diff --git a/include/haproxy/stream-t.h b/include/haproxy/stream-t.h
index a5b719016..b96512e0c 100644
--- a/include/haproxy/stream-t.h
+++ b/include/haproxy/stream-t.h
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@
  */
 #define SF_DIRECT	0x00000001	/* connection made on the server matching the client cookie */
 #define SF_ASSIGNED	0x00000002	/* no need to assign a server to this stream */
-/* unused: 0x00000004 */
+#define SF_MAYALLOC     0x00000004      /* we were notified that a work buffer might be available now */
 #define SF_BE_ASSIGNED	0x00000008	/* a backend was assigned. Conns are accounted. */
 
 #define SF_FORCE_PRST	0x00000010	/* force persistence here, even if server is down */
@@ -116,9 +116,9 @@ static forceinline char *strm_show_flags(char *buf, size_t len, const char *deli
 	_e(SF_ERR_MASK, SF_ERR_DOWN,     _e(SF_ERR_MASK, SF_ERR_KILLED,
 	_e(SF_ERR_MASK, SF_ERR_UP,       _e(SF_ERR_MASK, SF_ERR_CHK_PORT))))))))))));
 
-	_(SF_DIRECT, _(SF_ASSIGNED, _(SF_BE_ASSIGNED, _(SF_FORCE_PRST,
+	_(SF_DIRECT, _(SF_ASSIGNED, _(SF_MAYALLOC, _(SF_BE_ASSIGNED, _(SF_FORCE_PRST,
 	_(SF_MONITOR, _(SF_CURR_SESS, _(SF_CONN_EXP, _(SF_REDISP,
-	_(SF_IGNORE, _(SF_REDIRECTABLE, _(SF_HTX)))))))))));
+	_(SF_IGNORE, _(SF_REDIRECTABLE, _(SF_HTX))))))))))));
 
 	/* epilogue */
 	_(~0U);
diff --git a/src/stream.c b/src/stream.c
index 693f7942a..234cc9c3e 100644
--- a/src/stream.c
+++ b/src/stream.c
@@ -326,6 +326,7 @@ int stream_buf_available(void *arg)
 	if (!s->res.buf.size && !sc_ep_have_ff_data(s->scf) && s->scb->flags & SC_FL_NEED_BUFF)
 		sc_have_buff(s->scb);
 
+	s->flags |= SF_MAYALLOC;
 	task_wakeup(s->task, TASK_WOKEN_RES);
 	return 1;
 
@@ -748,8 +749,10 @@ void stream_free(struct stream *s)
  */
 static int stream_alloc_work_buffer(struct stream *s)
 {
-	if (b_alloc(&s->res.buf, DB_CHANNEL))
+	if (b_alloc(&s->res.buf, DB_CHANNEL)) {
+		s->flags &= ~SF_MAYALLOC;
 		return 1;
+	}
 
 	b_requeue(DB_CHANNEL, &s->buffer_wait);
 	return 0;