diff --git a/bin/tests/system/xfer/tests.sh b/bin/tests/system/xfer/tests.sh
index 5818870b60..cb67e40547 100755
--- a/bin/tests/system/xfer/tests.sh
+++ b/bin/tests/system/xfer/tests.sh
@@ -677,7 +677,7 @@ msg="'axfr-rndc-retransfer-force/IN' from 10.53.0.1#${PORT}: received"
 retry_quiet 5 wait_for_message "$msg" || tmp=1
 # Issue a retransfer-force command which should cancel the ongoing transfer and start a new one
 $RNDCCMD 10.53.0.6 retransfer -force axfr-rndc-retransfer-force 2>&1 | sed 's/^/ns6 /' | cat_i
-msg="'axfr-rndc-retransfer-force/IN' from 10.53.0.1#${PORT}: Transfer status: operation canceled"
+msg="'axfr-rndc-retransfer-force/IN' from 10.53.0.1#${PORT}: Transfer status: shutting down"
 retry_quiet 5 wait_for_message "$msg" || tmp=1
 # Wait for the new transfer to complete successfully
 msg="'axfr-rndc-retransfer-force/IN' from 10.53.0.1#${PORT}: Transfer status: success"
diff --git a/lib/dns/xfrin.c b/lib/dns/xfrin.c
index d9e3a2733c..47f58aed5f 100644
--- a/lib/dns/xfrin.c
+++ b/lib/dns/xfrin.c
@@ -1082,7 +1082,7 @@ xfrin_shutdown(void *arg) {
 
 	REQUIRE(VALID_XFRIN(xfr));
 
-	xfrin_fail(xfr, ISC_R_CANCELED, "shut down");
+	xfrin_fail(xfr, ISC_R_SHUTTINGDOWN, "shut down");
 	dns_xfrin_detach(&xfr);
 }
 
@@ -1094,7 +1094,7 @@ dns_xfrin_shutdown(dns_xfrin_t *xfr) {
 		dns_xfrin_ref(xfr);
 		isc_async_run(xfr->loop, xfrin_shutdown, xfr);
 	} else {
-		xfrin_fail(xfr, ISC_R_CANCELED, "shut down");
+		xfrin_fail(xfr, ISC_R_SHUTTINGDOWN, "shut down");
 	}
 }
 
diff --git a/lib/dns/zone.c b/lib/dns/zone.c
index 928183348e..7889c25952 100644
--- a/lib/dns/zone.c
+++ b/lib/dns/zone.c
@@ -11522,11 +11522,23 @@ zone_refresh(dns_zone_t *zone) {
 	queue_soa_query(zone);
 }
 
-void
-dns_zone_refresh(dns_zone_t *zone) {
+static void
+zone_refresh_async(void *arg) {
+	dns_zone_t *zone = arg;
+
 	LOCK_ZONE(zone);
 	zone_refresh(zone);
 	UNLOCK_ZONE(zone);
+
+	dns_zone_detach(&zone);
+}
+
+void
+dns_zone_refresh(dns_zone_t *zone) {
+	REQUIRE(DNS_ZONE_VALID(zone));
+
+	dns_zone_ref(zone);
+	isc_async_run(zone->loop, zone_refresh_async, zone);
 }
 
 static isc_result_t
@@ -17971,17 +17983,6 @@ again:
 		inc_stats(zone, dns_zonestatscounter_xfrfail);
 		break;
 
-	case ISC_R_CANCELED:
-		/*
-		 * A new "retransfer" command with a "-force" argument could
-		 * have canceled the current transfer in which case we should
-		 * make sure to try again from the beginning.
-		 */
-		if (DNS_ZONE_FLAG(zone, DNS_ZONEFLG_FORCEXFER)) {
-			DNS_ZONE_SETFLAG(zone, DNS_ZONEFLG_REFRESH);
-			again = true;
-		}
-		FALLTHROUGH;
 	case ISC_R_SHUTTINGDOWN:
 		dns_remote_reset(&zone->primaries, true);
 		break;