diff --git a/packages/react-bindings/src/FocusZone/CHANGELOG.md b/packages/react-bindings/src/FocusZone/CHANGELOG.md
index 27968d1f8c..1a4694d274 100644
--- a/packages/react-bindings/src/FocusZone/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/packages/react-bindings/src/FocusZone/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ This is a list of changes made to this Stardust copy of FocusZone in comparison
 - `FocusZone` should respect elements with `contenteditable` attribute on Home/End key press @sophieH29 ([#1749](https://github.com/stardust-ui/react/pull/1749))
 - Fix bidirectional `FocusZone` to land focus correctly on DOWN key press after series of UP arrow keys @sophieH29 ([#1794](https://github.com/stardust-ui/react/pull/1794))
 - Use always `getDocument` to correctly define current document object @sophieH29 ([#1820](https://github.com/stardust-ui/react/pull/1820))
+- Fix element reference memory leaks - Fabric PR 11618 @jurokapsiar ([#2270](https://github.com/microsoft/fluent-ui-react/pull/2270))
 
 ### Features
 - Add embed mode for FocusZone and new Chat behavior ([#233](https://github.com/stardust-ui/react/pull/233))
diff --git a/packages/react-bindings/src/FocusZone/FocusTrapZone.tsx b/packages/react-bindings/src/FocusZone/FocusTrapZone.tsx
index ed9ff25ec9..8a3b7d5bdd 100644
--- a/packages/react-bindings/src/FocusZone/FocusTrapZone.tsx
+++ b/packages/react-bindings/src/FocusZone/FocusTrapZone.tsx
@@ -120,6 +120,10 @@ export default class FocusTrapZone extends React.Component<FocusTrapZoneProps, {
     ) {
       this._releaseFocusTrapZone()
     }
+
+    // Dispose of element references so the DOM Nodes can be garbage-collected
+    delete this._previouslyFocusedElementInTrapZone
+    delete this._previouslyFocusedElementOutsideTrapZone
   }
 
   render(): JSX.Element {