diff --git a/packages/svelte/src/internal/client/dom/blocks/key.js b/packages/svelte/src/internal/client/dom/blocks/key.js
index 9499590817..871e9aaa72 100644
--- a/packages/svelte/src/internal/client/dom/blocks/key.js
+++ b/packages/svelte/src/internal/client/dom/blocks/key.js
@@ -1,140 +1,32 @@
-import { UNINITIALIZED, KEY_BLOCK } from '../../constants.js';
+import { UNINITIALIZED, BRANCH_EFFECT } from '../../constants.js';
 import { hydrate_block_anchor } from '../../hydration.js';
-import { remove } from '../../reconciler.js';
-import { current_block, destroy_signal, execute_effect, push_destroy_fn } from '../../runtime.js';
-import { render_effect } from '../../reactivity/computations.js';
-import { trigger_transitions } from '../../transitions.js';
-import { safe_not_equal } from '../../reactivity/equality.js';
-
-/** @returns {import('../../types.js').KeyBlock} */
-function create_key_block() {
-	return {
-		// dom
-		d: null,
-		// effect
-		e: null,
-		// parent
-		p: /** @type {import('../../types.js').Block} */ (current_block),
-		// transition
-		r: null,
-		// type
-		t: KEY_BLOCK
-	};
-}
+import { pause_effect, render_effect } from '../../reactivity/computations.js';
+import { noop } from '../../../common.js';
 
 /**
  * @template V
  * @param {Comment} anchor_node
- * @param {() => V} key
+ * @param {() => V} get_key
  * @param {(anchor: Node) => void} render_fn
  * @returns {void}
  */
-export function key_block(anchor_node, key, render_fn) {
-	const block = create_key_block();
-
-	/** @type {null | import('../../types.js').Render} */
-	let current_render = null;
+export function key_block(anchor_node, get_key, render_fn) {
 	hydrate_block_anchor(anchor_node);
 
 	/** @type {V | typeof UNINITIALIZED} */
-	let key_value = UNINITIALIZED;
-	let mounted = false;
-	block.r =
-		/**
-		 * @param {import('../../types.js').Transition} transition
-		 * @returns {void}
-		 */
-		(transition) => {
-			const render = /** @type {import('../../types.js').Render} */ (current_render);
-			const transitions = render.s;
-			transitions.add(transition);
-			transition.f(() => {
-				transitions.delete(transition);
-				if (transitions.size === 0) {
-					// If the current render has changed since, then we can remove the old render
-					// effect as it's stale.
-					if (current_render !== render && render.e !== null) {
-						if (render.d !== null) {
-							remove(render.d);
-							render.d = null;
-						}
-						destroy_signal(render.e);
-						render.e = null;
-					}
-				}
-			});
-		};
-	const create_render_effect = () => {
-		/** @type {import('../../types.js').Render} */
-		const render = {
-			d: null,
-			e: null,
-			s: new Set(),
-			p: current_render
-		};
-		const effect = render_effect(
-			() => {
-				render_fn(anchor_node);
-				render.d = block.d;
-				block.d = null;
-			},
-			block,
-			true,
-			true
-		);
-		render.e = effect;
-		current_render = render;
-	};
-	const render = () => {
-		const render = current_render;
-		if (render === null) {
-			create_render_effect();
-			return;
-		}
-		const transitions = render.s;
-		if (transitions.size === 0) {
-			if (render.d !== null) {
-				remove(render.d);
-				render.d = null;
-			}
-			if (render.e) {
-				execute_effect(render.e);
-			} else {
-				create_render_effect();
-			}
-		} else {
-			trigger_transitions(transitions, 'out');
-			create_render_effect();
-		}
-	};
-	const key_effect = render_effect(
-		() => {
-			const prev_key_value = key_value;
-			key_value = key();
-			if (mounted && safe_not_equal(prev_key_value, key_value)) {
-				render();
-			}
-		},
-		block,
-		false
-	);
-	// To ensure topological ordering of the key effect to the render effect,
-	// we trigger the effect after.
-	render();
-	mounted = true;
-	push_destroy_fn(key_effect, () => {
-		let render = current_render;
-		while (render !== null) {
-			const dom = render.d;
-			if (dom !== null) {
-				remove(dom);
-			}
-			const effect = render.e;
-			if (effect !== null) {
-				destroy_signal(effect);
-			}
-			render = render.p;
+	let key = UNINITIALIZED;
+
+	/** @type {import('../../types.js').EffectSignal | null} */
+	let effect;
+
+	render_effect(() => {
+		if (key === (key = get_key())) return; // TODO do we need safe_not_equal in non-runes mode?
+
+		if (effect) {
+			const e = effect;
+			pause_effect(e, noop);
 		}
-	});
-	block.e = key_effect;
+
+		effect = render_effect(() => render_fn(anchor_node), {}, true);
+	}).f |= BRANCH_EFFECT;
 }