diff --git a/src/balance/src/balance.c b/src/balance/src/balance.c
index 4c687cb134141e38aef1cb9b17dcb45e89278e1b..6d4f08eb068c1f9a345fea500e489b31508ae8b7 100644
--- a/src/balance/src/balance.c
+++ b/src/balance/src/balance.c
@@ -586,7 +586,7 @@ static void balanceProcessBalanceTimer(void *handle, void *tmrId) {
   if (!sdbIsMaster()) return;
 
   tsBalanceTimer = NULL;
-  tsAccessSquence ++;
+  if (handle == NULL) tsAccessSquence++;
 
   balanceCheckDnodeAccess();  
   bool updateSoon = false;