diff --git a/doc/api/ffi.md b/doc/api/ffi.md
index 94dc9e42f03d..56d3329b6315 100644
--- a/doc/api/ffi.md
+++ b/doc/api/ffi.md
@@ -459,6 +459,10 @@ memory.
 
 Keeps the callback strongly referenced by JavaScript.
 
+Throws `ERR_INVALID_ARG_VALUE` if the callback function has already been
+garbage collected after a previous `library.unrefCallback(pointer)` call, since
+a collected function cannot be referenced again.
+
 ### `library.unrefCallback(pointer)`
 
 * `pointer` {bigint}
@@ -469,6 +473,9 @@ If the callback function is later garbage collected, subsequent native
 invocations become a no-op. Non-void return values are zero-initialized before
 returning to native code.
 
+Throws `ERR_INVALID_ARG_VALUE` if the callback function has already been
+garbage collected.
+
 ## Calling native functions
 
 Argument conversion depends on the declared FFI type.
diff --git a/src/node_ffi.cc b/src/node_ffi.cc
index b05d09270126..4424ad6afbc6 100644
--- a/src/node_ffi.cc
+++ b/src/node_ffi.cc
@@ -1125,6 +1125,15 @@ void DynamicLibrary::RefCallback(const FunctionCallbackInfo<Value>& args) {
     return;
   }
 
+  // The callback function may already have been collected after a previous
+  // unrefCallback() call. The persistent handle is empty in that case, and
+  // ClearWeak() on an empty handle dereferences a null slot. There is also no
+  // function left to make strong again.
+  if (existing->second->fn.IsEmpty()) {
+    THROW_ERR_INVALID_ARG_VALUE(env, "Callback not found");
+    return;
+  }
+
   existing->second->fn.ClearWeak();
 }
 
@@ -1156,6 +1165,14 @@ void DynamicLibrary::UnrefCallback(const FunctionCallbackInfo<Value>& args) {
     return;
   }
 
+  // The callback function may already have been collected by a previous
+  // unrefCallback() call. The persistent handle is empty in that case, and
+  // SetWeak() on an empty handle dereferences a null slot.
+  if (existing->second->fn.IsEmpty()) {
+    THROW_ERR_INVALID_ARG_VALUE(env, "Callback not found");
+    return;
+  }
+
   existing->second->fn.SetWeak();
 }
 
diff --git a/test/ffi/test-ffi-weakref-calls.js b/test/ffi/test-ffi-weakref-calls.js
index 1a2a2eaeab87..b158ee810776 100644
--- a/test/ffi/test-ffi-weakref-calls.js
+++ b/test/ffi/test-ffi-weakref-calls.js
@@ -51,6 +51,37 @@ test('ffi refCallback retains callback function', async (t) => {
   lib.unregisterCallback(pointer);
 });
 
+test('callback ref/unref throw after callback function is collected', async (t) => {
+  const { lib } = ffi.dlopen(libraryPath, fixtureSymbols);
+  t.after(() => lib.close());
+
+  let callback = () => 1;
+  const ref = new WeakRef(callback);
+  const pointer = lib.registerCallback(
+    { arguments: ['i32'], return: 'i32' },
+    callback,
+  );
+
+  lib.unrefCallback(pointer);
+  callback = null;
+
+  await gcUntil(
+    'callback ref/unref throw after callback function is collected',
+    () => ref.deref() === undefined,
+  );
+
+  t.assert.throws(() => lib.unrefCallback(pointer), {
+    code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_VALUE',
+    message: /Callback not found/,
+  });
+  t.assert.throws(() => lib.refCallback(pointer), {
+    code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_VALUE',
+    message: /Callback not found/,
+  });
+
+  lib.unregisterCallback(pointer);
+});
+
 test('callback ref/unref/unregister throw when library is closed', (t) => {
   const { lib } = ffi.dlopen(libraryPath, fixtureSymbols);
   const callback = lib.registerCallback(() => {});