diff --git a/packages/core/src/application/application_ref.ts b/packages/core/src/application/application_ref.ts
index 2281d3c4ea1..383a9327592 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/application/application_ref.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/application/application_ref.ts
@@ -591,14 +591,21 @@ export class ApplicationRef {
     if (!this.zonelessEnabled) {
       this.dirtyFlags |= ApplicationRefDirtyFlags.ViewTreeGlobal;
     }
-
-    // Run `_tick()` in the context of the most recent snapshot, if one exists.
-    this.tracingSnapshot?.run(TracingAction.CHANGE_DETECTION, this._tick) ?? this._tick();
+    this._tick();
   }
 
   /** @internal */
   _tick = (): void => {
-    this.tracingSnapshot = null;
+    if (this.tracingSnapshot !== null) {
+      const snapshot = this.tracingSnapshot;
+      this.tracingSnapshot = null;
+
+      // Ensure we always run `_tick()` in the context of the most recent snapshot,
+      // if one exists. Snapshots may be reference counted by the implementation so
+      // we want to ensure that if we request a snapshot that we use it.
+      snapshot.run(TracingAction.CHANGE_DETECTION, this._tick);
+      return;
+    }
 
     (typeof ngDevMode === 'undefined' || ngDevMode) && this.warnIfDestroyed();
     if (this._runningTick) {