diff --git a/lib/mocha/asyncWrapper.js b/lib/mocha/asyncWrapper.js
index 1457a5ce1..33ee8ba3e 100644
--- a/lib/mocha/asyncWrapper.js
+++ b/lib/mocha/asyncWrapper.js
@@ -165,6 +165,9 @@ export function injected(fn, suite, hookName) {
           retry(err)
         } finally {
           if (number < retries) {
+            // drain the failed chain so in-flight steps (sessions, listeners)
+            // finish before the next attempt starts queueing new ones
+            await recorder.promise().catch(() => {})
             recorder.stop()
             recorder.start()
           }
diff --git a/lib/recorder.js b/lib/recorder.js
index a83e0baa1..fe09b2808 100644
--- a/lib/recorder.js
+++ b/lib/recorder.js
@@ -125,6 +125,15 @@ export default {
      * @inner
      */
     start(name) {
+      if (sessionId === name) {
+        // re-starting the same session abandons the current (broken) chain
+        // without polluting the session stack
+        debug(`${currentQueue()}Session <${name}> already started, abandoning its chain`)
+        tasks.push('--->')
+        this.running = true
+        promise = Promise.resolve()
+        return
+      }
       if (sessionId) {
         debug(`${currentQueue()}Session already started as ${sessionId}, nesting session ${name}`)
         // Push current session to stack instead of restoring it
@@ -151,7 +160,8 @@ export default {
       debug(`${currentQueue()}Finalize <${name}> session`)
       this.running = false
       this.catch(errFn)
-      promise = promise.then(() => oldPromises.pop())
+      const restored = oldPromises.pop()
+      if (restored && restored !== promise) promise = promise.then(() => restored)
 
       // Restore parent session from stack if available
       if (sessionStack.length > 0) {
diff --git a/test/unit/recorder_test.js b/test/unit/recorder_test.js
index 04096ee6d..872326ef0 100644
--- a/test/unit/recorder_test.js
+++ b/test/unit/recorder_test.js
@@ -28,6 +28,38 @@ describe('Recorder', () => {
       recorder.add(() => (order += 'b'))
       return recorder.promise().then(() => expect(order).is.equal('acdb'))
     })
+
+    it('re-starting the same session name does not pollute the session stack', () => {
+      let order = ''
+      recorder.add(() => (order += 'a'))
+      recorder.add(() => {
+        recorder.session.start('teardown')
+        recorder.add(() => (order += 'c'))
+        recorder.session.start('teardown') // leaked teardown re-start: no sessionStack/oldPromises push
+        recorder.add(() => (order += 'd'))
+      })
+      recorder.add(() => recorder.session.restore('teardown'))
+      recorder.add(() => (order += 'b'))
+      // steps already attached to the live chain still run; a broken one would be abandoned
+      return recorder.promise().then(() => expect(order).is.equal('acdb'))
+    })
+
+    it('does not chain a promise onto itself when restoring an unbalanced stack', async () => {
+      const unhandled = []
+      const onUnhandled = e => unhandled.push(e)
+      process.on('unhandledRejection', onUnhandled)
+      try {
+        recorder.session.start('s1')
+        recorder.add(() => 'step')
+        recorder.session.restore('s1')
+        recorder.session.restore('extra') // nothing left to pop, must not create a cycle
+        await recorder.promise()
+        await new Promise(r => setTimeout(r, 20))
+        expect(unhandled).to.have.length(0)
+      } finally {
+        process.removeListener('unhandledRejection', onUnhandled)
+      }
+    })
   })
 
   describe('#add', () => {