diff --git a/pkg/cmd/gc/jobs/jobs.go b/pkg/cmd/gc/jobs/jobs.go
index ae9f6e34..d9b44d96 100644
--- a/pkg/cmd/gc/jobs/jobs.go
+++ b/pkg/cmd/gc/jobs/jobs.go
@@ -93,7 +93,9 @@ func (o *Options) Run() error {
 		return err
 	}
 
-	deleteOptions := metav1.DeleteOptions{}
+	// without a propagation policy the API server keeps a deleted Job's Pods
+	propagation := metav1.DeletePropagationBackground
+	deleteOptions := metav1.DeleteOptions{PropagationPolicy: &propagation}
 	errors := []error{}
 
 	// we need to keep all jobs, don't waste time sorting or iterating
diff --git a/pkg/cmd/gc/jobs/jobs_test.go b/pkg/cmd/gc/jobs/jobs_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..af73a9aa
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/cmd/gc/jobs/jobs_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,57 @@
+package jobs
+
+import (
+	"context"
+	"testing"
+	"time"
+
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
+	batchv1 "k8s.io/api/batch/v1"
+	metav1 "k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/apis/meta/v1"
+	"k8s.io/client-go/kubernetes/fake"
+	k8stesting "k8s.io/client-go/testing"
+)
+
+func TestGCJobsDeletesPodsWithJob(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+
+	ns := "jx-git-operator"
+	oldStart := metav1.NewTime(time.Now().Add(-2 * time.Hour))
+	newStart := metav1.NewTime(time.Now().Add(-10 * time.Minute))
+
+	kubeClient := fake.NewClientset(
+		&batchv1.Job{
+			ObjectMeta: metav1.ObjectMeta{Name: "old", Namespace: ns},
+			Status:     batchv1.JobStatus{StartTime: &oldStart, Succeeded: 1},
+		},
+		&batchv1.Job{
+			ObjectMeta: metav1.ObjectMeta{Name: "new", Namespace: ns},
+			Status:     batchv1.JobStatus{StartTime: &newStart, Succeeded: 1},
+		},
+	)
+
+	o := &Options{
+		Namespace:  ns,
+		Age:        time.Hour,
+		Keep:       0,
+		KubeClient: kubeClient,
+	}
+	require.NoError(t, o.Run())
+
+	var deletes []k8stesting.DeleteActionImpl
+	for _, action := range kubeClient.Actions() {
+		if d, ok := action.(k8stesting.DeleteActionImpl); ok {
+			deletes = append(deletes, d)
+		}
+	}
+	require.Len(t, deletes, 1)
+	assert.Equal(t, "old", deletes[0].GetName())
+	require.NotNil(t, deletes[0].DeleteOptions.PropagationPolicy, "a Job deleted without a propagation policy leaves its Pods behind")
+	assert.Equal(t, metav1.DeletePropagationBackground, *deletes[0].DeleteOptions.PropagationPolicy)
+
+	remaining, err := kubeClient.BatchV1().Jobs(ns).List(context.TODO(), metav1.ListOptions{})
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	require.Len(t, remaining.Items, 1)
+	assert.Equal(t, "new", remaining.Items[0].Name)
+}