diff --git a/servers/lloadd/client.c b/servers/lloadd/client.c
index 6b5fa61260..b742081a4d 100644
--- a/servers/lloadd/client.c
+++ b/servers/lloadd/client.c
@@ -130,8 +130,7 @@ handle_requests( void *ctx, void *arg )
     int requests_handled = 0;
 
     CONNECTION_LOCK_DECREF(c);
-    for ( ; requests_handled < slap_conn_max_pdus_per_cycle;
-            requests_handled++ ) {
+    for ( ;; ) {
         BerElement *ber;
         ber_tag_t tag;
         ber_len_t len;
@@ -145,6 +144,11 @@ handle_requests( void *ctx, void *arg )
         }
         /* Otherwise, handle_one_request leaves the connection locked */
 
+        if ( ++requests_handled >= slap_conn_max_pdus_per_cycle ) {
+            /* Do not read now, re-enable read event instead */
+            break;
+        }
+
         if ( (ber = ber_alloc()) == NULL ) {
             Debug( LDAP_DEBUG_ANY, "client_read_cb: "
                     "ber_alloc failed\n" );
diff --git a/servers/lloadd/upstream.c b/servers/lloadd/upstream.c
index 84e8d1be8f..9272820441 100644
--- a/servers/lloadd/upstream.c
+++ b/servers/lloadd/upstream.c
@@ -465,8 +465,7 @@ handle_responses( void *ctx, void *arg )
     int responses_handled = 0;
 
     CONNECTION_LOCK_DECREF(c);
-    for ( ; responses_handled < slap_conn_max_pdus_per_cycle;
-            responses_handled++ ) {
+    for ( ;; ) {
         BerElement *ber;
         ber_tag_t tag;
         ber_len_t len;
@@ -480,6 +479,11 @@ handle_responses( void *ctx, void *arg )
         }
         /* Otherwise, handle_one_response leaves the connection locked */
 
+        if ( ++responses_handled >= slap_conn_max_pdus_per_cycle ) {
+            /* Do not read now, re-enable read event instead */
+            break;
+        }
+
         if ( (ber = ber_alloc()) == NULL ) {
             Debug( LDAP_DEBUG_ANY, "handle_responses: "
                     "ber_alloc failed\n" );