diff --git a/agent/grpc-external/services/resource/watch.go b/agent/grpc-external/services/resource/watch.go
index 54372221b..23be7177f 100644
--- a/agent/grpc-external/services/resource/watch.go
+++ b/agent/grpc-external/services/resource/watch.go
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ func (s *Server) WatchList(req *pbresource.WatchListRequest, stream pbresource.R
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
+	defer watch.Close()
 
 	for {
 		event, err := watch.Next(stream.Context())
diff --git a/internal/storage/conformance/conformance.go b/internal/storage/conformance/conformance.go
index 56e49f1fe..a4ef0e85d 100644
--- a/internal/storage/conformance/conformance.go
+++ b/internal/storage/conformance/conformance.go
@@ -452,6 +452,7 @@ func testListWatch(t *testing.T, opts TestOptions) {
 
 				watch, err := backend.WatchList(ctx, tc.resourceType, tc.tenancy, tc.namePrefix)
 				require.NoError(t, err)
+				t.Cleanup(watch.Close)
 
 				for i := 0; i < len(tc.results); i++ {
 					ctx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(ctx, 5*time.Second)
@@ -471,6 +472,7 @@ func testListWatch(t *testing.T, opts TestOptions) {
 
 				watch, err := backend.WatchList(ctx, tc.resourceType, tc.tenancy, tc.namePrefix)
 				require.NoError(t, err)
+				t.Cleanup(watch.Close)
 
 				// Write the seed data after the watch has been established.
 				for _, r := range seedData {
diff --git a/internal/storage/inmem/watch.go b/internal/storage/inmem/watch.go
index 9d61f7179..b3e613259 100644
--- a/internal/storage/inmem/watch.go
+++ b/internal/storage/inmem/watch.go
@@ -71,6 +71,9 @@ func (w *Watch) nextEvent(ctx context.Context) (*stream.Event, error) {
 	}
 }
 
+// Close the watch and free its associated resources.
+func (w *Watch) Close() { w.sub.Unsubscribe() }
+
 var eventTopic = stream.StringTopic("resources")
 
 type eventPayload struct {
diff --git a/internal/storage/storage.go b/internal/storage/storage.go
index f9b2e6748..aa0331c39 100644
--- a/internal/storage/storage.go
+++ b/internal/storage/storage.go
@@ -269,10 +269,13 @@ type Backend interface {
 }
 
 // Watch represents a watch on a given set of resources. Call Next to get the
-// next event (i.e. upsert or deletion).
+// next event (i.e. upsert or deletion) and Close when you're done watching.
 type Watch interface {
 	// Next returns the next event (i.e. upsert or deletion)
 	Next(ctx context.Context) (*pbresource.WatchEvent, error)
+
+	// Close the watch and free its associated resources.
+	Close()
 }
 
 // UnversionedType represents a pbresource.Type as it is stored without the