diff --git a/core/src/iter/adapters/filter.rs b/core/src/iter/adapters/filter.rs
index ca23d1b13a88b..ba49070329c22 100644
--- a/core/src/iter/adapters/filter.rs
+++ b/core/src/iter/adapters/filter.rs
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ use crate::iter::{adapters::SourceIter, FusedIterator, InPlaceIterable, TrustedF
 use crate::num::NonZero;
 use crate::ops::Try;
 use core::array;
-use core::mem::{ManuallyDrop, MaybeUninit};
+use core::mem::MaybeUninit;
 use core::ops::ControlFlow;
 
 /// An iterator that filters the elements of `iter` with `predicate`.
@@ -27,6 +27,42 @@ impl<I, P> Filter<I, P> {
     }
 }
 
+impl<I, P> Filter<I, P>
+where
+    I: Iterator,
+    P: FnMut(&I::Item) -> bool,
+{
+    #[inline]
+    fn next_chunk_dropless<const N: usize>(
+        &mut self,
+    ) -> Result<[I::Item; N], array::IntoIter<I::Item, N>> {
+        let mut array: [MaybeUninit<I::Item>; N] = [const { MaybeUninit::uninit() }; N];
+        let mut initialized = 0;
+
+        let result = self.iter.try_for_each(|element| {
+            let idx = initialized;
+            // branchless index update combined with unconditionally copying the value even when
+            // it is filtered reduces branching and dependencies in the loop.
+            initialized = idx + (self.predicate)(&element) as usize;
+            // SAFETY: Loop conditions ensure the index is in bounds.
+            unsafe { array.get_unchecked_mut(idx) }.write(element);
+
+            if initialized < N { ControlFlow::Continue(()) } else { ControlFlow::Break(()) }
+        });
+
+        match result {
+            ControlFlow::Break(()) => {
+                // SAFETY: The loop above is only explicitly broken when the array has been fully initialized
+                Ok(unsafe { MaybeUninit::array_assume_init(array) })
+            }
+            ControlFlow::Continue(()) => {
+                // SAFETY: The range is in bounds since the loop breaks when reaching N elements.
+                Err(unsafe { array::IntoIter::new_unchecked(array, 0..initialized) })
+            }
+        }
+    }
+}
+
 #[stable(feature = "core_impl_debug", since = "1.9.0")]
 impl<I: fmt::Debug, P> fmt::Debug for Filter<I, P> {
     fn fmt(&self, f: &mut fmt::Formatter<'_>) -> fmt::Result {
@@ -64,52 +100,16 @@ where
     fn next_chunk<const N: usize>(
         &mut self,
     ) -> Result<[Self::Item; N], array::IntoIter<Self::Item, N>> {
-        let mut array: [MaybeUninit<Self::Item>; N] = [const { MaybeUninit::uninit() }; N];
-
-        struct Guard<'a, T> {
-            array: &'a mut [MaybeUninit<T>],
-            initialized: usize,
-        }
-
-        impl<T> Drop for Guard<'_, T> {
-            #[inline]
-            fn drop(&mut self) {
-                if const { crate::mem::needs_drop::<T>() } {
-                    // SAFETY: self.initialized is always <= N, which also is the length of the array.
-                    unsafe {
-                        core::ptr::drop_in_place(MaybeUninit::slice_assume_init_mut(
-                            self.array.get_unchecked_mut(..self.initialized),
-                        ));
-                    }
-                }
+        // avoid codegen for the dead branch
+        let fun = const {
+            if crate::mem::needs_drop::<I::Item>() {
+                array::iter_next_chunk::<I::Item, N>
+            } else {
+                Self::next_chunk_dropless::<N>
             }
-        }
-
-        let mut guard = Guard { array: &mut array, initialized: 0 };
-
-        let result = self.iter.try_for_each(|element| {
-            let idx = guard.initialized;
-            guard.initialized = idx + (self.predicate)(&element) as usize;
-
-            // SAFETY: Loop conditions ensure the index is in bounds.
-            unsafe { guard.array.get_unchecked_mut(idx) }.write(element);
-
-            if guard.initialized < N { ControlFlow::Continue(()) } else { ControlFlow::Break(()) }
-        });
+        };
 
-        let guard = ManuallyDrop::new(guard);
-
-        match result {
-            ControlFlow::Break(()) => {
-                // SAFETY: The loop above is only explicitly broken when the array has been fully initialized
-                Ok(unsafe { MaybeUninit::array_assume_init(array) })
-            }
-            ControlFlow::Continue(()) => {
-                let initialized = guard.initialized;
-                // SAFETY: The range is in bounds since the loop breaks when reaching N elements.
-                Err(unsafe { array::IntoIter::new_unchecked(array, 0..initialized) })
-            }
-        }
+        fun(self)
     }
 
     #[inline]
diff --git a/core/tests/iter/adapters/filter.rs b/core/tests/iter/adapters/filter.rs
index a2050d89d8564..167851e33336e 100644
--- a/core/tests/iter/adapters/filter.rs
+++ b/core/tests/iter/adapters/filter.rs
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 use core::iter::*;
+use std::rc::Rc;
 
 #[test]
 fn test_iterator_filter_count() {
@@ -50,3 +51,15 @@ fn test_double_ended_filter() {
     assert_eq!(it.next().unwrap(), &2);
     assert_eq!(it.next_back(), None);
 }
+
+#[test]
+fn test_next_chunk_does_not_leak() {
+    let drop_witness: [_; 5] = std::array::from_fn(|_| Rc::new(()));
+
+    let v = (0..5).map(|i| drop_witness[i].clone()).collect::<Vec<_>>();
+    let _ = v.into_iter().filter(|_| false).next_chunk::<1>();
+
+    for ref w in drop_witness {
+        assert_eq!(Rc::strong_count(w), 1);
+    }
+}