diff --git a/.changeset/quiet-retries-keep-running.md b/.changeset/quiet-retries-keep-running.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..78bcfaeaa7e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/quiet-retries-keep-running.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+'@tanstack/query-core': patch
+---
+
+Keep retrying failed queries while the tab is in the background when `refetchIntervalInBackground` is `true`. Previously the retryer paused until the page regained focus, which defeated the purpose of `refetchIntervalInBackground`.
diff --git a/packages/query-core/src/__tests__/query.test.tsx b/packages/query-core/src/__tests__/query.test.tsx
index ac4c10ea5b0..6acd17ecd55 100644
--- a/packages/query-core/src/__tests__/query.test.tsx
+++ b/packages/query-core/src/__tests__/query.test.tsx
@@ -105,6 +105,42 @@ describe('query', () => {
     expect(result).toBe('data3')
   })
 
+  it('should keep retrying while unfocused when refetchIntervalInBackground is true', async () => {
+    const key = queryKey()
+
+    // make page unfocused
+    const visibilityMock = mockVisibilityState('hidden')
+
+    let count = 0
+    let result
+
+    const promise = queryClient.fetchQuery({
+      queryKey: key,
+      queryFn: () => {
+        count++
+
+        if (count === 3) {
+          return `data${count}`
+        }
+
+        throw new Error(`error${count}`)
+      },
+      retry: 3,
+      retryDelay: 1,
+      refetchIntervalInBackground: true,
+    })
+
+    promise.then((data) => {
+      result = data
+    })
+
+    // Retries proceed even though the page stays unfocused
+    await vi.advanceTimersByTimeAsync(50)
+    expect(result).toBe('data3')
+
+    visibilityMock.mockRestore()
+  })
+
   it('should continue retry after reconnect and resolve all promises', async () => {
     const key = queryKey()
 
diff --git a/packages/query-core/src/query.ts b/packages/query-core/src/query.ts
index 62bc9a16082..245da1dac04 100644
--- a/packages/query-core/src/query.ts
+++ b/packages/query-core/src/query.ts
@@ -559,6 +559,7 @@ export class Query<
       retry: context.options.retry,
       retryDelay: context.options.retryDelay,
       networkMode: context.options.networkMode,
+      refetchIntervalInBackground: context.options.refetchIntervalInBackground,
       canRun: () => true,
     })
 
diff --git a/packages/query-core/src/retryer.ts b/packages/query-core/src/retryer.ts
index 0b1bb1833a1..da6a88ea177 100644
--- a/packages/query-core/src/retryer.ts
+++ b/packages/query-core/src/retryer.ts
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ interface RetryerConfig<TData = unknown, TError = DefaultError> {
   retry?: RetryValue<TError>
   retryDelay?: RetryDelayValue<TError>
   networkMode: NetworkMode | undefined
+  refetchIntervalInBackground?: boolean
   canRun: () => boolean
 }
 
@@ -102,7 +103,7 @@ export function createRetryer<TData = unknown, TError = DefaultError>(
   }
 
   const canContinue = () =>
-    focusManager.isFocused() &&
+    (config.refetchIntervalInBackground === true || focusManager.isFocused()) &&
     (config.networkMode === 'always' || onlineManager.isOnline()) &&
     config.canRun()
 
diff --git a/packages/query-core/src/types.ts b/packages/query-core/src/types.ts
index b2e80f2a144..1551c4ee706 100644
--- a/packages/query-core/src/types.ts
+++ b/packages/query-core/src/types.ts
@@ -236,6 +236,11 @@ export interface QueryOptions<
   retry?: RetryValue<TError>
   retryDelay?: RetryDelayValue<TError>
   networkMode?: NetworkMode
+  /**
+   * If set to `true`, the query will continue to refetch (and retry) while their tab/window is in the background.
+   * Defaults to `false`.
+   */
+  refetchIntervalInBackground?: boolean
   /**
    * The time in milliseconds that unused/inactive cache data remains in memory.
    * When a query's cache becomes unused or inactive, that cache data will be garbage collected after this duration.
@@ -340,11 +345,6 @@ export interface QueryObserverOptions<
     | ((
         query: Query<TQueryFnData, TError, TQueryData, TQueryKey>,
       ) => number | false | undefined)
-  /**
-   * If set to `true`, the query will continue to refetch while their tab/window is in the background.
-   * Defaults to `false`.
-   */
-  refetchIntervalInBackground?: boolean
   /**
    * If set to `true`, the query will refetch on window focus if the data is stale.
    * If set to `false`, the query will not refetch on window focus.