diff --git a/server/core/dcb.cc b/server/core/dcb.cc
index f466d2135..de0572e6d 100644
--- a/server/core/dcb.cc
+++ b/server/core/dcb.cc
@@ -2533,11 +2533,6 @@ DCB* dcb_accept(DCB* dcb)
         }
     }
 
-    if (client_dcb)
-    {
-        mxb::atomic::add(&client_dcb->service->client_count, 1);
-    }
-
     return client_dcb;
 }
 
diff --git a/server/core/session.cc b/server/core/session.cc
index 70da75a36..16b7c0654 100644
--- a/server/core/session.cc
+++ b/server/core/session.cc
@@ -361,18 +361,7 @@ private:
 static void session_free(MXS_SESSION* session)
 {
     MXS_INFO("Stopped %s client session [%" PRIu64 "]", session->service->name, session->ses_id);
-    Service* service = static_cast<Service*>(session->service);
-
     session_final_free(session);
-    bool should_destroy = !mxb::atomic::load(&service->active);
-
-    if (mxb::atomic::add(&service->client_count, -1) == 1 && should_destroy)
-    {
-        // Destroy the service in the main routing worker thread
-        mxs::RoutingWorker* main_worker = mxs::RoutingWorker::get(mxs::RoutingWorker::MAIN);
-        main_worker->execute(std::unique_ptr<ServiceDestroyTask>(new ServiceDestroyTask(service)),
-                             Worker::EXECUTE_AUTO);
-    }
 }
 
 static void session_final_free(MXS_SESSION* ses)
@@ -1264,6 +1253,7 @@ Session::Session(SERVICE* service)
 
     mxb::atomic::add(&service->stats.n_current, 1, mxb::atomic::RELAXED);
     mxb_assert(service->stats.n_current >= 0);
+    mxb::atomic::add(&service->client_count, 1, mxb::atomic::RELAXED);
 }
 
 Session::~Session()
@@ -1281,6 +1271,17 @@ Session::~Session()
 
     mxb::atomic::add(&service->stats.n_current, -1, mxb::atomic::RELAXED);
     mxb_assert(service->stats.n_current >= 0);
+
+    bool should_destroy = !mxb::atomic::load(&service->active);
+
+    if (mxb::atomic::add(&service->client_count, -1) == 1 && should_destroy)
+    {
+        // Destroy the service in the main routing worker thread
+        mxs::RoutingWorker* main_worker = mxs::RoutingWorker::get(mxs::RoutingWorker::MAIN);
+        main_worker->execute(
+            std::unique_ptr<ServiceDestroyTask>(new ServiceDestroyTask(static_cast<Service*>(service))),
+            Worker::EXECUTE_AUTO);
+    }
 }
 
 namespace
diff --git a/server/modules/filter/test/mock_session.cc b/server/modules/filter/test/mock_session.cc
index aaa3d233a..c4b445795 100644
--- a/server/modules/filter/test/mock_session.cc
+++ b/server/modules/filter/test/mock_session.cc
@@ -44,6 +44,9 @@ Session::Session(Client* pClient)
 
     m_client_dcb.data = &m_mysql_session;
     service = &dummy_service;
+
+    // This prevents the destruction of the dummy service
+    service->active = true;
 }
 
 Session::~Session()
diff --git a/server/modules/protocol/MySQL/mariadbclient/mysql_client.cc b/server/modules/protocol/MySQL/mariadbclient/mysql_client.cc
index 638a235ca..9bf24c96c 100644
--- a/server/modules/protocol/MySQL/mariadbclient/mysql_client.cc
+++ b/server/modules/protocol/MySQL/mariadbclient/mysql_client.cc
@@ -740,20 +740,12 @@ static void check_packet(DCB* dcb, GWBUF* buf, int bytes)
  */
 static int gw_read_do_authentication(DCB* dcb, GWBUF* read_buffer, int nbytes_read)
 {
-    // If this function fails and dcb is closed, the service client count must be decremented manually.
-    // After authentication, the session closing code decrements the count.
-    auto decrement_and_close = [](DCB* dcb)
-    {
-        mxb::atomic::add(&dcb->service->client_count, -1);
-        dcb_close(dcb);
-    };
-
     MXB_AT_DEBUG(check_packet(dcb, read_buffer, nbytes_read));
 
     /** Allocate the shared session structure */
     if (dcb->data == NULL && (dcb->data = mysql_session_alloc()) == NULL)
     {
-        decrement_and_close(dcb);
+        dcb_close(dcb);
         return 1;
     }
 
@@ -820,7 +812,7 @@ static int gw_read_do_authentication(DCB* dcb, GWBUF* read_buffer, int nbytes_re
             MYSQL_session* ses = (MYSQL_session*)dcb->data;
             if ((dcb->user = MXS_STRDUP(ses->user)) == NULL)
             {
-                decrement_and_close(dcb);
+                dcb_close(dcb);
                 gwbuf_free(read_buffer);
                 return 0;
             }
@@ -873,7 +865,7 @@ static int gw_read_do_authentication(DCB* dcb, GWBUF* read_buffer, int nbytes_re
         /**
          * Close DCB and which will release MYSQL_session
          */
-        decrement_and_close(dcb);
+        dcb_close(dcb);
     }
     /* One way or another, the buffer is now fully processed */
     gwbuf_free(read_buffer);