diff --git a/src/fetch/index.js b/src/fetch/index.js
index f2abcdf..a6903e7 100644
--- a/src/fetch/index.js
+++ b/src/fetch/index.js
@@ -61,8 +61,8 @@ const fetch = async (ctx, url, options) => {
     const err = new AbortError('The operation was aborted.');
     // cleanup request
     /* istanbul ignore else */
-    if (req.body instanceof Readable) {
-      req.body.destroy(err);
+    if (req.init.body instanceof Readable) {
+      req.init.body.destroy(err);
     }
     throw err;
   }
@@ -83,8 +83,8 @@ const fetch = async (ctx, url, options) => {
     });
   } catch (err) {
     // cleanup request
-    if (body instanceof Readable) {
-      body.destroy(err);
+    if (initBody instanceof Readable) {
+      initBody.destroy(err);
     }
     /* istanbul ignore next */
     if (err instanceof TypeError) {
@@ -104,8 +104,8 @@ const fetch = async (ctx, url, options) => {
     const err = new AbortError('The operation was aborted.');
     // cleanup request
     /* istanbul ignore else */
-    if (req.body instanceof Readable) {
-      req.body.destroy(err);
+    if (req.init.body instanceof Readable) {
+      req.init.body.destroy(err);
     }
     // propagate error on response stream
     coreResp.readable.emit('error', err);
diff --git a/test/fetch/index.test.js b/test/fetch/index.test.js
index 0ffd012..35471e9 100644
--- a/test/fetch/index.test.js
+++ b/test/fetch/index.test.js
@@ -256,6 +256,22 @@ testParams.forEach((params) => {
       assert(body.destroyed);
     });
 
+    it('AbortController works (POST with string body)', async () => {
+      const controller = new AbortController();
+      setTimeout(() => controller.abort(), 5);
+      const { signal } = controller;
+
+      const method = 'POST';
+      const body = 'hello, world!';
+
+      try {
+        await fetch(`${baseUrl}/post`, { signal, method, body });
+        assert.fail();
+      } catch (err) {
+        assert(err instanceof AbortError);
+      }
+    });
+
     it('AbortController works (dripping response)', async function test() {
       this.timeout(5000);