diff --git a/jetty-client/src/main/java/org/eclipse/jetty/client/AbstractConnectionPool.java b/jetty-client/src/main/java/org/eclipse/jetty/client/AbstractConnectionPool.java
index 1444cdc6e6f..8ffb9e703dc 100644
--- a/jetty-client/src/main/java/org/eclipse/jetty/client/AbstractConnectionPool.java
+++ b/jetty-client/src/main/java/org/eclipse/jetty/client/AbstractConnectionPool.java
@@ -92,10 +92,9 @@ public abstract class AbstractConnectionPool implements ConnectionPool, Dumpable
     public Connection acquire(boolean create)
     {
         Connection connection = activate();
-        if (connection == null)
+        if (connection == null && create)
         {
-            if (create)
-                tryCreate(destination.getQueuedRequestCount());
+            tryCreate(destination.getQueuedRequestCount());
             connection = activate();
         }
         return connection;
diff --git a/jetty-http2/http2-http-client-transport/src/test/java/org/eclipse/jetty/http2/client/http/MaxConcurrentStreamsTest.java b/jetty-http2/http2-http-client-transport/src/test/java/org/eclipse/jetty/http2/client/http/MaxConcurrentStreamsTest.java
index 7cbfe76b05d..5d77bf99dc2 100644
--- a/jetty-http2/http2-http-client-transport/src/test/java/org/eclipse/jetty/http2/client/http/MaxConcurrentStreamsTest.java
+++ b/jetty-http2/http2-http-client-transport/src/test/java/org/eclipse/jetty/http2/client/http/MaxConcurrentStreamsTest.java
@@ -175,6 +175,7 @@ public class MaxConcurrentStreamsTest extends AbstractTest
                     @Override
                     public void onSettings(Session session, SettingsFrame frame)
                     {
+                        super.onSettings(session, frame);
                         // Send another request to simulate a request being
                         // sent concurrently with connection establishment.
                         // Sending this request will trigger the creation of
@@ -199,7 +200,6 @@ public class MaxConcurrentStreamsTest extends AbstractTest
                                     }
                                 });
                         }
-                        super.onSettings(session, frame);
                     }
                 }, promise, context);
             }