diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 3ca7f7a06dde..0098e4f7d9e6 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -4,6 +4,8 @@
 
 ### Fixes
 
+- `[jest-worker]` Filter `execArgv` correctly ([#12097](https://github.com/facebook/jest/pull/12097))
+
 ### Chore & Maintenance
 
 ### Performance
@@ -27,6 +29,7 @@
 - `[jest-environment-jsdom]` Add `@types/jsdom` dependency ([#11999](https://github.com/facebook/jest/pull/11999))
 - `[jest-environment-jsdom]` Do not reset the global.document too early on teardown ([#11871](https://github.com/facebook/jest/pull/11871))
 - `[jest-transform]` Improve error and warning messages ([#11998](https://github.com/facebook/jest/pull/11998))
+- `[jest-worker]` Pass `execArgv` correctly to `worker_threads` worker ([#12069](https://github.com/facebook/jest/pull/12069))
 
 ### Chore & Maintenance
 
diff --git a/packages/jest-worker/src/workers/NodeThreadsWorker.ts b/packages/jest-worker/src/workers/NodeThreadsWorker.ts
index da6c3741b6b0..70551119b04b 100644
--- a/packages/jest-worker/src/workers/NodeThreadsWorker.ts
+++ b/packages/jest-worker/src/workers/NodeThreadsWorker.ts
@@ -65,7 +65,10 @@ export default class ExperimentalWorker implements WorkerInterface {
         JEST_WORKER_ID: String(this._options.workerId + 1), // 0-indexed workerId, 1-indexed JEST_WORKER_ID
       },
       eval: false,
-      execArgv: process.execArgv,
+      // Suppress --max_old_space_size flags while preserving others (like --harmony). See https://nodejs.org/api/worker_threads.html#new-workerfilename-options
+      execArgv: process.execArgv.filter(
+        v => !/^--(max_old_space_size)/.test(v),
+      ),
       // @ts-expect-error: added in newer versions
       resourceLimits: this._options.resourceLimits,
       stderr: true,