diff --git a/ethereum/api/src/main/java/org/hyperledger/besu/ethereum/api/handlers/MaxConnectionsHandler.java b/ethereum/api/src/main/java/org/hyperledger/besu/ethereum/api/handlers/MaxConnectionsHandler.java
index 42c4158c4e9..b4298e4a42f 100644
--- a/ethereum/api/src/main/java/org/hyperledger/besu/ethereum/api/handlers/MaxConnectionsHandler.java
+++ b/ethereum/api/src/main/java/org/hyperledger/besu/ethereum/api/handlers/MaxConnectionsHandler.java
@@ -29,6 +29,14 @@ private MaxConnectionsHandler() {}
   public static Handler<HttpConnection> handler(
       final AtomicInteger activeConnectionsCount, final int maxActiveConnections) {
     return connection -> {
+      connection.closeHandler(
+          c ->
+              LOG.debug(
+                  "Connection closed from {} to {}. Total of active connections: {}/{}",
+                  connection.remoteAddress(),
+                  connection.localAddress(),
+                  activeConnectionsCount.decrementAndGet(),
+                  maxActiveConnections));
       if (activeConnectionsCount.get() >= maxActiveConnections) {
         // disallow new connections to prevent DoS
         LOG.warn(
@@ -45,14 +53,6 @@ public static Handler<HttpConnection> handler(
             activeConnectionsCount.incrementAndGet(),
             maxActiveConnections);
       }
-      connection.closeHandler(
-          c ->
-              LOG.debug(
-                  "Connection closed from {} to {}. Total of active connections: {}/{}",
-                  connection.remoteAddress(),
-                  connection.localAddress(),
-                  activeConnectionsCount.decrementAndGet(),
-                  maxActiveConnections));
     };
   }
 }