+  })
+
   it('should track results', async () => {
     const key1 = queryKey()
     const results: Array<Array<UseQueryResult>> = []
diff --git a/packages/preact-query/src/__tests__/useQuery.test.tsx b/packages/preact-query/src/__tests__/useQuery.test.tsx
index 52c92ab5243..fed0f29ec46 100644
--- a/packages/preact-query/src/__tests__/useQuery.test.tsx
+++ b/packages/preact-query/src/__tests__/useQuery.test.tsx
@@ -5895,6 +5895,35 @@ describe('useQuery', () => {
       ).toBe(1)
     })
 
+    it('should not optimistically show fetching when subscribed is false', () => {
+      const key = queryKey()
+      const queryFn = vi.fn(() => Promise.resolve('data'))
+
+      function Page() {
+        const query = useQuery({
+          queryKey: key,
+          queryFn,
+          subscribed: false,
+        })
+
+        return (
+          <div>
+            <span>isFetching: {String(query.isFetching)}</span>
+            <span>fetchStatus: {query.fetchStatus}</span>
+          </div>
+        )
+      }
+
+      const rendered = renderWithClient(queryClient, <Page />)
+
+      expect(queryFn).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
+      expect(
+        queryClient.getQueryCache().find({ queryKey: key })!.observers.length,
+      ).toBe(0)
+      rendered.getByText('isFetching: false')
+      rendered.getByText('fetchStatus: idle')
+    })
+
     it('should not be attached to the query when subscribed is false', async () => {
       const key = queryKey()
       const queryFn = vi.fn(() => Promise.resolve('data'))
diff --git a/packages/preact-query/src/useBaseQuery.ts b/packages/preact-query/src/useBaseQuery.ts
index e5e37cbc52b..2ae163e5cb5 100644
--- a/packages/preact-query/src/useBaseQuery.ts
+++ b/packages/preact-query/src/useBaseQuery.ts
@@ -70,10 +70,14 @@ export function useBaseQuery<
     }
   }
 
+  const subscribed = options.subscribed !== false
+
   // Make sure results are optimistically set in fetching state before subscribing or updating options
   defaultedOptions._optimisticResults = isRestoring
     ? 'isRestoring'
-    : 'optimistic'
+    : subscribed
+      ? 'optimistic'
+      : undefined
 
   ensureSuspenseTimers(defaultedOptions)
   ensurePreventErrorBoundaryRetry(defaultedOptions, errorResetBoundary, query)
@@ -91,7 +95,7 @@ export function useBaseQuery<
   // note: this must be called before useSyncExternalStore
   const result = observer.getOptimisticResult(defaultedOptions)
 
-  const shouldSubscribe = !isRestoring && options.subscribed !== false
+  const shouldSubscribe = !isRestoring && subscribed
   useSyncExternalStore(
     useCallback(
       (onStoreChange) => {
diff --git a/packages/preact-query/src/useQueries.ts b/packages/preact-query/src/useQueries.ts
index dac252d0109..8c785c684f8 100644
--- a/packages/preact-query/src/useQueries.ts
+++ b/packages/preact-query/src/useQueries.ts
@@ -223,6 +223,7 @@ export function useQueries<
   const client = useQueryClient(queryClient)
   const isRestoring = useIsRestoring()
   const errorResetBoundary = useQueryErrorResetBoundary()
+  const subscribed = options.subscribed !== false
 
   const defaultedQueries = useMemo(
     () =>
@@ -234,11 +235,13 @@ export function useQueries<
         // Make sure the results are already in fetching state before subscribing or updating options
         defaultedOptions._optimisticResults = isRestoring
           ? 'isRestoring'
-          : 'optimistic'
+          : subscribed
+            ? 'optimistic'
+            : undefined
 
         return defaultedOptions
       }),
-    [queries, client, isRestoring],
+    [queries, client, isRestoring, subscribed],
   )
 
   defaultedQueries.forEach((queryOptions) => {
@@ -265,7 +268,7 @@ export function useQueries<
       (options as QueriesObserverOptions<TCombinedResult>).combine,
     )
 
-  const shouldSubscribe = !isRestoring && options.subscribed !== false
+  const shouldSubscribe = !isRestoring && subscribed
   useSyncExternalStore(
     useCallback(
       (onStoreChange) =>