diff --git a/tcp.c b/tcp.c
index 1b29661..5223825 100644
--- a/tcp.c
+++ b/tcp.c
@@ -1303,14 +1303,17 @@ static struct tcp_tap_conn *tcp_hash_lookup(const struct ctx *c,
 }
 
 /**
- * tcp_conn_destroy() - Close sockets, trigger hash table removal and compaction
+ * tcp_flow_defer() - Deferred per-flow handling (clean up closed connections)
  * @c:		Execution context
  * @flow:	Flow table entry for this connection
  */
-static void tcp_conn_destroy(struct ctx *c, union flow *flow)
+static void tcp_flow_defer(struct ctx *c, union flow *flow)
 {
 	const struct tcp_tap_conn *conn = &flow->tcp;
 
+	if (flow->tcp.events != CLOSED)
+		return;
+
 	close(conn->sock);
 	if (conn->timer != -1)
 		close(conn->timer);
@@ -1372,12 +1375,10 @@ void tcp_defer_handler(struct ctx *c)
 	for (flow = flowtab + c->flow_count - 1; flow >= flowtab; flow--) {
 		switch (flow->f.type) {
 		case FLOW_TCP:
-			if (flow->tcp.events == CLOSED)
-				tcp_conn_destroy(c, flow);
+			tcp_flow_defer(c, flow);
 			break;
 		case FLOW_TCP_SPLICE:
-			if (flow->tcp_splice.flags & CLOSING)
-				tcp_splice_destroy(c, flow);
+			tcp_splice_flow_defer(c, flow);
 			break;
 		default:
 			die("Unexpected %s in tcp_defer_handler()",
diff --git a/tcp_conn.h b/tcp_conn.h
index e98559c..4846565 100644
--- a/tcp_conn.h
+++ b/tcp_conn.h
@@ -158,7 +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_splice_destroy(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[]);
 int tcp_conn_new_sock(const struct ctx *c, sa_family_t af);
diff --git a/tcp_splice.c b/tcp_splice.c
index a187136..a7d577a 100644
--- a/tcp_splice.c
+++ b/tcp_splice.c
@@ -243,15 +243,18 @@ void tcp_splice_conn_update(const struct ctx *c, struct tcp_splice_conn *new)
 }
 
 /**
- * tcp_splice_destroy() - Close spliced connection and pipes, clear
+ * tcp_splice_flow_defer() - Deferred per-flow handling (clean up closed)
  * @c:		Execution context
- * @flow:	Flow table entry
+ * @flow:	Flow table entry for this connection
  */
-void tcp_splice_destroy(struct ctx *c, union flow *flow)
+void tcp_splice_flow_defer(struct ctx *c, union flow *flow)
 {
 	struct tcp_splice_conn *conn = &flow->tcp_splice;
 	unsigned side;
 
+	if (!(flow->tcp_splice.flags & CLOSING))
+		return;
+
 	for (side = 0; side < SIDES; side++) {
 		if (conn->events & SPLICE_ESTABLISHED) {
 			/* Flushing might need to block: don't recycle them. */