diff --git a/core/src/main/java/io/grpc/internal/PickFirstLoadBalancer.java b/core/src/main/java/io/grpc/internal/PickFirstLoadBalancer.java
index 705cfdbc1dc..b92cc2a48a4 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/io/grpc/internal/PickFirstLoadBalancer.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/io/grpc/internal/PickFirstLoadBalancer.java
@@ -107,6 +107,9 @@ public void handleNameResolutionError(Status error) {
   }
 
   private void processSubchannelState(Subchannel subchannel, ConnectivityStateInfo stateInfo) {
+    if (subchannel != this.subchannel) {
+      return;
+    }
     ConnectivityState newState = stateInfo.getState();
     if (newState == SHUTDOWN) {
       return;
@@ -161,6 +164,7 @@ private void updateBalancingState(ConnectivityState state, SubchannelPicker pick
   public void shutdown() {
     if (subchannel != null) {
       subchannel.shutdown();
+      subchannel = null;
     }
   }
 
diff --git a/core/src/test/java/io/grpc/internal/PickFirstLoadBalancerTest.java b/core/src/test/java/io/grpc/internal/PickFirstLoadBalancerTest.java
index 1c3182237d3..ab6af82ade2 100644
--- a/core/src/test/java/io/grpc/internal/PickFirstLoadBalancerTest.java
+++ b/core/src/test/java/io/grpc/internal/PickFirstLoadBalancerTest.java
@@ -591,6 +591,29 @@ public void requestConnection() {
     verify(mockSubchannel, times(2)).requestConnection();
   }
 
+  @Test
+  public void ignoreStaleSubchannelStateChange() throws Exception {
+    loadBalancer.acceptResolvedAddresses(
+        ResolvedAddresses.newBuilder().setAddresses(servers).setAttributes(affinity).build());
+    verify(mockSubchannel).start(stateListenerCaptor.capture());
+    SubchannelStateListener oldListener = stateListenerCaptor.getValue();
+
+    // Name resolution error occurs, shutting down old subchannel and resetting subchannel reference
+    loadBalancer.handleNameResolutionError(Status.UNAVAILABLE);
+
+    // New resolution result arrives, creating a new subchannel
+    Subchannel newSubchannel = org.mockito.Mockito.mock(Subchannel.class);
+    when(mockHelper.createSubchannel(any())).thenReturn(newSubchannel);
+    loadBalancer.acceptResolvedAddresses(
+        ResolvedAddresses.newBuilder().setAddresses(servers).setAttributes(affinity).build());
+
+    // Old subchannel (e.g. during delayed shutdown) fires READY state update
+    oldListener.onSubchannelState(ConnectivityStateInfo.forNonError(READY));
+
+    // Verify that the LB state was NOT updated to READY with the old subchannel
+    verify(mockHelper, never()).updateBalancingState(eq(READY), any(SubchannelPicker.class));
+  }
+
   private static class FakeSocketAddress extends SocketAddress {
     final String name;