diff --git a/src/msg/async/AsyncMessenger.cc b/src/msg/async/AsyncMessenger.cc
index 043a2e46fbb..b7aa8241eab 100644
--- a/src/msg/async/AsyncMessenger.cc
+++ b/src/msg/async/AsyncMessenger.cc
@@ -201,6 +201,7 @@ void Processor::accept()
 	accept_error_num = 0;
 	continue;
       } else {
+	--w->references;
 	if (r == -EINTR) {
 	  continue;
 	} else if (r == -EAGAIN) {
diff --git a/src/msg/async/AsyncMessenger.h b/src/msg/async/AsyncMessenger.h
index cd8ad3c8b83..6e18281f1b9 100644
--- a/src/msg/async/AsyncMessenger.h
+++ b/src/msg/async/AsyncMessenger.h
@@ -397,7 +397,7 @@ public:
    */
   void unregister_conn(const AsyncConnectionRef& conn) {
     std::lock_guard l{deleted_lock};
-    if (!accepting_conns.count(conn))
+    if (!accepting_conns.count(conn) || anon_conns.count(conn))
       conn->get_perf_counter()->dec(l_msgr_active_connections);
     deleted_conns.emplace(std::move(conn));
     conn->unregister();