diff --git a/command/agent/agent.go b/command/agent/agent.go
index 7e4ce4c2b3..16d1b741a5 100644
--- a/command/agent/agent.go
+++ b/command/agent/agent.go
@@ -938,7 +938,7 @@ func (a *Agent) recallCheckState(check *structs.HealthCheck) error {
 	// Check if the state has expired
 	if time.Now().Unix() >= p.Expires {
 		a.logger.Printf("[DEBUG] agent: check state expired for %q, not restoring", check.CheckID)
-		return nil
+		return a.purgeCheckState(check.CheckID)
 	}
 
 	// Restore the fields from the state
diff --git a/command/agent/agent_test.go b/command/agent/agent_test.go
index c5439383a2..97cfa98684 100644
--- a/command/agent/agent_test.go
+++ b/command/agent/agent_test.go
@@ -1350,7 +1350,7 @@ func TestAgent_loadChecks_checkFails(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
-func TestAgent_persistCheckStatus(t *testing.T) {
+func TestAgent_persistCheckState(t *testing.T) {
 	config := nextConfig()
 	dir, agent := makeAgent(t, config)
 	defer os.RemoveAll(dir)
@@ -1433,6 +1433,12 @@ func TestAgent_recallCheckState(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatalf("bad: %#v", health)
 	}
 
+	// Should have purged the state
+	file := filepath.Join(agent.config.DataDir, checksDir, stringHash("check1"))
+	if _, err := os.Stat(file); !os.IsNotExist(err) {
+		t.Fatalf("should have purged state")
+	}
+
 	// Set a TTL which will not expire before we check it
 	check.TTL = time.Minute
 	err = agent.persistCheckState(check, structs.HealthPassing, "yup")