diff --git a/dramatiq/brokers/stub.py b/dramatiq/brokers/stub.py
index 8e2637f9..3b8b1c84 100644
--- a/dramatiq/brokers/stub.py
+++ b/dramatiq/brokers/stub.py
@@ -137,7 +137,9 @@ def flush_all(self) -> None:
         for queue_name in chain(self.queues, self.delay_queues):
             self.flush(queue_name)
 
-        self.dead_letters_by_queue.clear()
+        # NOTE: do not clear the dead_letters_by_queue to avoid orphaning the references in existing consumers.
+        for dlq in self.dead_letters_by_queue.values():
+            dlq.clear()
 
     def join(self, queue_name: str, *, timeout: Optional[int] = None, fail_fast: Optional[bool] = None) -> None:
         """Wait for all the messages on the given queue to be
diff --git a/tests/test_stub_broker.py b/tests/test_stub_broker.py
index 43979dab..b5e7a9c9 100644
--- a/tests/test_stub_broker.py
+++ b/tests/test_stub_broker.py
@@ -91,3 +91,23 @@ def do_work():
     # Then that exception should be raised in my thread
     with pytest.raises(CustomError):
         stub_broker.join(do_work.queue_name, fail_fast=True)
+
+
+def test_stub_broker_flush_all_does_not_break_dead_letters(stub_broker, stub_worker):
+    class SomeError(Exception):
+        pass
+
+    @dramatiq.actor(max_retries=0)
+    def do_work():
+        raise SomeError(":(")
+
+    do_work.send()
+    with pytest.raises(SomeError):
+        stub_broker.join(do_work.queue_name)
+
+    # Flush queues then retry. Should have the same result
+    stub_broker.flush_all()
+
+    do_work.send()
+    with pytest.raises(SomeError):
+        stub_broker.join(do_work.queue_name)