diff --git a/src/core/ObservableQuery.ts b/src/core/ObservableQuery.ts
index 3b339d84401..7fac0de70bf 100644
--- a/src/core/ObservableQuery.ts
+++ b/src/core/ObservableQuery.ts
@@ -288,7 +288,9 @@ export class ObservableQuery<
     // (no-cache, network-only, or cache-and-network), override it with
     // network-only to force the refetch for this fetchQuery call.
     const { fetchPolicy } = this.options;
-    if (fetchPolicy === 'no-cache') {
+    if (fetchPolicy === 'standby') {
+      // do nothing
+    } else if (fetchPolicy === 'no-cache') {
       reobserveOptions.fetchPolicy = 'no-cache';
     } else if (fetchPolicy !== 'cache-and-network') {
       reobserveOptions.fetchPolicy = 'network-only';
diff --git a/src/react/hooks/__tests__/useQuery.test.tsx b/src/react/hooks/__tests__/useQuery.test.tsx
index 8e17b4dea7f..68a314d5f12 100644
--- a/src/react/hooks/__tests__/useQuery.test.tsx
+++ b/src/react/hooks/__tests__/useQuery.test.tsx
@@ -2719,6 +2719,40 @@ describe('useQuery Hook', () => {
       expect(result.current.loading).toBeFalsy();
       expect(result.current.data).toEqual({ hello: 'world' });
     });
+
+    it('should not refetch when skip is true', async () => {
+      const query = gql`{ hello }`;
+      const link = ApolloLink.empty();
+      const requestSpy = jest.spyOn(link, 'request');
+
+      const client = new ApolloClient({
+        cache: new InMemoryCache(),
+        link,
+      });
+
+      const { result, waitForNextUpdate } = renderHook(
+        () => useQuery(query, { skip: true }),
+        {
+          wrapper: ({ children }) => (
+            <ApolloProvider client={client}>
+              {children}
+            </ApolloProvider>
+          ),
+        },
+      );
+
+      expect(result.current.loading).toBe(false);
+      expect(result.current.data).toBe(undefined);
+      await expect(waitForNextUpdate({ timeout: 20 })).rejects.toThrow('Timed out');
+
+      result.current.refetch();
+
+      await expect(waitForNextUpdate({ timeout: 20 })).rejects.toThrow('Timed out');
+      expect(result.current.loading).toBe(false);
+      expect(result.current.data).toBe(undefined);
+      expect(requestSpy).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(0);
+      requestSpy.mockRestore();
+    });
   });
 
   describe('Missing Fields', () => {