diff --git a/src/_pytest/pytester.py b/src/_pytest/pytester.py
index 38f4643bd8b..c00cdff8f31 100644
--- a/src/_pytest/pytester.py
+++ b/src/_pytest/pytester.py
@@ -706,6 +706,13 @@ def __init__(
         # Do not use colors for inner runs by default.
         mp.setenv("PY_COLORS", "0")
 
+        # Pytester executes a full pytest section, including calling `pytest_unconfigure()`, which causes
+        # the `unraisableexception` plugin to call `gc.collect()` multiple times.
+        # Disable this forced garbage collection as it seriously slows down the entire test suite (#13482).
+        from _pytest import unraisableexception
+
+        mp.setattr(unraisableexception, "GC_COLLECT_ITERATIONS", 0)
+
     @property
     def path(self) -> Path:
         """Temporary directory path used to create files/run tests from, etc."""
diff --git a/src/_pytest/unraisableexception.py b/src/_pytest/unraisableexception.py
index 7826aeccd12..6128d4ae5cd 100644
--- a/src/_pytest/unraisableexception.py
+++ b/src/_pytest/unraisableexception.py
@@ -24,10 +24,13 @@
     from exceptiongroup import ExceptionGroup
 
 
+# This constant was determined experimentally by the Trio project.
+GC_COLLECT_ITERATIONS = 5
+
+
 def gc_collect_harder() -> None:
-    # A single collection doesn't necessarily collect everything.
-    # Constant determined experimentally by the Trio project.
-    for _ in range(5):
+    """Call gc.collect() multiple times, a single collection doesn't necessarily collect everything."""
+    for _ in range(GC_COLLECT_ITERATIONS):
         gc.collect()
 
 
diff --git a/testing/test_unraisableexception.py b/testing/test_unraisableexception.py
index 6c0dc542e93..5e7350f3c52 100644
--- a/testing/test_unraisableexception.py
+++ b/testing/test_unraisableexception.py
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
 import sys
 from unittest import mock
 
+from _pytest import unraisableexception
 from _pytest.pytester import Pytester
 import pytest
 
@@ -238,7 +239,10 @@ def _disable_gc() -> Generator[None]:
         _set_gc_state(enabled=was_enabled)
 
 
-def test_refcycle_unraisable(pytester: Pytester) -> None:
+def test_refcycle_unraisable(
+    pytester: Pytester, monkeypatch: pytest.MonkeyPatch
+) -> None:
+    monkeypatch.setattr(unraisableexception, "GC_COLLECT_ITERATIONS", 5)
     # see: https://github.com/pytest-dev/pytest/issues/10404
     pytester.makepyfile(
         test_it="""
@@ -267,7 +271,10 @@ def test_it():
 
 
 @pytest.mark.filterwarnings("default::pytest.PytestUnraisableExceptionWarning")
-def test_refcycle_unraisable_warning_filter(pytester: Pytester) -> None:
+def test_refcycle_unraisable_warning_filter(
+    pytester: Pytester, monkeypatch: pytest.MonkeyPatch
+) -> None:
+    monkeypatch.setattr(unraisableexception, "GC_COLLECT_ITERATIONS", 5)
     # note that the host pytest warning filter is disabled and the pytester
     # warning filter applies during config teardown of unraisablehook.
     # see: https://github.com/pytest-dev/pytest/issues/10404
@@ -298,7 +305,10 @@ def test_it():
 
 
 @pytest.mark.filterwarnings("default::pytest.PytestUnraisableExceptionWarning")
-def test_create_task_raises_unraisable_warning_filter(pytester: Pytester) -> None:
+def test_create_task_raises_unraisable_warning_filter(
+    pytester: Pytester, monkeypatch: pytest.MonkeyPatch
+) -> None:
+    monkeypatch.setattr(unraisableexception, "GC_COLLECT_ITERATIONS", 5)
     # note that the host pytest warning filter is disabled and the pytester
     # warning filter applies during config teardown of unraisablehook.
     # see: https://github.com/pytest-dev/pytest/issues/10404