diff --git a/include/haproxy/check-t.h b/include/haproxy/check-t.h
index 5b80189ee..26290b44b 100644
--- a/include/haproxy/check-t.h
+++ b/include/haproxy/check-t.h
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ enum chk_result {
 #define CHK_ST_OUT_ALLOC        0x0080  /* check blocked waiting for output buffer allocation */
 #define CHK_ST_CLOSE_CONN       0x0100  /* check is waiting that the connection gets closed */
 #define CHK_ST_PURGE            0x0200  /* check must be freed */
-#define CHK_ST_SLEEPING         0x0400  /* check was sleeping */
+#define CHK_ST_SLEEPING         0x0400  /* check was sleeping, i.e. not currently bound to a thread */
 #define CHK_ST_FASTINTER        0x0800  /* force fastinter check */
 
 /* check status */
diff --git a/src/check.c b/src/check.c
index 7359c2574..fce152a96 100644
--- a/src/check.c
+++ b/src/check.c
@@ -1754,7 +1754,7 @@ int init_srv_check(struct server *srv)
 		ret |= ERR_ALERT | ERR_ABORT;
 		goto out;
 	}
-	srv->check.state |= CHK_ST_CONFIGURED | CHK_ST_ENABLED;
+	srv->check.state |= CHK_ST_CONFIGURED | CHK_ST_ENABLED | CHK_ST_SLEEPING;
 	srv_take(srv);
 
 	/* Only increment maxsock for servers from the configuration. Dynamic
@@ -1817,7 +1817,7 @@ int init_srv_agent_check(struct server *srv)
 	if (!srv->agent.inter)
 		srv->agent.inter = srv->check.inter;
 
-	srv->agent.state |= CHK_ST_CONFIGURED | CHK_ST_ENABLED | CHK_ST_AGENT;
+	srv->agent.state |= CHK_ST_CONFIGURED | CHK_ST_ENABLED | CHK_ST_SLEEPING | CHK_ST_AGENT;
 	srv_take(srv);
 
 	/* Only increment maxsock for servers from the configuration. Dynamic