diff --git a/src/useIntersection.ts b/src/useIntersection.ts
index 4a7b78eaca..531ce3fbf7 100644
--- a/src/useIntersection.ts
+++ b/src/useIntersection.ts
@@ -15,14 +15,10 @@ const useIntersection = (
       const observer = new IntersectionObserver(handler, options);
       observer.observe(ref.current);
 
-      return () => {
-        if (ref.current) {
-          observer.disconnect();
-        }
-      };
+      return () => observer.disconnect();
     }
     return () => {};
-  }, [ref, options.threshold, options.root, options.rootMargin]);
+  }, [ref.current, options.threshold, options.root, options.rootMargin]);
 
   return intersectionObserverEntry;
 };
diff --git a/tests/useIntersection.test.tsx b/tests/useIntersection.test.tsx
index fb83108b46..b8cdde7bf9 100644
--- a/tests/useIntersection.test.tsx
+++ b/tests/useIntersection.test.tsx
@@ -8,6 +8,10 @@ import { useIntersection } from '../src';
 
 beforeEach(() => {
   intersectionObserver.mock();
+  const IO = IntersectionObserver;
+  jest.spyOn(IO.prototype, 'disconnect');
+  jest.spyOn(global as any, 'IntersectionObserver');
+  IntersectionObserver.prototype = IO.prototype;
 });
 
 afterEach(() => {
@@ -45,6 +49,22 @@ describe('useIntersection', () => {
     expect(result.current).toBe(null);
   });
 
+  it('should disconnect an old IntersectionObserver instance when the ref changes', () => {
+    targetRef = createRef();
+    targetRef.current = document.createElement('div');
+
+    const { rerender } = renderHook(() => useIntersection(targetRef, {}));
+
+    targetRef.current = document.createElement('div');
+    rerender();
+
+    targetRef.current = null;
+    rerender();
+
+    expect(IntersectionObserver).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(2);
+    expect(IntersectionObserver.prototype.disconnect).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(2);
+  });
+
   it('should return the first IntersectionObserverEntry when the IntersectionObserver registers an intersection', () => {
     TestUtils.act(() => {
       targetRef = createRef();