diff --git a/python/ray/dag/py_obj_scanner.py b/python/ray/dag/py_obj_scanner.py
index 6ecbe9b4e..20798b844 100644
--- a/python/ray/dag/py_obj_scanner.py
+++ b/python/ray/dag/py_obj_scanner.py
@@ -106,5 +106,10 @@ class _PyObjScanner(ray.cloudpickle.CloudPickler, Generic[SourceType, Transforme
     def _replace_index(self, i: int) -> SourceType:
         return self._replace_table[self._found[i]]
 
+    def clear(self):
+        """Clear the scanner from the _instances"""
+        if id(self) in _instances:
+            del _instances[id(self)]
+
     def __del__(self):
-        del _instances[id(self)]
+        self.clear()
diff --git a/python/ray/dag/tests/test_py_obj_scanner.py b/python/ray/dag/tests/test_py_obj_scanner.py
index 00c96252e..e70bf0b22 100644
--- a/python/ray/dag/tests/test_py_obj_scanner.py
+++ b/python/ray/dag/tests/test_py_obj_scanner.py
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
-from ray.dag.py_obj_scanner import _PyObjScanner
+from ray.dag.py_obj_scanner import _PyObjScanner, _instances
+import pytest
 
 
 class Source:
@@ -31,3 +32,35 @@ def test_not_serializing_objects():
 
     replaced = scanner.replace_nodes({obj: 1 for obj in found})
     assert replaced == [not_serializable, {"key": 1}]
+
+
+def test_scanner_clear():
+    """Test scanner clear to make the scanner GCable"""
+    prev_len = len(_instances)
+
+    def call_find_nodes():
+        scanner = _PyObjScanner(source_type=Source)
+        my_objs = [Source(), [Source(), {"key": Source()}]]
+        scanner.find_nodes(my_objs)
+        scanner.clear()
+        assert id(scanner) not in _instances
+
+    call_find_nodes()
+    assert prev_len == len(_instances)
+
+    def call_find_and_replace_nodes():
+        scanner = _PyObjScanner(source_type=Source)
+        my_objs = [Source(), [Source(), {"key": Source()}]]
+        found = scanner.find_nodes(my_objs)
+        scanner.replace_nodes({obj: 1 for obj in found})
+        scanner.clear()
+        assert id(scanner) not in _instances
+
+    call_find_and_replace_nodes()
+    assert prev_len == len(_instances)
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    import sys
+
+    sys.exit(pytest.main(["-v", __file__]))
diff --git a/python/ray/serve/_private/router.py b/python/ray/serve/_private/router.py
index afa360c1e..f0a1b1d06 100644
--- a/python/ray/serve/_private/router.py
+++ b/python/ray/serve/_private/router.py
@@ -56,6 +56,9 @@ class Query:
             replacement_table = dict(zip(tasks, resolved))
             self.args, self.kwargs = scanner.replace_nodes(replacement_table)
 
+        # Make the scanner GCable to avoid memory leak
+        scanner.clear()
+
 
 class ReplicaSet:
     """Data structure representing a set of replica actor handles"""