diff --git a/lib/internal/test_runner/test.js b/lib/internal/test_runner/test.js
index e39c61c3390dd7..57b58d6320ab42 100644
--- a/lib/internal/test_runner/test.js
+++ b/lib/internal/test_runner/test.js
@@ -617,9 +617,7 @@ class Test extends AsyncResource {
 
     const { args, ctx } = this.getRunArgs();
     const after = async () => {
-      // If its a root test then check for global after hook else check for parent after hook
-      const check = this.parent ? this.parent.hooks.after.length > 0 : this.hooks.after.length > 0;
-      if (check) {
+      if (this.hooks.after.length > 0) {
         await this.runHook('after', { __proto__: null, args, ctx });
       }
     };
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-runner-skip-after-hook.js b/test/parallel/test-runner-skip-after-hook.js
deleted file mode 100644
index d8175135b02f0d..00000000000000
--- a/test/parallel/test-runner-skip-after-hook.js
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,10 +0,0 @@
-'use strict';
-// Refs: https://github.com/nodejs/node/issues/51371
-const common = require('../common');
-const { test } = require('node:test');
-
-test('test', async (t) => {
-  t.after(common.mustNotCall(() => {
-    t.fail('should not run');
-  }));
-});
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-runner-subtest-after-hook.js b/test/parallel/test-runner-subtest-after-hook.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000000..f288abee243de2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/parallel/test-runner-subtest-after-hook.js
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+'use strict';
+const common = require('../common');
+const { test } = require('node:test');
+
+// Regression test for https://github.com/nodejs/node/issues/51997
+test('after hook should be called with no subtests', (t) => {
+  const timer = setTimeout(common.mustNotCall(), 2 ** 30);
+
+  t.after(common.mustCall(() => {
+    clearTimeout(timer);
+  }));
+});