diff --git a/src/backend.c b/src/backend.c
index 7027c54cd..5958a824e 100644
--- a/src/backend.c
+++ b/src/backend.c
@@ -623,6 +623,10 @@ int assign_server(struct stream *s)
 					if (!(conn->flags & CO_FL_WAIT_XPRT)) {
 						srv = tmpsrv;
 						s->target = &srv->obj_type;
+						if (conn->flags & CO_FL_SESS_IDLE) {
+							conn->flags &= ~CO_FL_SESS_IDLE;
+							s->sess->idle_conns--;
+						}
 						goto out_ok;
 					}
 				}