diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 8d3b72e9..64029f68 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -245,6 +245,62 @@ This may be set in calls to `fetch()`, or defaulted on the
 constructor, or overridden by modifying the options object in the
 `fetchMethod`.
 
+### `allowStaleOnFetchAbort`
+
+Set to true to return a stale value from the cache when the
+`AbortSignal` passed to the `fetchMethod` dispatches an `'abort'`
+event, whether user-triggered, or due to internal cache behavior.
+
+Unless `ignoreFetchAbort` is also set, the underlying
+`fetchMethod` will still be considered canceled, and its return
+value will be ignored and not cached.
+
+### `ignoreFetchAbort`
+
+Set to true to ignore the `abort` event emitted by the
+`AbortSignal` object passed to `fetchMethod`, and still cache the
+resulting resolution value, as long as it is not `undefined`.
+
+When used on its own, this means aborted `fetch()` calls are not
+immediately resolved or rejected when they are aborted, and
+instead take the full time to await.
+
+When used with `allowStaleOnFetchAbort`, aborted `fetch()` calls
+will resolve immediately to their stale cached value or
+`undefined`, and will continue to process and eventually update
+the cache when they resolve, as long as the resulting value is
+not `undefined`, thus supporting a "return stale on timeout while
+refreshing" mechanism by passing `AbortSignal.timeout(n)` as the
+signal.
+
+For example:
+
+```js
+const c = new LRUCache({
+  ttl: 100,
+  ignoreFetchAbort: true,
+  allowStaleOnFetchAbort: true,
+  fetchMethod: async (key, oldValue, { signal }) => {
+    // note: do NOT pass the signal to fetch()!
+    // let's say this fetch can take a long time.
+    const res = await fetch(`https://slow-backend-server/${key}`)
+    return await res.json()
+  },
+})
+
+// this will return the stale value after 100ms, while still
+// updating in the background for next time.
+const val = await c.fetch('key', { signal: AbortSignal.timeout(100) })
+```
+
+**Note**: regardless of this setting, an `abort` event _is still
+emitted on the `AbortSignal` object_, so may result in invalid
+results when passed to other underlying APIs that use
+AbortSignals.
+
+This may be overridden on the `fetch()` call or in the
+`fetchMethod` itself.
+
 ### `dispose`
 
 Function that is called on items when they are dropped from the
diff --git a/index.d.ts b/index.d.ts
index 47c02bae..0820d0b7 100644
--- a/index.d.ts
+++ b/index.d.ts
@@ -521,6 +521,8 @@ declare namespace LRUCache {
      * Set to true to suppress the deletion of stale data when a
      * {@link fetchMethod} throws an error or returns a rejected promise
      *
+     * This may be overridden in the {@link fetchMethod}.
+     *
      * @default false
      * @since 7.10.0
      */
@@ -533,11 +535,59 @@ declare namespace LRUCache {
      * ONLY be returned in the case that the fetch fails, not any other
      * times.
      *
+     * This may be overridden in the {@link fetchMethod}.
+     *
      * @default false
      * @since 7.16.0
      */
     allowStaleOnFetchRejection?: boolean
 
+    /**
+     *
+     * Set to true to ignore the `abort` event emitted by the `AbortSignal`
+     * object passed to {@link fetchMethod}, and still cache the
+     * resulting resolution value, as long as it is not `undefined`.
+     *
+     * When used on its own, this means aborted {@link fetch} calls are not
+     * immediately resolved or rejected when they are aborted, and instead take
+     * the full time to await.
+     *
+     * When used with {@link allowStaleOnFetchAbort}, aborted {@link fetch}
+     * calls will resolve immediately to their stale cached value or
+     * `undefined`, and will continue to process and eventually update the
+     * cache when they resolve, as long as the resulting value is not
+     * `undefined`, thus supporting a "return stale on timeout while
+     * refreshing" mechanism by passing `AbortSignal.timeout(n)` as the signal.
+     *
+     * **Note**: regardless of this setting, an `abort` event _is still emitted
+     * on the `AbortSignal` object_, so may result in invalid results when
+     * passed to other underlying APIs that use AbortSignals.
+     *
+     * This may be overridden in the {@link fetchMethod} or the call to
+     * {@link fetch}.
+     *
+     * @default false
+     * @since 7.17.0
+     */
+    ignoreFetchAbort?: boolean
+
+    /**
+     * Set to true to return a stale value from the cache when the
+     * `AbortSignal` passed to the {@link fetchMethod} dispatches an `'abort'`
+     * event, whether user-triggered, or due to internal cache behavior.
+     *
+     * Unless {@link ignoreFetchAbort} is also set, the underlying
+     * {@link fetchMethod} will still be considered canceled, and its return
+     * value will be ignored and not cached.
+     *
+     * This may be overridden in the {@link fetchMethod} or the call to
+     * {@link fetch}.
+     *
+     * @default false
+     * @since 7.17.0
+     */
+    allowStaleOnFetchAbort?: boolean
+
     /**
      * Set to any value in the constructor or {@link fetch} options to
      * pass arbitrary data to the {@link fetchMethod} in the {@link context}
@@ -618,8 +668,8 @@ declare namespace LRUCache {
    *
    * May be mutated by the {@link fetchMethod} to affect the behavior of the
    * resulting {@link set} operation on resolution, or in the case of
-   * {@link noDeleteOnFetchRejection} and {@link allowStaleOnFetchRejection},
-   * the handling of failure.
+   * {@link noDeleteOnFetchRejection}, {@link ignoreFetchAbort}, and
+   * {@link allowStaleOnFetchRejection}, the handling of failure.
    */
   interface FetcherFetchOptions<K, V> {
     allowStale?: boolean
@@ -632,6 +682,8 @@ declare namespace LRUCache {
     noUpdateTTL?: boolean
     noDeleteOnFetchRejection?: boolean
     allowStaleOnFetchRejection?: boolean
+    ignoreFetchAbort?: boolean
+    allowStaleOnFetchAbort?: boolean
   }
 
   /**
diff --git a/index.js b/index.js
index 082fd10e..8a4c2300 100644
--- a/index.js
+++ b/index.js
@@ -168,6 +168,8 @@ class LRUCache {
       noDeleteOnFetchRejection,
       noDeleteOnStaleGet,
       allowStaleOnFetchRejection,
+      allowStaleOnFetchAbort,
+      ignoreFetchAbort,
     } = options
 
     // deprecated options, don't trigger a warning for getting them if
@@ -238,6 +240,8 @@ class LRUCache {
     this.noUpdateTTL = !!noUpdateTTL
     this.noDeleteOnFetchRejection = !!noDeleteOnFetchRejection
     this.allowStaleOnFetchRejection = !!allowStaleOnFetchRejection
+    this.allowStaleOnFetchAbort = !!allowStaleOnFetchAbort
+    this.ignoreFetchAbort = !!ignoreFetchAbort
 
     // NB: maxEntrySize is set to maxSize if it's set
     if (this.maxEntrySize !== 0) {
@@ -752,39 +756,70 @@ class LRUCache {
       options,
       context,
     }
-    const cb = v => {
-      if (!ac.signal.aborted) {
-        this.set(k, v, fetchOpts.options)
-        return v
-      } else {
+    const cb = (v, updateCache = false) => {
+      const { aborted } = ac.signal
+      const ignoreAbort = options.ignoreFetchAbort && v !== undefined
+      if (aborted && !ignoreAbort && !updateCache) {
         return eb(ac.signal.reason)
       }
+      // either we didn't abort, and are still here, or we did, and ignored
+      if (this.valList[index] === p) {
+        if (v === undefined) {
+          if (p.__staleWhileFetching) {
+            this.valList[index] = p.__staleWhileFetching
+          } else {
+            this.delete(k)
+          }
+        } else {
+          this.set(k, v, fetchOpts.options)
+        }
+      }
+      return v
     }
     const eb = er => {
+      const { aborted } = ac.signal
+      const allowStaleAborted =
+        aborted && options.allowStaleOnFetchAbort
+      const allowStale =
+        allowStaleAborted || options.allowStaleOnFetchRejection
+      const noDelete = allowStale || options.noDeleteOnFetchRejection
       if (this.valList[index] === p) {
         // if we allow stale on fetch rejections, then we need to ensure that
         // the stale value is not removed from the cache when the fetch fails.
-        const noDelete =
-          options.noDeleteOnFetchRejection ||
-          options.allowStaleOnFetchRejection
         const del = !noDelete || p.__staleWhileFetching === undefined
         if (del) {
           this.delete(k)
-        } else {
+        } else if (!allowStaleAborted) {
           // still replace the *promise* with the stale value,
           // since we are done with the promise at this point.
+          // leave it untouched if we're still waiting for an
+          // aborted background fetch that hasn't yet returned.
           this.valList[index] = p.__staleWhileFetching
         }
       }
-      if (options.allowStaleOnFetchRejection) {
+      if (allowStale) {
         return p.__staleWhileFetching
       } else if (p.__returned === p) {
         throw er
       }
     }
     const pcall = (res, rej) => {
-      ac.signal.addEventListener('abort', () => res())
-      this.fetchMethod(k, v, fetchOpts).then(res, rej)
+      this.fetchMethod(k, v, fetchOpts).then(v => res(v), rej)
+      // ignored, we go until we finish, regardless.
+      // defer check until we are actually aborting,
+      // so fetchMethod can override.
+      ac.signal.addEventListener('abort', () => {
+        if (
+          !options.ignoreFetchAbort ||
+          options.allowStaleOnFetchAbort
+        ) {
+          res()
+          // when it eventually resolves, update the cache.
+          if (options.allowStaleOnFetchAbort) {
+            res = v => cb(v, true)
+          }
+        }
+      })
     }
     const p = new Promise(pcall).then(cb, eb)
     p.__abortController = ac
@@ -830,6 +865,8 @@ class LRUCache {
       // fetch exclusive options
       noDeleteOnFetchRejection = this.noDeleteOnFetchRejection,
       allowStaleOnFetchRejection = this.allowStaleOnFetchRejection,
+      ignoreFetchAbort = this.ignoreFetchAbort,
+      allowStaleOnFetchAbort = this.allowStaleOnFetchAbort,
       fetchContext = this.fetchContext,
       forceRefresh = false,
       signal,
@@ -854,6 +891,8 @@ class LRUCache {
       noUpdateTTL,
       noDeleteOnFetchRejection,
       allowStaleOnFetchRejection,
+      allowStaleOnFetchAbort,
+      ignoreFetchAbort,
       signal,
     }
 
diff --git a/test/fetch.ts b/test/fetch.ts
index 93eac791..72ef0d9f 100644
--- a/test/fetch.ts
+++ b/test/fetch.ts
@@ -659,3 +659,127 @@ t.test('send a signal', async t => {
   t.equal(ac.signal.reason, er)
   t.equal(c.get(1), undefined)
 })
+
+t.test('abort, but then keep on fetching anyway', async t => {
+  let aborted: Error | undefined = undefined
+  let resolved: boolean = false
+  let returnUndefined: boolean = false
+  const cache = new LRU<number, number>({
+    max: 10,
+    ignoreFetchAbort: true,
+    fetchMethod: async (k, _, { signal, options }) => {
+      t.equal(options.ignoreFetchAbort, true, 'aborts ignored')
+      signal.addEventListener('abort', () => {
+        aborted = signal.reason
+      })
+      return new Promise(res =>
+        setTimeout(() => {
+          resolved = true
+          res(returnUndefined ? undefined : k)
+        }, 100)
+      )
+    },
+  })
+  const ac = new AbortController()
+  const p = cache.fetch(1, { signal: ac.signal })
+  const er = new Error('ignored abort signal')
+  ac.abort(er)
+  clock.advance(100)
+  t.equal(await p, 1)
+
+  t.equal(resolved, true, 'aborted, but resolved anyway')
+  t.equal(aborted, er)
+  t.equal(ac.signal.reason, er)
+  t.equal(cache.get(1), 1)
+
+  const p2 = cache.fetch(2)
+  t.equal(cache.get(2), undefined)
+  cache.delete(2)
+  t.equal(cache.get(2), undefined)
+  clock.advance(100)
+  t.equal(await p2, 2)
+  t.equal(cache.get(2), undefined)
+
+  // if aborted for cause, we don't save the fetched value
+  const p3 = cache.fetch(3)
+  t.equal(cache.get(3), undefined)
+  cache.set(3, 33)
+  t.equal(cache.get(3), 33)
+  clock.advance(100)
+  t.equal(await p3, 3)
+  t.equal(cache.get(3), 33)
+
+  const e = expose(cache)
+  returnUndefined = true
+  const before = e.valList.slice()
+  const p4 = cache.fetch(4)
+  clock.advance(100)
+  t.equal(await p4, undefined)
+  t.same(e.valList, before, 'did not update values with undefined')
+})
+
+t.test('allowStaleOnFetchAbort', async t => {
+  const c = new LRUCache<number, number>({
+    ttl: 10,
+    max: 10,
+    allowStaleOnFetchAbort: true,
+    fetchMethod: async (k, _, { signal }) => {
+      return new Promise(res => {
+        const t = setTimeout(() => res(k), 100)
+        signal.addEventListener('abort', () => clearTimeout(t))
+      })
+    },
+  })
+  c.set(1, 10)
+  clock.advance(100)
+  const ac = new AbortController()
+  const p = c.fetch(1, { signal: ac.signal })
+  ac.abort(new Error('gimme the stale value'))
+  t.equal(await p, 10)
+  t.equal(c.get(1, { allowStale: true }), 10)
+})
+
+t.test('background update on timeout, return stale', async t => {
+  let returnUndefined = false
+  const c = new LRUCache<number, number>({
+    ttl: 10,
+    max: 10,
+    ignoreFetchAbort: true,
+    allowStaleOnFetchAbort: true,
+    fetchMethod: async k => {
+      return new Promise(res => {
+        setTimeout(() => {
+          res(returnUndefined ? undefined : k)
+        }, 100)
+      })
+    },
+  })
+  c.set(1, 10)
+  clock.advance(100)
+  const ac = new AbortController()
+  const p = c.fetch(1, { signal: ac.signal })
+  const e = expose(c)
+  t.match(e.valList[0], { __staleWhileFetching: 10 })
+  ac.abort(new Error('gimme the stale value'))
+  t.equal(await p, 10)
+  t.equal(c.get(1, { allowStale: true }), 10)
+  clock.advance(200)
+  await new Promise(res => setImmediate(res))
+  t.equal(e.valList[0], 1, 'got updated value later')
+
+  c.set(1, 99)
+  clock.advance(100)
+  returnUndefined = true
+  const ac2 = new AbortController()
+  const p2 = c.fetch(1, { signal: ac2.signal })
+  await new Promise(res => setImmediate(res))
+  t.match(e.valList[0], { __staleWhileFetching: 99 })
+  ac2.abort(new Error('gimme stale 99'))
+  t.equal(await p2, 99)
+  t.match(e.valList[0], { __staleWhileFetching: 99 })
+  t.equal(c.get(1, { allowStale: true }), 99)
+  t.match(e.valList[0], { __staleWhileFetching: 99 })
+  clock.advance(200)
+  await new Promise(res => setImmediate(res))
+  t.equal(e.valList[0], 99)
+})