diff --git a/apps/emqx_ft/src/emqx_ft_storage_fs_gc.erl b/apps/emqx_ft/src/emqx_ft_storage_fs_gc.erl
index eb274a4d5..258f3a7f3 100644
--- a/apps/emqx_ft/src/emqx_ft_storage_fs_gc.erl
+++ b/apps/emqx_ft/src/emqx_ft_storage_fs_gc.erl
@@ -81,12 +81,17 @@ handle_call(Call, From, St) ->
     {noreply, St}.
 
 handle_cast({collect, Transfer, [Node | Rest]}, St) ->
-    ok = do_collect_transfer(Transfer, Node, St),
-    case Rest of
-        [_ | _] ->
-            gen_server:cast(self(), {collect, Transfer, Rest});
-        [] ->
-            ok
+    case gc_enabled(St) of
+        true ->
+            ok = do_collect_transfer(Transfer, Node, St),
+            case Rest of
+                [_ | _] ->
+                    gen_server:cast(self(), {collect, Transfer, Rest});
+                [] ->
+                    ok
+            end;
+        false ->
+            skip
     end,
     {noreply, St};
 handle_cast(reset, St) ->
@@ -127,9 +132,14 @@ maybe_report(#gcstats{errors = Errors}, #st{storage = Storage}) when map_size(Er
 maybe_report(#gcstats{} = _Stats, #st{storage = _Storage}) ->
     ?tp(garbage_collection, #{stats => _Stats, storage => _Storage}).
 
-start_timer(St = #st{next_gc_timer = undefined}) ->
-    Delay = emqx_ft_conf:gc_interval(St#st.storage),
-    St#st{next_gc_timer = emqx_misc:start_timer(Delay, collect)}.
+start_timer(St = #st{storage = Storage, next_gc_timer = undefined}) ->
+    case emqx_ft_conf:gc_interval(Storage) of
+        Delay when Delay > 0 ->
+            St#st{next_gc_timer = emqx_misc:start_timer(Delay, collect)};
+        0 ->
+            ?SLOG(warning, #{msg => "periodic_gc_disabled"}),
+            St
+    end.
 
 reset_timer(St = #st{next_gc_timer = undefined}) ->
     start_timer(St);
@@ -137,6 +147,9 @@ reset_timer(St = #st{next_gc_timer = TRef}) ->
     ok = emqx_misc:cancel_timer(TRef),
     start_timer(St#st{next_gc_timer = undefined}).
 
+gc_enabled(St) ->
+    emqx_ft_conf:gc_interval(St#st.storage) > 0.
+
 %%
 
 collect_garbage(Storage) ->
diff --git a/apps/emqx_ft/test/emqx_ft_SUITE.erl b/apps/emqx_ft/test/emqx_ft_SUITE.erl
index 1a886c00d..c493a78c5 100644
--- a/apps/emqx_ft/test/emqx_ft_SUITE.erl
+++ b/apps/emqx_ft/test/emqx_ft_SUITE.erl
@@ -58,8 +58,12 @@ end_per_suite(_Config) ->
 set_special_configs(Config) ->
     fun
         (emqx_ft) ->
+            Storage = emqx_ft_test_helpers:local_storage(Config),
             emqx_ft_test_helpers:load_config(#{
-                storage => emqx_ft_test_helpers:local_storage(Config)
+                % NOTE
+                % Inhibit local fs GC to simulate it isn't fast enough to collect
+                % complete transfers.
+                storage => Storage#{gc => #{interval => 0}}
             });
         (_) ->
             ok
@@ -107,14 +111,7 @@ mk_cluster_specs(Config) ->
         {env, [{emqx, boot_modules, [broker, listeners]}]},
         {apps, [emqx_ft]},
         {conf, [{[listeners, Proto, default, enabled], false} || Proto <- [ssl, ws, wss]]},
-        {env_handler, fun
-            (emqx_ft) ->
-                emqx_ft_test_helpers:load_config(#{
-                    storage => emqx_ft_test_helpers:local_storage(Config)
-                });
-            (_) ->
-                ok
-        end}
+        {env_handler, set_special_configs(Config)}
     ],
     emqx_common_test_helpers:emqx_cluster(
         Specs,
@@ -549,22 +546,20 @@ t_unreliable_migrating_client(Config) ->
     % twice. This is currently expected, files must be identical anyway.
     Node1Str = atom_to_list(Node1),
     NodeSelfStr = atom_to_list(NodeSelf),
+    % TODO: this testcase is specific to local fs storage backend
     ?assertMatch(
         [#{"node" := Node1Str}, #{"node" := NodeSelfStr}],
         lists:map(
             fun(#{uri := URIString}) ->
                 #{query := QS} = uri_string:parse(URIString),
-                uri_string:dissect_query(QS)
+                maps:from_list(uri_string:dissect_query(QS))
             end,
             lists:sort(Exports)
         )
     ),
 
     [
-        ?assertEqual(
-            {ok, Payload},
-            read_export(Export)
-        )
+        ?assertEqual({ok, Payload}, read_export(Export))
      || Export <- Exports
     ].