diff --git a/include/haproxy/server.h b/include/haproxy/server.h
index c39b0e3c0..767764880 100644
--- a/include/haproxy/server.h
+++ b/include/haproxy/server.h
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ int srv_set_addr_via_libc(struct server *srv, int *err_code);
 int srv_init_addr(void);
 struct server *cli_find_server(struct appctx *appctx, char *arg);
 struct server *new_server(struct proxy *proxy);
-void free_server(struct server *srv);
+struct server *free_server(struct server *srv);
 int srv_init_per_thr(struct server *srv);
 
 /* functions related to server name resolution */
diff --git a/src/proxy.c b/src/proxy.c
index 87999ad5d..5d701866b 100644
--- a/src/proxy.c
+++ b/src/proxy.c
@@ -130,7 +130,7 @@ static void free_stick_rules(struct list *rules)
 
 void free_proxy(struct proxy *p)
 {
-	struct server *s,*s_next;
+	struct server *s;
 	struct cap_hdr *h,*h_next;
 	struct listener *l,*l_next;
 	struct bind_conf *bind_conf, *bind_back;
@@ -289,11 +289,9 @@ void free_proxy(struct proxy *p)
 
 	s = p->srv;
 	while (s) {
-		s_next = s->next;
 		list_for_each_entry(srvdf, &server_deinit_list, list)
 			srvdf->fct(s);
-		free_server(s);
-		s = s_next;
+		s = free_server(s);
 	}/* end while(s) */
 
 	list_for_each_entry_safe(l, l_next, &p->conf.listeners, by_fe) {
diff --git a/src/server.c b/src/server.c
index 7cec4ce47..583cce7f5 100644
--- a/src/server.c
+++ b/src/server.c
@@ -2213,11 +2213,18 @@ static uint srv_release_dynsrv(struct server *srv)
 /* Deallocate a server <srv> and its member. <srv> must be allocated. For
  * dynamic servers, its refcount is decremented first. The free operations are
  * conducted only if the refcount is nul, unless the process is stopping.
+ *
+ * As a convenience, <srv.next> is returned if srv is not NULL. It may be useful
+ * when calling free_server on the list of servers.
  */
-void free_server(struct server *srv)
+struct server *free_server(struct server *srv)
 {
+	struct server *next = NULL;
+
 	if (!srv)
-		return;
+		goto end;
+
+	next = srv->next;
 
 	/* For dynamic servers, decrement the reference counter. Only free the
 	 * server when reaching zero.
@@ -2225,7 +2232,7 @@ void free_server(struct server *srv)
 	if (likely(!(global.mode & MODE_STOPPING))) {
 		if (srv->flags & SRV_F_DYNAMIC) {
 			if (srv_release_dynsrv(srv))
-				return;
+				goto end;
 		}
 	}
 
@@ -2255,6 +2262,9 @@ void free_server(struct server *srv)
 
 	free(srv);
 	srv = NULL;
+
+ end:
+	return next;
 }
 
 /* Remove a server <srv> from a tracking list if <srv> is tracking another