diff --git a/servers/slapd/overlays/dds.c b/servers/slapd/overlays/dds.c
index 30a606d6f5..8cf4e57d7d 100644
--- a/servers/slapd/overlays/dds.c
+++ b/servers/slapd/overlays/dds.c
@@ -1723,17 +1723,17 @@ dds_db_open(
 	di->di_suffix = be->be_suffix;
 	di->di_nsuffix = be->be_nsuffix;
 
-	/* force deletion of expired entries... */
-	be->bd_info = (BackendInfo *)on->on_info;
-	rc = dds_expire( thrctx, di );
-	be->bd_info = (BackendInfo *)on;
-	if ( rc != LDAP_SUCCESS ) {
-		rc = 1;
-		goto done;
-	}
-
 	/* ... so that count, if required, is accurate */
 	if ( di->di_max_dynamicObjects > 0 ) {
+		/* force deletion of expired entries... */
+		be->bd_info = (BackendInfo *)on->on_info;
+		rc = dds_expire( thrctx, di );
+		be->bd_info = (BackendInfo *)on;
+		if ( rc != LDAP_SUCCESS ) {
+			rc = 1;
+			goto done;
+		}
+
 		rc = dds_count( thrctx, be );
 		if ( rc != LDAP_SUCCESS ) {
 			rc = 1;