diff --git a/include/haproxy/stick_table.h b/include/haproxy/stick_table.h
index 2c5e7a223..3e10db107 100644
--- a/include/haproxy/stick_table.h
+++ b/include/haproxy/stick_table.h
@@ -220,9 +220,6 @@ static inline void stksess_kill_if_expired(struct stktable *t, struct stksess *t
 	uint shard;
 	size_t len;
 
-	if (decrefcnt && HA_ATOMIC_SUB_FETCH(&ts->ref_cnt, 1) != 0)
-		return;
-
 	if (t->expire != TICK_ETERNITY && tick_is_expired(ts->expire, now_ms)) {
 		if (t->type == SMP_T_STR)
 			len = strlen((const char *)ts->key.key);
@@ -235,9 +232,12 @@ static inline void stksess_kill_if_expired(struct stktable *t, struct stksess *t
 		ALREADY_CHECKED(shard);
 
 		HA_RWLOCK_WRLOCK(STK_TABLE_LOCK, &t->shards[shard].sh_lock);
-		__stksess_kill_if_expired(t, ts);
+		if (!decrefcnt || !HA_ATOMIC_SUB_FETCH(&ts->ref_cnt, 1))
+			__stksess_kill_if_expired(t, ts);
 		HA_RWLOCK_WRUNLOCK(STK_TABLE_LOCK, &t->shards[shard].sh_lock);
 	}
+	else if (decrefcnt)
+		HA_ATOMIC_SUB_FETCH(&ts->ref_cnt, 1);
 }
 
 /* sets the stick counter's entry pointer */
diff --git a/src/stick_table.c b/src/stick_table.c
index ff19709d6..2b5eddd7b 100644
--- a/src/stick_table.c
+++ b/src/stick_table.c
@@ -170,10 +170,7 @@ int stksess_kill(struct stktable *t, struct stksess *ts, int decrefcnt)
 {
 	uint shard;
 	size_t len;
-	int ret;
-
-	if (decrefcnt && HA_ATOMIC_SUB_FETCH(&ts->ref_cnt, 1) != 0)
-		return 0;
+	int ret = 0;
 
 	if (t->type == SMP_T_STR)
 		len = strlen((const char *)ts->key.key);
@@ -186,7 +183,8 @@ int stksess_kill(struct stktable *t, struct stksess *ts, int decrefcnt)
 	ALREADY_CHECKED(shard);
 
 	HA_RWLOCK_WRLOCK(STK_TABLE_LOCK, &t->shards[shard].sh_lock);
-	ret = __stksess_kill(t, ts);
+	if (!decrefcnt || !HA_ATOMIC_SUB_FETCH(&ts->ref_cnt, 1))
+		ret = __stksess_kill(t, ts);
 	HA_RWLOCK_WRUNLOCK(STK_TABLE_LOCK, &t->shards[shard].sh_lock);
 
 	return ret;