diff --git a/state/in-memory/in_memory.go b/state/in-memory/in_memory.go
index 7373ed5ffe..0cad730e78 100644
--- a/state/in-memory/in_memory.go
+++ b/state/in-memory/in_memory.go
@@ -36,6 +36,10 @@ import (
 	"github.com/dapr/kit/ptr"
 )
 
+// cleanupInterval is how often the background goroutine started by Init sweeps
+// expired items.
+const cleanupInterval = time.Second
+
 type InMemoryStore struct {
 	state.BulkStore
 
@@ -80,6 +84,11 @@ func (store *InMemoryStore) Close() error {
 		close(store.closeCh)
 	}
 
+	// Wait for the cleanup goroutine to exit before acquiring the lock. It
+	// needs the same lock in doCleanExpiredItems, so waiting on it while
+	// holding the lock would deadlock.
+	store.wg.Wait()
+
 	// release memory reference
 	store.lock.Lock()
 	defer store.lock.Unlock()
@@ -87,8 +96,6 @@ func (store *InMemoryStore) Close() error {
 		delete(store.items, k)
 	}
 
-	store.wg.Wait()
-
 	return nil
 }
 
@@ -432,7 +439,7 @@ func (store *InMemoryStore) Multi(ctx context.Context, request *state.Transactio
 func (store *InMemoryStore) startCleanThread() {
 	for {
 		select {
-		case <-time.After(time.Second):
+		case <-store.clock.After(cleanupInterval):
 			store.doCleanExpiredItems()
 		case <-store.closeCh:
 			return
diff --git a/state/in-memory/in_memory_test.go b/state/in-memory/in_memory_test.go
index 6ab434c9ea..850dc36c9b 100644
--- a/state/in-memory/in_memory_test.go
+++ b/state/in-memory/in_memory_test.go
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ limitations under the License.
 package inmemory
 
 import (
+	"runtime"
 	"sort"
 	"testing"
 	"time"
@@ -178,6 +179,53 @@ func TestReadAndWrite(t *testing.T) {
 	})
 }
 
+// TestCloseDoesNotDeadlock is a regression test for Close deadlocking with the
+// cleanup goroutine, which needs the same lock Close used to hold while
+// waiting for it. The interleaving is reproduced by firing the cleanup tick
+// through the fake clock and calling Close before the woken goroutine is
+// scheduled, so Close takes the lock first. Assumes the cleanup ticker is the
+// store's only clock waiter. Changes GOMAXPROCS; must not call t.Parallel.
+func TestCloseDoesNotDeadlock(t *testing.T) {
+	const (
+		// A few attempts absorb the rare preemption that lets the cleanup
+		// goroutine run before Close.
+		attempts = 5
+		// Reached only when the test fails.
+		closeTimeout = 10 * time.Second
+	)
+
+	prevMaxProcs := runtime.GOMAXPROCS(1)
+	defer runtime.GOMAXPROCS(prevMaxProcs)
+
+	log := logger.NewLogger("test")
+	for i := range attempts {
+		store := NewInMemoryStateStore(log).(*InMemoryStore)
+		fakeClock := clocktesting.NewFakeClock(time.Now())
+		store.clock = fakeClock
+		require.NoError(t, store.Init(t.Context(), state.Metadata{}))
+
+		// Fire the cleanup tick once the goroutine is waiting on it: it is
+		// then committed to cleaning up, but not yet running.
+		for !fakeClock.HasWaiters() {
+			runtime.Gosched()
+		}
+		fakeClock.Step(cleanupInterval)
+
+		done := make(chan struct{})
+		go func() {
+			// assert, not require: FailNow is only valid on the test goroutine.
+			assert.NoError(t, store.Close())
+			close(done)
+		}()
+
+		select {
+		case <-done:
+		case <-time.After(closeTimeout):
+			t.Fatalf("attempt %d: Close did not return within %s: shutdown deadlocked", i, closeTimeout)
+		}
+	}
+}
+
 func Test_KeyLike(t *testing.T) {
 	var _ state.KeysLiker = NewInMemoryStateStore(nil).(*InMemoryStore)
 }