diff --git a/.changeset/fix-collection-cleanup-order.md b/.changeset/fix-collection-cleanup-order.md
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..f81aa84d2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/fix-collection-cleanup-order.md
@@ -0,0 +1,34 @@
+---
+"@tanstack/db": patch
+---
+
+Fix collection cleanup to fire status:change event with 'cleaned-up' status
+
+Previously, when a collection was garbage collected, event handlers were removed before the status was changed to 'cleaned-up'. This prevented listeners from receiving the status:change event, breaking the collection factory pattern where collections listen for cleanup to remove themselves from a cache.
+
+Now, the cleanup process:
+
+1. Cleans up sync, state, changes, and indexes
+2. Sets status to 'cleaned-up' (fires the event)
+3. Finally cleans up event handlers
+
+This enables the collection factory pattern:
+
+```typescript
+const cache = new Map<string, ReturnType<typeof createCollection>>()
+
+const getTodoCollection = (id: string) => {
+  if (!cache.has(id)) {
+    const collection = createCollection(/* ... */)
+
+    collection.on("status:change", ({ status }) => {
+      if (status === "cleaned-up") {
+        cache.delete(id) // This now works!
+      }
+    })
+
+    cache.set(id, collection)
+  }
+  return cache.get(id)!
+}
+```
diff --git a/packages/db/src/collection/lifecycle.ts b/packages/db/src/collection/lifecycle.ts
index be607a3c9..5181ab216 100644
--- a/packages/db/src/collection/lifecycle.ts
+++ b/packages/db/src/collection/lifecycle.ts
@@ -250,8 +250,7 @@ export class CollectionLifecycleManager<
       !deadline || deadline.timeRemaining() > 0 || deadline.didTimeout
 
     if (hasTime) {
-      // Perform all cleanup operations
-      this.events.cleanup()
+      // Perform all cleanup operations except events
       this.sync.cleanup()
       this.state.cleanup()
       this.changes.cleanup()
@@ -265,8 +264,13 @@ export class CollectionLifecycleManager<
       this.hasBeenReady = false
       this.onFirstReadyCallbacks = []
 
-      // Set status to cleaned-up
+      // Set status to cleaned-up after everything is cleaned up
+      // This fires the status:change event to notify listeners
       this.setStatus(`cleaned-up`)
+
+      // Finally, cleanup event handlers after the event has been fired
+      this.events.cleanup()
+
       return true
     } else {
       // If we don't have time, reschedule for the next idle period
diff --git a/packages/db/tests/collection-lifecycle.test.ts b/packages/db/tests/collection-lifecycle.test.ts
index 5af642c08..4094ee813 100644
--- a/packages/db/tests/collection-lifecycle.test.ts
+++ b/packages/db/tests/collection-lifecycle.test.ts
@@ -474,5 +474,52 @@ describe(`Collection Lifecycle Management`, () => {
 
       subscription.unsubscribe()
     })
+
+    it(`should fire status:change event with 'cleaned-up' status before clearing event handlers`, () => {
+      const collection = createCollection<{ id: string; name: string }>({
+        id: `cleanup-event-test`,
+        getKey: (item) => item.id,
+        gcTime: 1000,
+        sync: {
+          sync: () => {},
+        },
+      })
+
+      // Track status changes
+      const statusChanges: Array<{ status: string; previousStatus: string }> =
+        []
+
+      // Add event listener for status changes
+      collection.on(`status:change`, ({ status, previousStatus }) => {
+        statusChanges.push({ status, previousStatus })
+      })
+
+      // Subscribe and unsubscribe to trigger GC
+      const subscription = collection.subscribeChanges(() => {})
+      subscription.unsubscribe()
+
+      expect(statusChanges).toHaveLength(1)
+      expect(statusChanges[0]).toEqual({
+        status: `loading`,
+        previousStatus: `idle`,
+      })
+
+      // Trigger GC timeout to schedule cleanup
+      const gcTimerId = mockSetTimeout.mock.results[0]?.value
+      if (gcTimerId) {
+        triggerTimeout(gcTimerId)
+      }
+
+      // Trigger all remaining timeouts to handle the idle callback
+      triggerAllTimeouts()
+
+      // Verify that the listener received the 'cleaned-up' status change event
+      expect(statusChanges).toHaveLength(2)
+      expect(statusChanges[1]).toEqual({
+        status: `cleaned-up`,
+        previousStatus: `loading`,
+      })
+      expect(collection.status).toBe(`cleaned-up`)
+    })
   })
 })