diff --git a/bgpd/bgp_route.c b/bgpd/bgp_route.c
index b4c97eb2eaf5..fb9370a1eb65 100644
--- a/bgpd/bgp_route.c
+++ b/bgpd/bgp_route.c
@@ -2824,18 +2824,18 @@ void bgp_best_selection(struct bgp *bgp, struct bgp_dest *dest,
 			/* reap REMOVED routes, if needs be
 			 * selected route must stay for a while longer though
 			 */
-			if (CHECK_FLAG(pi->flags, BGP_PATH_REMOVED) &&
-			    (pi != old_select)) {
-				dest = bgp_path_info_reap(dest, pi);
-				assert(dest);
-			}
-
 			if (debug)
 				zlog_debug(
 					"%s: %pBD(%s) pi from %s in holddown",
 					__func__, dest, bgp->name_pretty,
 					pi->peer->host);
 
+			if (CHECK_FLAG(pi->flags, BGP_PATH_REMOVED) &&
+			    (pi != old_select)) {
+				dest = bgp_path_info_reap(dest, pi);
+				assert(dest);
+			}
+
 			continue;
 		}