diff --git a/include/haproxy/stick_table.h b/include/haproxy/stick_table.h
index e1b6d0633..c5cd3c8fe 100644
--- a/include/haproxy/stick_table.h
+++ b/include/haproxy/stick_table.h
@@ -198,15 +198,22 @@ static inline int __stksess_kill_if_expired(struct stktable *t, struct stksess *
 
 static inline void stksess_kill_if_expired(struct stktable *t, struct stksess *ts, int decrefcnt)
 {
-	HA_RWLOCK_WRLOCK(STK_TABLE_LOCK, &t->lock);
 
-	if (decrefcnt)
-		ts->ref_cnt--;
+	if (t->expire != TICK_ETERNITY && tick_is_expired(ts->expire, now_ms)) {
+		HA_RWLOCK_WRLOCK(STK_TABLE_LOCK, &t->lock);
+		if (decrefcnt)
+			ts->ref_cnt--;
 
-	if (t->expire != TICK_ETERNITY && tick_is_expired(ts->expire, now_ms))
 		__stksess_kill_if_expired(t, ts);
-
-	HA_RWLOCK_WRUNLOCK(STK_TABLE_LOCK, &t->lock);
+		HA_RWLOCK_WRUNLOCK(STK_TABLE_LOCK, &t->lock);
+	}
+	else {
+		if (decrefcnt) {
+			HA_RWLOCK_RDLOCK(STK_TABLE_LOCK, &t->lock);
+			HA_ATOMIC_DEC(&ts->ref_cnt);
+			HA_RWLOCK_RDUNLOCK(STK_TABLE_LOCK, &t->lock);
+		}
+	}
 }
 
 /* sets the stick counter's entry pointer */
diff --git a/src/stick_table.c b/src/stick_table.c
index b5e04d829..92f662dfb 100644
--- a/src/stick_table.c
+++ b/src/stick_table.c
@@ -103,9 +103,9 @@ void stksess_free(struct stktable *t, struct stksess *ts)
 		dict_entry_unref(&server_key_dict, stktable_data_cast(data, std_t_dict));
 		stktable_data_cast(data, std_t_dict) = NULL;
 	}
-	HA_RWLOCK_WRLOCK(STK_TABLE_LOCK, &t->lock);
+	HA_RWLOCK_RDLOCK(STK_TABLE_LOCK, &t->lock);
 	__stksess_free(t, ts);
-	HA_RWLOCK_WRUNLOCK(STK_TABLE_LOCK, &t->lock);
+	HA_RWLOCK_RDUNLOCK(STK_TABLE_LOCK, &t->lock);
 }
 
 /*