diff --git a/pkg/proxy/ipvs/graceful_termination.go b/pkg/proxy/ipvs/graceful_termination.go
index d9357d2c6d..f6a8ca1a2a 100644
--- a/pkg/proxy/ipvs/graceful_termination.go
+++ b/pkg/proxy/ipvs/graceful_termination.go
@@ -75,10 +75,10 @@ func (q *graceTerminateRSList) remove(rs *listItem) bool {
 
 	uniqueRS := rs.String()
 	if _, ok := q.list[uniqueRS]; ok {
-		return false
+		delete(q.list, uniqueRS)
+		return true
 	}
-	delete(q.list, uniqueRS)
-	return true
+	return false
 }
 
 func (q *graceTerminateRSList) flushList(handler func(rsToDelete *listItem) (bool, error)) bool {