diff --git a/flow.c b/flow.c
index c3f4886..4dc2767 100644
--- a/flow.c
+++ b/flow.c
@@ -84,3 +84,26 @@ void flow_log_(const struct flow_common *f, int pri, const char *fmt, ...)
 
 	logmsg(pri, "Flow %u (%s): %s", flow_idx(f), FLOW_TYPE(f), msg);
 }
+
+/**
+ * flow_defer_handler() - Handler for per-flow deferred tasks
+ * @c:		Execution context
+ */
+void flow_defer_handler(struct ctx *c)
+{
+	union flow *flow;
+
+	for (flow = flowtab + c->flow_count - 1; flow >= flowtab; flow--) {
+		switch (flow->f.type) {
+		case FLOW_TCP:
+			tcp_flow_defer(c, flow);
+			break;
+		case FLOW_TCP_SPLICE:
+			tcp_splice_flow_defer(c, flow);
+			break;
+		default:
+			/* Assume other flow types don't need any handling */
+			;
+		}
+	}
+}
diff --git a/flow.h b/flow.h
index 959b461..6b17fa8 100644
--- a/flow.h
+++ b/flow.h
@@ -67,6 +67,7 @@ static inline bool flow_sidx_eq(flow_sidx_t a, flow_sidx_t b)
 union flow;
 
 void flow_table_compact(struct ctx *c, union flow *hole);
+void flow_defer_handler(struct ctx *c);
 
 void flow_log_(const struct flow_common *f, int pri, const char *fmt, ...)
 	__attribute__((format(printf, 3, 4)));
diff --git a/passt.c b/passt.c
index 0246b04..5f72a28 100644
--- a/passt.c
+++ b/passt.c
@@ -103,6 +103,7 @@ static void post_handler(struct ctx *c, const struct timespec *now)
 	/* NOLINTNEXTLINE(bugprone-branch-clone): intervals can be the same */
 	CALL_PROTO_HANDLER(c, now, icmp, ICMP);
 
+	flow_defer_handler(c);
 #undef CALL_PROTO_HANDLER
 }
 
diff --git a/tcp.c b/tcp.c
index 5223825..7065531 100644
--- a/tcp.c
+++ b/tcp.c
@@ -1307,7 +1307,7 @@ static struct tcp_tap_conn *tcp_hash_lookup(const struct ctx *c,
  * @c:		Execution context
  * @flow:	Flow table entry for this connection
  */
-static void tcp_flow_defer(struct ctx *c, union flow *flow)
+void tcp_flow_defer(struct ctx *c, union flow *flow)
 {
 	const struct tcp_tap_conn *conn = &flow->tcp;
 
@@ -1365,26 +1365,11 @@ static void tcp_l2_data_buf_flush(const struct ctx *c)
  * tcp_defer_handler() - Handler for TCP deferred tasks
  * @c:		Execution context
  */
+/* cppcheck-suppress [constParameterPointer, unmatchedSuppression] */
 void tcp_defer_handler(struct ctx *c)
 {
-	union flow *flow;
-
 	tcp_l2_flags_buf_flush(c);
 	tcp_l2_data_buf_flush(c);
-
-	for (flow = flowtab + c->flow_count - 1; flow >= flowtab; flow--) {
-		switch (flow->f.type) {
-		case FLOW_TCP:
-			tcp_flow_defer(c, flow);
-			break;
-		case FLOW_TCP_SPLICE:
-			tcp_splice_flow_defer(c, flow);
-			break;
-		default:
-			die("Unexpected %s in tcp_defer_handler()",
-			    FLOW_TYPE(&flow->f));
-		}
-	}
 }
 
 /**
diff --git a/tcp_conn.h b/tcp_conn.h
index 4846565..72b9ecb 100644
--- a/tcp_conn.h
+++ b/tcp_conn.h
@@ -158,6 +158,7 @@ extern int init_sock_pool6	[TCP_SOCK_POOL_SIZE];
 void tcp_tap_conn_update(const struct ctx *c, struct tcp_tap_conn *old,
 			 struct tcp_tap_conn *new);
 void tcp_splice_conn_update(const struct ctx *c, struct tcp_splice_conn *new);
+void tcp_flow_defer(struct ctx *c, union flow *flow);
 void tcp_splice_flow_defer(struct ctx *c, union flow *flow);
 void tcp_splice_timer(const struct ctx *c, union flow *flow);
 int tcp_conn_pool_sock(int pool[]);