diff --git a/src/node_file.cc b/src/node_file.cc
index b2e3889b4126d8..794a9ba9120b3f 100644
--- a/src/node_file.cc
+++ b/src/node_file.cc
@@ -2711,10 +2711,10 @@ static void ReadFileUtf8(const FunctionCallbackInfo<Value>& args) {
     FS_SYNC_TRACE_END(open);
     if (req.result < 0) {
       uv_fs_req_cleanup(&req);
-      // req will be cleaned up by scope leave.
       return env->ThrowUVException(
           static_cast<int>(req.result), "open", nullptr, path.out());
     }
+    uv_fs_req_cleanup(&req);
   }
 
   auto defer_close = OnScopeLeave([file, is_fd, &req]() {
diff --git a/test/pummel/test-fs-read-file-sync-utf8-memory.js b/test/pummel/test-fs-read-file-sync-utf8-memory.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000000..2e902d08a0efb0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/pummel/test-fs-read-file-sync-utf8-memory.js
@@ -0,0 +1,54 @@
+'use strict';
+const common = require('../common');
+if (common.isIBMi)
+  common.skip('On IBMi, the rss memory always returns zero');
+
+// This test verifies that readFileSync does not leak memory when reading
+// UTF8 files. See: https://github.com/nodejs/node/issues/57800 for details.
+
+const assert = require('node:assert');
+const fs = require('node:fs');
+const util = require('node:util');
+const tmpdir = require('../common/tmpdir');
+
+// The memory leak being tested here was from a buffer with the absolute URI to
+// a file. For each file read, 2-4 bytes were (usually) leaked per character in
+// the URI. The length of the file path can be used to estimate the approximate
+// amount of memory that will be leaked if this issue is reintroduced. A longer
+// total path length will make the issue easier to test for. Some operating
+// systems like Windows have shorter default path length limits. If the path
+// is approaching that limit, the length of the path should be long enough to
+// effectively test for this memory leak.
+tmpdir.refresh();
+let testFile = tmpdir.resolve(
+  'a-file-with-a-longer-than-usual-file-name-for-testing-a-memory-leak-related-to-path-length.txt',
+);
+if (testFile.length > process.env.MAX_PATH) {
+  testFile = tmpdir.resolve('reasonable-length.txt');
+}
+
+// The buffer being checked is WCHAR buffer. The size is going to be at least 2
+// bytes per character but can be more. Windows: 2; Mac: 2; Linux: 4 (usually);
+const iterations = 100_000;
+const minExpectedMemoryLeak = (testFile.length * 2) * iterations;
+
+// This memory leak was exclusive to UTF8 encoded files.
+// Create our test file. The contents of the file don't matter.
+const options = { encoding: 'utf8' };
+fs.writeFileSync(testFile, '', options);
+
+// Doing an initial big batch of file reads gives a more stable baseline memory
+// usage. Doing the same total iterations as the actual test isn't necessary.
+for (let i = 0; i < 100; i++) {
+  fs.readFileSync(testFile, options);
+}
+const startMemory = process.memoryUsage();
+for (let i = 0; i < iterations; i++) {
+  fs.readFileSync(testFile, options);
+}
+const endMemory = process.memoryUsage();
+
+// Use 90% of the expected memory leak as the threshold just to be safe.
+const memoryDifference = endMemory.rss - startMemory.rss;
+assert.ok(memoryDifference < (minExpectedMemoryLeak * 0.9),
+          `Unexpected memory overhead: ${util.inspect([startMemory, endMemory])}`);