diff --git a/modules/ratelimit/ratelimit.c b/modules/ratelimit/ratelimit.c
index acff2222fa2..a55e03bbdcc 100644
--- a/modules/ratelimit/ratelimit.c
+++ b/modules/ratelimit/ratelimit.c
@@ -487,7 +487,7 @@ int hash[100] = {18, 50, 51, 39, 49, 68, 8, 78, 61, 75, 53, 32, 45, 77, 31,
  * @param update whether or not to inc call number
  * @return number of calls in the window
  */
-static inline int hist_check(rl_pipe_t *pipe, int update)
+static inline unsigned hist_update(rl_pipe_t *pipe, int update)
 {
 	#define U2MILI(__usec__) (__usec__/1000)
 	#define S2MILI(__sec__)  (__sec__ *1000)
@@ -498,9 +498,6 @@ static inline int hist_check(rl_pipe_t *pipe, int update)
 
 	struct timeval tv;
 
-	pipe->counter = 0;
-	pipe->counter = rl_get_all_counters(pipe);
-
 	gettimeofday(&tv, NULL);
 	now_time = S2MILI(tv.tv_sec) + U2MILI(tv.tv_usec);
 	now_index = (now_time%rl_win_ms) / rl_slot_period;
@@ -547,11 +544,12 @@ static inline int hist_check(rl_pipe_t *pipe, int update)
 		pipe->rwin.window[pipe->rwin.start_index] += update;
 	}
 
+	pipe->counter = 0;
 	/* count the total number of calls in the window */
 	for (i=0; i < pipe->rwin.window_size; i++)
 		pipe->counter += pipe->rwin.window[i];
 
-	return pipe->counter > pipe->limit ? -1 : 1;
+	return rl_get_all_counters(pipe);
 
 	#undef U2MILI
 	#undef S2MILI
@@ -560,9 +558,7 @@ static inline int hist_check(rl_pipe_t *pipe, int update)
 int hist_get_count(rl_pipe_t *pipe)
 {
 	/* do a NOP to validate the interval, then return the unchanged counter */
-	hist_check(pipe, 0);
-
-	return pipe->counter;
+	return hist_update(pipe, 0);
 }
 
 void hist_set_count(rl_pipe_t *pipe, long int value)
@@ -573,7 +569,7 @@ void hist_set_count(rl_pipe_t *pipe, long int value)
 				pipe->rwin.window_size * sizeof(long int));
 		pipe->rwin.start_time.tv_sec = 0; /* force init */
 	} else
-		hist_check(pipe, value);
+		hist_update(pipe, value);
 }
 
 
@@ -584,7 +580,12 @@ void hist_set_count(rl_pipe_t *pipe, long int value)
  */
 int rl_pipe_check(rl_pipe_t *pipe)
 {
-	unsigned counter = rl_get_all_counters(pipe);
+	unsigned counter;
+
+	if (pipe->algo == PIPE_ALGO_HISTORY)
+		return (hist_update(pipe, 1) > pipe->limit ? -1 : 1);
+
+	counter = rl_get_all_counters(pipe);
 
 	switch (pipe->algo) {
 		case PIPE_ALGO_NOP:
@@ -601,8 +602,6 @@ int rl_pipe_check(rl_pipe_t *pipe)
 			return (pipe->load ? pipe->load : 1);
 		case PIPE_ALGO_FEEDBACK:
 			return (hash[counter % 100] < *drop_rate) ? -1 : 1;
-		case PIPE_ALGO_HISTORY:
-			return hist_check(pipe, 1);
 		default:
 			LM_ERR("ratelimit algorithm %d not implemented\n", pipe->algo);
 	}