diff --git a/include/types/session.h b/include/types/session.h
index d141d8c02..de876076e 100644
--- a/include/types/session.h
+++ b/include/types/session.h
@@ -149,8 +149,8 @@ enum {
  *    immediately assigned when SN_DIRECT is determined. Both must be cleared
  *    when clearing SN_DIRECT (eg: redispatch).
  *  - ->srv has no meaning without SN_ASSIGNED and must not be checked without
- *    it. ->prev_srv should be used to check previous ->srv. If SN_ASSIGNED is
- *    set and sess->srv is NULL, then it is a dispatch or proxy mode.
+ *    it. ->target and ->target_type may be used to check previous ->srv after
+ *    a failed connection attempt.
  *  - a session being processed has srv_conn set.
  *  - srv_conn might remain after SN_DIRECT has been reset, but the assigned
  *    server should eventually be released.
@@ -170,7 +170,6 @@ struct session {
 	struct stream_interface si[2];          /* client and server stream interfaces */
 	struct server *srv;			/* the server the session will be running or has been running on */
 	struct server *srv_conn;		/* session already has a slot on a server and is not in queue */
-	struct server *prev_srv;		/* the server the was running on, after a redispatch, otherwise NULL */
 	struct target target;			/* target to use for this session */
 	struct pendconn *pend_pos;		/* if not NULL, points to the position in the pending queue */
 	struct http_txn txn;			/* current HTTP transaction being processed. Should become a list. */
diff --git a/src/backend.c b/src/backend.c
index bd9ee14d7..2d6e6ea3f 100644
--- a/src/backend.c
+++ b/src/backend.c
@@ -445,7 +445,7 @@ struct server *get_server_rch(struct session *s)
  *
  * This function MAY NOT be called with SN_ASSIGNED already set. If the session
  * had a server previously assigned, it is rebalanced, trying to avoid the same
- * server.
+ * server, which should still be present in s->srv before the call.
  * The function tries to keep the original connection slot if it reconnects to
  * the same server, otherwise it releases it and tries to offer it.
  *
@@ -467,6 +467,7 @@ int assign_server(struct session *s)
 {
 
 	struct server *conn_slot;
+	struct server *prev_srv;
 	int err;
 
 #ifdef DEBUG_FULL
@@ -477,7 +478,7 @@ int assign_server(struct session *s)
 	if (unlikely(s->pend_pos || s->flags & SN_ASSIGNED))
 		goto out_err;
 
-	s->prev_srv = s->prev_srv;
+	prev_srv  = s->srv;
 	conn_slot = s->srv_conn;
 
 	/* We have to release any connection slot before applying any LB algo,
@@ -509,20 +510,20 @@ int assign_server(struct session *s)
 		 */
 		switch (s->be->lbprm.algo & BE_LB_LKUP) {
 		case BE_LB_LKUP_RRTREE:
-			s->srv = fwrr_get_next_server(s->be, s->prev_srv);
+			s->srv = fwrr_get_next_server(s->be, prev_srv);
 			break;
 
 		case BE_LB_LKUP_LCTREE:
-			s->srv = fwlc_get_next_server(s->be, s->prev_srv);
+			s->srv = fwlc_get_next_server(s->be, prev_srv);
 			break;
 
 		case BE_LB_LKUP_CHTREE:
 		case BE_LB_LKUP_MAP:
 			if ((s->be->lbprm.algo & BE_LB_KIND) == BE_LB_KIND_RR) {
 				if (s->be->lbprm.algo & BE_LB_LKUP_CHTREE)
-					s->srv = chash_get_next_server(s->be, s->prev_srv);
+					s->srv = chash_get_next_server(s->be, prev_srv);
 				else
-					s->srv = map_get_server_rr(s->be, s->prev_srv);
+					s->srv = map_get_server_rr(s->be, prev_srv);
 				break;
 			}
 			else if ((s->be->lbprm.algo & BE_LB_KIND) != BE_LB_KIND_HI) {
@@ -593,9 +594,9 @@ int assign_server(struct session *s)
 			 */
 			if (!s->srv) {
 				if (s->be->lbprm.algo & BE_LB_LKUP_CHTREE)
-					s->srv = chash_get_next_server(s->be, s->prev_srv);
+					s->srv = chash_get_next_server(s->be, prev_srv);
 				else
-					s->srv = map_get_server_rr(s->be, s->prev_srv);
+					s->srv = map_get_server_rr(s->be, prev_srv);
 			}
 
 			/* end of map-based LB */
@@ -611,7 +612,7 @@ int assign_server(struct session *s)
 			err = SRV_STATUS_FULL;
 			goto out;
 		}
-		else if (s->srv != s->prev_srv) {
+		else if (s->srv != prev_srv) {
 			s->be->counters.cum_lbconn++;
 			s->srv->counters.cum_lbconn++;
 		}
@@ -767,8 +768,10 @@ int assign_server_and_queue(struct session *s)
 
 	err = SRV_STATUS_OK;
 	if (!(s->flags & SN_ASSIGNED)) {
+		struct server *prev_srv = s->srv;
+
 		err = assign_server(s);
-		if (s->prev_srv) {
+		if (prev_srv) {
 			/* This session was previously assigned to a server. We have to
 			 * update the session's and the server's stats :
 			 *  - if the server changed :
@@ -778,16 +781,16 @@ int assign_server_and_queue(struct session *s)
 			 *  - if the server remained the same : update retries.
 			 */
 
-			if (s->prev_srv != s->srv) {
+			if (prev_srv != s->srv) {
 				if ((s->txn.flags & TX_CK_MASK) == TX_CK_VALID) {
 					s->txn.flags &= ~TX_CK_MASK;
 					s->txn.flags |= TX_CK_DOWN;
 				}
 				s->flags |= SN_REDISP;
-				s->prev_srv->counters.redispatches++;
+				prev_srv->counters.redispatches++;
 				s->be->counters.redispatches++;
 			} else {
-				s->prev_srv->counters.retries++;
+				prev_srv->counters.retries++;
 				s->be->counters.retries++;
 			}
 		}
@@ -1002,7 +1005,6 @@ int srv_redispatch_connect(struct session *t)
 		if (((t->flags & (SN_DIRECT|SN_FORCE_PRST)) == SN_DIRECT) &&
 		    (t->be->options & PR_O_REDISP)) {
 			t->flags &= ~(SN_DIRECT | SN_ASSIGNED | SN_ADDR_SET);
-			t->prev_srv = t->srv;
 			goto redispatch;
 		}
 
diff --git a/src/peers.c b/src/peers.c
index f4ace6489..06ad244d0 100644
--- a/src/peers.c
+++ b/src/peers.c
@@ -1186,7 +1186,7 @@ struct session *peer_session_create(struct peer *peer, struct peer_session *ps)
 	stream_sock_prepare_interface(&s->si[1]);
 	s->si[1].release = NULL;
 
-	s->srv = s->prev_srv = s->srv_conn = NULL;
+	s->srv = s->srv_conn = NULL;
 	s->target.type = TARG_TYPE_NONE;
 	s->target.ptr.v = NULL;
 	s->pend_pos = NULL;
diff --git a/src/proto_http.c b/src/proto_http.c
index 27e29c050..72f0a4129 100644
--- a/src/proto_http.c
+++ b/src/proto_http.c
@@ -7541,7 +7541,7 @@ void http_reset_txn(struct session *s)
 
 	s->be = s->fe;
 	s->logs.logwait = s->fe->to_log;
-	s->srv = s->prev_srv = s->srv_conn = NULL;
+	s->srv = s->srv_conn = NULL;
 	s->target.type = TARG_TYPE_NONE;
 	s->target.ptr.v = NULL;
 	/* re-init store persistence */
diff --git a/src/session.c b/src/session.c
index 9ecb6edcc..b8ae690cb 100644
--- a/src/session.c
+++ b/src/session.c
@@ -202,7 +202,7 @@ int session_accept(struct listener *l, int cfd, struct sockaddr_storage *addr)
 	if (likely(s->fe->options2 & PR_O2_INDEPSTR))
 		s->si[1].flags |= SI_FL_INDEP_STR;
 
-	s->srv = s->prev_srv = s->srv_conn = NULL;
+	s->srv = s->srv_conn = NULL;
 	s->target.type = TARG_TYPE_NONE;
 	s->target.ptr.v = NULL;
 	s->pend_pos = NULL;
@@ -638,7 +638,6 @@ int sess_update_st_cer(struct session *s, struct stream_interface *si)
 			process_srv_queue(s->srv);
 
 		s->flags &= ~(SN_DIRECT | SN_ASSIGNED | SN_ADDR_SET);
-		s->prev_srv = s->srv;
 		si->state = SI_ST_REQ;
 	} else {
 		if (s->srv)