diff --git a/fw/sock_srv.c b/fw/sock_srv.c
index 6eb3a33a1d..dfbd806dc6 100644
--- a/fw/sock_srv.c
+++ b/fw/sock_srv.c
@@ -504,8 +504,9 @@ tfw_sock_srv_disconnect(TfwConn *conn)
 		 * restored already. If the connection is closed already, then
 		 * check its stop bit.
 		 */
-		if (atomic_read(&conn->refcnt) != TFW_CONN_DEATHCNT) {
+		if (__tfw_connection_get_if_live(conn)) {
 			TfwServer *srv = (TfwServer *)conn->peer;
+			int r = 0;
 
 			/*
 			 * We set TFW_CFG_B_DEL flag when we gracefully
@@ -521,10 +522,12 @@ tfw_sock_srv_disconnect(TfwConn *conn)
 			 */
 			if (test_bit(TFW_CFG_B_DEL, &srv->flags)) {
 				tfw_connection_abort(conn);
-				return 0;
+			} else {
+				r = tfw_connection_close(conn, true);
 			}
 
-			return tfw_connection_close(conn, true);
+			tfw_connection_put(conn);
+			return r;
 		}
 		/*
 		 * If stop flag is set, we can exit. Otherwise, continue waiting