diff --git a/lib/_http_agent.js b/lib/_http_agent.js
index 6fbff37d85db26..5ed77033648e6a 100644
--- a/lib/_http_agent.js
+++ b/lib/_http_agent.js
@@ -78,13 +78,15 @@ function Agent(options) {
           req.shouldKeepAlive &&
           !socket.destroyed &&
           self.options.keepAlive) {
+
         var freeSockets = self.freeSockets[name];
-        var freeLen = freeSockets ? freeSockets.length : 0;
-        var count = freeLen;
+        var totalSocketLength = freeSockets ? freeSockets.length : 0;
+        var socketsAvailable = totalSocketLength < this.maxSockets || totalSocketLength >= self.maxFreeSockets;
+
         if (self.sockets[name])
-          count += self.sockets[name].length;
+          totalSocketLength += self.sockets[name].length;
 
-        if (count >= self.maxSockets || freeLen >= self.maxFreeSockets) {
+        if (socketsAvailable) {
           self.removeSocket(socket, options);
           socket.destroy();
         } else {
@@ -145,28 +147,29 @@ Agent.prototype.addRequest = function(req, options) {
     this.sockets[name] = [];
   }
 
-  var freeLen = this.freeSockets[name] ? this.freeSockets[name].length : 0;
-  var sockLen = freeLen + this.sockets[name].length;
+  var availableFreeSockets = this.freeSockets[name] ? this.freeSockets[name].length : 0;
+  var totalSocketLength = availableFreeSockets + this.sockets[name].length;
+  var socketsAvailable = totalSocketLength < this.maxSockets;
 
-  if (freeLen) {
+  if (availableFreeSockets) {
     // we have a free socket, so use that.
     var socket = this.freeSockets[name].shift();
     debug('have free socket');
 
+    var hasFreeSockets = !this.freeSockets[name].length
+
     // don't leak
-    if (!this.freeSockets[name].length)
+    if (hasFreeSockets)
       delete this.freeSockets[name];
 
     socket.ref();
     req.onSocket(socket);
     this.sockets[name].push(socket);
-  } else if (sockLen < this.maxSockets) {
-    debug('call onSocket', sockLen, freeLen);
-    // If we are under maxSockets create a new one.
+  } else if (socketsAvailable) {
+    debug('call onSocket', totalSocketLength, availableFreeSockets);
     req.onSocket(this.createSocket(req, options));
   } else {
     debug('wait for socket');
-    // We are over limit so we'll add it to the queue.
     if (!this.requests[name]) {
       this.requests[name] = [];
     }