diff --git a/src/dispatchers/downloadDispatcher.ts b/src/dispatchers/downloadDispatcher.ts
index 1e7ba787a8ae4..449522bd30527 100644
--- a/src/dispatchers/downloadDispatcher.ts
+++ b/src/dispatchers/downloadDispatcher.ts
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ export class DownloadDispatcher extends Dispatcher<Download, channels.DownloadIn
     return await new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
       this._object.saveAs(async (localPath, error) => {
         if (error !== undefined) {
-          reject(error);
+          reject(new Error(error));
           return;
         }
 
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ export class DownloadDispatcher extends Dispatcher<Download, channels.DownloadIn
     return await new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
       this._object.saveAs(async (localPath, error) => {
         if (error !== undefined) {
-          reject(error);
+          reject(new Error(error));
           return;
         }
 
diff --git a/src/server/browserContext.ts b/src/server/browserContext.ts
index 2b0f52f9db102..62411f030b957 100644
--- a/src/server/browserContext.ts
+++ b/src/server/browserContext.ts
@@ -252,15 +252,6 @@ export abstract class BrowserContext extends SdkObject {
 
       await this.instrumentation.onContextWillDestroy(this);
 
-      // Collect videos/downloads that we will await.
-      const promises: Promise<any>[] = [];
-      for (const download of this._downloads)
-        promises.push(download.delete());
-      for (const video of this._browser._idToVideo.values()) {
-        if (video._context === this)
-          promises.push(video._finishedPromise);
-      }
-
       if (this._isPersistentContext) {
         // Close all the pages instead of the context,
         // because we cannot close the default context.
@@ -270,7 +261,18 @@ export abstract class BrowserContext extends SdkObject {
         await this._doClose();
       }
 
-      // Wait for the videos/downloads to finish.
+      // Cleanup.
+      const promises: Promise<void>[] = [];
+      for (const video of this._browser._idToVideo.values()) {
+        // Wait for the videos to finish.
+        if (video._context === this)
+          promises.push(video._finishedPromise);
+      }
+      for (const download of this._downloads) {
+        // We delete downloads after context closure
+        // so that browser does not write to the download file anymore.
+        promises.push(download.deleteOnContextClose());
+      }
       await Promise.all(promises);
 
       // Persistent context should also close the browser.
diff --git a/src/server/download.ts b/src/server/download.ts
index 98c8257215703..091fa9d454bf6 100644
--- a/src/server/download.ts
+++ b/src/server/download.ts
@@ -107,7 +107,22 @@ export class Download {
       await util.promisify(fs.unlink)(fileName).catch(e => {});
   }
 
+  async deleteOnContextClose(): Promise<void> {
+    // Compared to "delete", this method does not wait for the download to finish.
+    // We use it when closing the context to avoid stalling.
+    if (this._deleted)
+      return;
+    this._deleted = true;
+    if (this._acceptDownloads) {
+      const fileName = path.join(this._downloadsPath, this._uuid);
+      await util.promisify(fs.unlink)(fileName).catch(e => {});
+    }
+    this._reportFinished('Download deleted upon browser context closure.');
+  }
+
   async _reportFinished(error?: string) {
+    if (this._finished)
+      return;
     this._finished = true;
     this._failure = error || null;
 
diff --git a/test/download.spec.ts b/test/download.spec.ts
index 24817743abce0..c3c78dfade118 100644
--- a/test/download.spec.ts
+++ b/test/download.spec.ts
@@ -365,4 +365,52 @@ describe('download event', () => {
     expect(fs.existsSync(path2)).toBeFalsy();
     expect(fs.existsSync(path.join(path1, '..'))).toBeFalsy();
   });
+
+  it('should close the context without awaiting the failed download', (test, { browserName }) => {
+    test.skip(browserName !== 'chromium', 'Only Chromium downloads on alt-click');
+  }, async ({browser, server, httpsServer, testInfo}) => {
+    const page = await browser.newPage({ acceptDownloads: true });
+    await page.goto(server.EMPTY_PAGE);
+    await page.setContent(`<a href="${httpsServer.PREFIX}/downloadWithFilename" download="file.txt">click me</a>`);
+    const [download] = await Promise.all([
+      page.waitForEvent('download'),
+      // Use alt-click to force the download. Otherwise browsers might try to navigate first,
+      // probably because of http -> https link.
+      page.click('a', { modifiers: ['Alt']})
+    ]);
+    const [downloadPath, saveError] = await Promise.all([
+      download.path(),
+      download.saveAs(testInfo.outputPath('download.txt')).catch(e => e),
+      page.context().close(),
+    ]);
+    expect(downloadPath).toBe(null);
+    expect(saveError.message).toContain('Download deleted upon browser context closure.');
+  });
+
+  it('should close the context without awaiting the download', (test, { browserName, platform }) => {
+    test.skip(browserName === 'webkit' && platform === 'linux', 'WebKit on linux does not convert to the download immediately upon receiving headers');
+  }, async ({browser, server, testInfo}) => {
+    server.setRoute('/downloadStall', (req, res) => {
+      res.setHeader('Content-Type', 'application/octet-stream');
+      res.setHeader('Content-Disposition', 'attachment; filename=file.txt');
+      res.writeHead(200);
+      res.flushHeaders();
+      res.write(`Hello world`);
+    });
+
+    const page = await browser.newPage({ acceptDownloads: true });
+    await page.goto(server.EMPTY_PAGE);
+    await page.setContent(`<a href="${server.PREFIX}/downloadStall" download="file.txt">click me</a>`);
+    const [download] = await Promise.all([
+      page.waitForEvent('download'),
+      page.click('a')
+    ]);
+    const [downloadPath, saveError] = await Promise.all([
+      download.path(),
+      download.saveAs(testInfo.outputPath('download.txt')).catch(e => e),
+      page.context().close(),
+    ]);
+    expect(downloadPath).toBe(null);
+    expect(saveError.message).toContain('Download deleted upon browser context closure.');
+  });
 });