diff --git a/src/osd/OSD.cc b/src/osd/OSD.cc
index ad51e178465..891431fbbda 100644
--- a/src/osd/OSD.cc
+++ b/src/osd/OSD.cc
@@ -10251,30 +10251,8 @@ void OSD::ShardedOpWQ::_process(uint32_t thread_index, heartbeat_handle_d *hb)
 
   // peek at spg_t
   sdata->shard_lock.Lock();
-  if (is_smallest_thread_index) {
-    if (sdata->pqueue->empty() && sdata->context_queue.empty()) {
-      sdata->sdata_wait_lock.Lock();
-      if (!sdata->stop_waiting) {
-	dout(20) << __func__ << " empty q, waiting" << dendl;
-	osd->cct->get_heartbeat_map()->clear_timeout(hb);
-	sdata->shard_lock.Unlock();
-	sdata->sdata_cond.Wait(sdata->sdata_wait_lock);
-	sdata->sdata_wait_lock.Unlock();
-	sdata->shard_lock.Lock();
-	if (sdata->pqueue->empty() && sdata->context_queue.empty()) {
-	  sdata->shard_lock.Unlock();
-	  return;
-	}
-	osd->cct->get_heartbeat_map()->reset_timeout(hb,
-	    osd->cct->_conf->threadpool_default_timeout, 0);
-      } else {
-	dout(20) << __func__ << " need return immediately" << dendl;
-	sdata->sdata_wait_lock.Unlock();
-	sdata->shard_lock.Unlock();
-	return;
-      }
-    }
-  } else if (sdata->pqueue->empty()) {
+  if (sdata->pqueue->empty() &&
+     !(is_smallest_thread_index && !sdata->context_queue.empty())) {
     sdata->sdata_wait_lock.Lock();
     if (!sdata->stop_waiting) {
       dout(20) << __func__ << " empty q, waiting" << dendl;
@@ -10283,7 +10261,8 @@ void OSD::ShardedOpWQ::_process(uint32_t thread_index, heartbeat_handle_d *hb)
       sdata->sdata_cond.Wait(sdata->sdata_wait_lock);
       sdata->sdata_wait_lock.Unlock();
       sdata->shard_lock.Lock();
-      if (sdata->pqueue->empty()) {
+      if (sdata->pqueue->empty() &&
+         !(is_smallest_thread_index && !sdata->context_queue.empty())) {
 	sdata->shard_lock.Unlock();
 	return;
       }
@@ -10297,23 +10276,26 @@ void OSD::ShardedOpWQ::_process(uint32_t thread_index, heartbeat_handle_d *hb)
     }
   }
 
-  if (osd->is_stopping()) {
-    sdata->shard_lock.Unlock();
-    return;    // OSD shutdown, discard.
-  }
-
   list<Context *> oncommits;
   if (is_smallest_thread_index && !sdata->context_queue.empty()) {
     sdata->context_queue.swap(oncommits);
   }
 
   if (sdata->pqueue->empty()) {
+    if (osd->is_stopping()) {
+      sdata->shard_lock.Unlock();
+      return;    // OSD shutdown, discard.
+    }
     sdata->shard_lock.Unlock();
     handle_oncommits(oncommits);
     return;
   }
 
   OpQueueItem item = sdata->pqueue->dequeue();
+  if (osd->is_stopping()) {
+    sdata->shard_lock.Unlock();
+    return;    // OSD shutdown, discard.
+  }
 
   const auto token = item.get_ordering_token();
   auto r = sdata->pg_slots.emplace(token, nullptr);