diff --git a/tokio/src/sync/mpsc/bounded.rs b/tokio/src/sync/mpsc/bounded.rs
index 015f01aedf5..c295ddc4af4 100644
--- a/tokio/src/sync/mpsc/bounded.rs
+++ b/tokio/src/sync/mpsc/bounded.rs
@@ -1033,9 +1033,6 @@ impl<T> Sender<T> {
     /// channel were dropped and only `WeakSender` instances remain,
     /// the channel is closed.
     pub fn downgrade(&self) -> WeakSender<T> {
-        // Note: If this is the last `Sender` instance we want to close the
-        // channel when downgrading, so it's important to move into `self` here.
-
         WeakSender {
             chan: self.chan.downgrade(),
         }
diff --git a/tokio/src/sync/mpsc/chan.rs b/tokio/src/sync/mpsc/chan.rs
index df511916c64..a10ffb7d797 100644
--- a/tokio/src/sync/mpsc/chan.rs
+++ b/tokio/src/sync/mpsc/chan.rs
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ pub(crate) trait Semaphore {
     fn is_closed(&self) -> bool;
 }
 
-pub(crate) struct Chan<T, S> {
+pub(super) struct Chan<T, S> {
     /// Notifies all tasks listening for the receiver being dropped.
     notify_rx_closed: Notify,
 
diff --git a/tokio/tests/sync_mpsc.rs b/tokio/tests/sync_mpsc.rs
index c4b9baf01df..f112462811f 100644
--- a/tokio/tests/sync_mpsc.rs
+++ b/tokio/tests/sync_mpsc.rs
@@ -838,47 +838,36 @@ impl Drop for Msg {
 // `Sender` was dropped while more than one `WeakSender` remains, we want to
 // ensure that no messages are kept in the channel, which were sent after
 // the receiver was dropped.
-#[tokio::test(start_paused = true)]
+#[tokio::test]
 async fn test_msgs_dropped_on_rx_drop() {
-    fn ms(millis: u64) -> Duration {
-        Duration::from_millis(millis)
-    }
-
     let (tx, mut rx) = mpsc::channel(3);
 
-    let rx_handle = tokio::spawn(async move {
-        let _ = rx.recv().await.unwrap();
-        let _ = rx.recv().await.unwrap();
-        time::sleep(ms(1)).await;
-        drop(rx);
+    let _ = tx.send(Msg {}).await.unwrap();
+    let _ = tx.send(Msg {}).await.unwrap();
 
-        time::advance(ms(1)).await;
-    });
+    // This msg will be pending and should be dropped when `rx` is dropped
+    let sent_fut = tx.send(Msg {});
 
-    let tx_handle = tokio::spawn(async move {
-        let _ = tx.send(Msg {}).await.unwrap();
-        let _ = tx.send(Msg {}).await.unwrap();
+    let _ = rx.recv().await.unwrap();
+    let _ = rx.recv().await.unwrap();
 
-        // This msg will be pending and should be dropped when `rx` is dropped
-        let _ = tx.send(Msg {}).await.unwrap();
-        time::advance(ms(1)).await;
+    let _ = sent_fut.await.unwrap();
 
-        // This msg will not be put onto `Tx` list anymore, since `Rx` is closed.
-        time::sleep(ms(1)).await;
-        assert!(tx.send(Msg {}).await.is_err());
+    drop(rx);
 
-        // Ensure that third message isn't put onto the channel anymore
-        assert_eq!(NUM_DROPPED.load(Acquire), 4);
-    });
+    assert_eq!(NUM_DROPPED.load(Acquire), 3);
 
-    let (_, _) = join!(rx_handle, tx_handle);
+    // This msg will not be put onto `Tx` list anymore, since `Rx` is closed.
+    assert!(tx.send(Msg {}).await.is_err());
+
+    assert_eq!(NUM_DROPPED.load(Acquire), 4);
 }
 
 // Tests that a `WeakSender` is upgradeable when other `Sender`s exist.
 #[tokio::test]
 async fn downgrade_upgrade_sender_success() {
     let (tx, _rx) = mpsc::channel::<i32>(1);
-    let weak_tx = tx.clone().downgrade();
+    let weak_tx = tx.downgrade();
     assert!(weak_tx.upgrade().is_some());
 }
 
@@ -897,6 +886,7 @@ async fn downgrade_upgrade_sender_failure() {
 async fn downgrade_drop_upgrade() {
     let (tx, _rx) = mpsc::channel::<i32>(1);
 
+    // the cloned `Tx` is dropped right away
     let weak_tx = tx.clone().downgrade();
     drop(tx);
     assert!(weak_tx.upgrade().is_none());
@@ -907,7 +897,7 @@ async fn downgrade_drop_upgrade() {
 #[tokio::test]
 async fn downgrade_get_permit_upgrade_no_senders() {
     let (tx, _rx) = mpsc::channel::<i32>(1);
-    let weak_tx = tx.clone().downgrade();
+    let weak_tx = tx.downgrade();
     let _permit = tx.reserve_owned().await.unwrap();
     assert!(weak_tx.upgrade().is_some());
 }
@@ -920,12 +910,13 @@ async fn downgrade_upgrade_get_permit_no_senders() {
     let tx2 = tx.clone();
     let _permit = tx.reserve_owned().await.unwrap();
     let weak_tx = tx2.downgrade();
+    drop(tx2);
     assert!(weak_tx.upgrade().is_some());
 }
 
-// Tests that `Clone` of `WeakSender` doesn't decrement `tx_count`.
+// Tests that `downgrade` does not change the `tx_count` of the channel.
 #[tokio::test]
-async fn test_weak_sender_clone() {
+async fn test_tx_count_weak_sender() {
     let (tx, _rx) = mpsc::channel::<i32>(1);
     let tx_weak = tx.downgrade();
     let tx_weak2 = tx.downgrade();