diff --git a/include/haproxy/applet-t.h b/include/haproxy/applet-t.h
index 9ee8f5d9cf..8360c85576 100644
--- a/include/haproxy/applet-t.h
+++ b/include/haproxy/applet-t.h
@@ -46,6 +46,7 @@
 #define APPCTX_FL_ERROR          0x00000080
 #define APPCTX_FL_SHUTDOWN       0x00000100  /* applet was shut down (->release() called if any). No more data exchange with SCs */
 #define APPCTX_FL_WANT_DIE       0x00000200  /* applet was running and requested to die */
+#define APPCTX_FL_INOUT_BUFS     0x00000400  /* applet uses its own buffers */
 
 struct appctx;
 struct proxy;
diff --git a/src/applet.c b/src/applet.c
index 362811718f..984ff2661b 100644
--- a/src/applet.c
+++ b/src/applet.c
@@ -260,17 +260,20 @@ struct appctx *appctx_new_on(struct applet *applet, struct sedesc *sedesc, int t
 	}
 
 	appctx->sedesc = sedesc;
-	if (applet->rcv_buf != NULL && applet->snd_buf != NULL)
-		appctx->t->process = task_process_applet;
-	else
-		appctx->t->process = task_run_applet;
-	appctx->t->context = appctx;
 
 	appctx->flags = 0;
 	appctx->inbuf = BUF_NULL;
 	appctx->outbuf = BUF_NULL;
 	appctx->to_forward = 0;
 
+	if (applet->rcv_buf != NULL && applet->snd_buf != NULL) {
+		appctx->t->process = task_process_applet;
+		appctx->flags |= APPCTX_FL_INOUT_BUFS;
+	}
+	else
+		appctx->t->process = task_run_applet;
+	appctx->t->context = appctx;
+
 	LIST_INIT(&appctx->buffer_wait.list);
 	appctx->buffer_wait.target = appctx;
 	appctx->buffer_wait.wakeup_cb = appctx_buf_available;