diff --git a/management/server/grpcserver.go b/management/server/grpcserver.go
index caacef6d6..fb19927dd 100644
--- a/management/server/grpcserver.go
+++ b/management/server/grpcserver.go
@@ -185,7 +185,6 @@ func (s *GRPCServer) Sync(req *proto.EncryptedMessage, srv proto.ManagementServi
 		return status.Errorf(codes.ResourceExhausted, "too many concurrent sync requests, please try again later")
 	}
 	s.syncSem.Add(1)
-	defer s.syncSem.Add(-1)
 
 	reqStart := time.Now()
 
@@ -194,6 +193,7 @@ func (s *GRPCServer) Sync(req *proto.EncryptedMessage, srv proto.ManagementServi
 	syncReq := &proto.SyncRequest{}
 	peerKey, err := s.parseRequest(ctx, req, syncReq)
 	if err != nil {
+		s.syncSem.Add(-1)
 		return err
 	}
 	realIP := getRealIP(ctx)
@@ -208,6 +208,7 @@ func (s *GRPCServer) Sync(req *proto.EncryptedMessage, srv proto.ManagementServi
 			log.WithContext(ctx).Warnf("peer %s with meta hash %d is blocked from syncing", peerKey.String(), metahashed)
 		}
 		if s.blockPeersWithSameConfig {
+			s.syncSem.Add(-1)
 			return mapError(ctx, internalStatus.ErrPeerAlreadyLoggedIn)
 		}
 	}
@@ -232,8 +233,10 @@ func (s *GRPCServer) Sync(req *proto.EncryptedMessage, srv proto.ManagementServi
 		ctx = context.WithValue(ctx, nbContext.AccountIDKey, "UNKNOWN")
 		log.WithContext(ctx).Tracef("peer %s is not registered", peerKey.String())
 		if errStatus, ok := internalStatus.FromError(err); ok && errStatus.Type() == internalStatus.NotFound {
+			s.syncSem.Add(-1)
 			return status.Errorf(codes.PermissionDenied, "peer is not registered")
 		}
+		s.syncSem.Add(-1)
 		return err
 	}
 
@@ -249,12 +252,14 @@ func (s *GRPCServer) Sync(req *proto.EncryptedMessage, srv proto.ManagementServi
 	peer, netMap, postureChecks, err := s.accountManager.SyncAndMarkPeer(ctx, accountID, peerKey.String(), peerMeta, realIP)
 	if err != nil {
 		log.WithContext(ctx).Debugf("error while syncing peer %s: %v", peerKey.String(), err)
+		s.syncSem.Add(-1)
 		return mapError(ctx, err)
 	}
 
 	err = s.sendInitialSync(ctx, peerKey, peer, netMap, postureChecks, srv)
 	if err != nil {
 		log.WithContext(ctx).Debugf("error while sending initial sync for %s: %v", peerKey.String(), err)
+		s.syncSem.Add(-1)
 		return err
 	}
 
@@ -273,6 +278,8 @@ func (s *GRPCServer) Sync(req *proto.EncryptedMessage, srv proto.ManagementServi
 
 	log.WithContext(ctx).Debugf("Sync: took %v", time.Since(reqStart))
 
+	s.syncSem.Add(-1)
+
 	return s.handleUpdates(ctx, accountID, peerKey, peer, updates, srv)
 }