diff --git a/lib/_http_agent.js b/lib/_http_agent.js
index 5e3298b594d949..eff456cf38b089 100644
--- a/lib/_http_agent.js
+++ b/lib/_http_agent.js
@@ -112,11 +112,16 @@ function Agent(options) {
         if (this.sockets[name])
           count += this.sockets[name].length;
 
-        if (count > this.maxSockets || freeLen >= this.maxFreeSockets) {
-          socket.destroy();
-        } else if (this.keepSocketAlive(socket)) {
-          freeSockets = freeSockets || [];
-          this.freeSockets[name] = freeSockets;
+        if (this.keepSocketAlive(socket) &&
+            this.maxFreeSockets > 0 &&
+            count <= this.maxSockets) {
+          if (freeLen >= this.maxFreeSockets) {
+            const oldest = this.freeSockets[name].shift();
+            oldest.destroy();
+          } else {
+            freeSockets = freeSockets || [];
+            this.freeSockets[name] = freeSockets;
+          }
           socket[async_id_symbol] = -1;
           socket._httpMessage = null;
           this.removeSocket(socket, options);
@@ -207,7 +212,7 @@ Agent.prototype.addRequest = function addRequest(req, options, port/* legacy */,
 
   if (freeLen) {
     // We have a free socket, so use that.
-    const socket = this.freeSockets[name].shift();
+    const socket = this.freeSockets[name].pop();
     // Guard against an uninitialized or user supplied Socket.
     const handle = socket._handle;
     if (handle && typeof handle.asyncReset === 'function') {