diff --git a/sys/nfs/nfs_fha.c b/sys/nfs/nfs_fha.c
index dd9ee276889b..229080471171 100644
--- a/sys/nfs/nfs_fha.c
+++ b/sys/nfs/nfs_fha.c
@@ -289,19 +289,6 @@ fha_hash_entry_add_op(struct fha_hash_entry *fhe, int locktype, int count)
 		fhe->num_rw += count;
 }
 
-static SVCTHREAD *
-get_idle_thread(SVCPOOL *pool)
-{
-	SVCTHREAD *st;
-
-	LIST_FOREACH(st, &pool->sp_idlethreads, st_ilink) {
-		if (st->st_xprt == NULL && STAILQ_EMPTY(&st->st_reqs))
-			return (st);
-	}
-	return (NULL);
-}
-
-
 /*
  * Get the service thread currently associated with the fhe that is
  * appropriate to handle this operation.
@@ -386,7 +373,7 @@ fha_hash_entry_choose_thread(struct fha_params *softc,
 			ITRACE_CURPROC(ITRACE_NFS, ITRACE_INFO,
 			    "fha: %p(%d)t", thread, thread->st_reqcount);
 #endif
-		} else if ((thread = get_idle_thread(pool))) {
+		} else if ((thread = LIST_FIRST(&pool->sp_idlethreads))) {
 #if 0
 			ITRACE_CURPROC(ITRACE_NFS, ITRACE_INFO,
 			    "fha: %p(%d)i", thread, thread->st_reqcount);
@@ -418,7 +405,6 @@ SVCTHREAD *
 fha_assign(SVCTHREAD *this_thread, struct svc_req *req,
     struct fha_params *softc)
 {
-	SVCPOOL *pool;
 	SVCTHREAD *thread;
 	struct fha_info i;
 	struct fha_hash_entry *fhe;
@@ -439,7 +425,6 @@ fha_assign(SVCTHREAD *this_thread, struct svc_req *req,
 	if (req->rq_vers != 2 && req->rq_vers != 3)
 		return (this_thread);
 
-	pool = req->rq_xprt->xp_pool;
 	fha_extract_info(req, &i, cb);
 
 	/*
diff --git a/sys/rpc/svc.c b/sys/rpc/svc.c
index 5b480863669e..bf23d4aaeb31 100644
--- a/sys/rpc/svc.c
+++ b/sys/rpc/svc.c
@@ -293,12 +293,10 @@ xprt_unregister_locked(SVCXPRT *xprt)
 {
 	SVCPOOL *pool = xprt->xp_pool;
 
+	mtx_assert(&xprt->xp_mlock, MA_OWNED);
 	KASSERT(xprt->xp_registered == TRUE,
 	    ("xprt_unregister_locked: not registered"));
-	if (xprt->xp_active) {
-		TAILQ_REMOVE(&pool->sp_active, xprt, xp_alink);
-		xprt->xp_active = FALSE;
-	}
+	xprt_inactive_locked(xprt);
 	TAILQ_REMOVE(&pool->sp_xlist, xprt, xp_link);
 	xprt->xp_registered = FALSE;
 }
@@ -320,25 +318,25 @@ xprt_unregister(SVCXPRT *xprt)
 	SVC_RELEASE(xprt);
 }
 
-static void
+/*
+ * Attempt to assign a service thread to this transport.
+ */
+static int
 xprt_assignthread(SVCXPRT *xprt)
 {
 	SVCPOOL *pool = xprt->xp_pool;
 	SVCTHREAD *st;
 
-	/*
-	 * Attempt to assign a service thread to this
-	 * transport.
-	 */
-	LIST_FOREACH(st, &pool->sp_idlethreads, st_ilink) {
-		if (st->st_xprt == NULL && STAILQ_EMPTY(&st->st_reqs))
-			break;
-	}
+	mtx_assert(&xprt->xp_mlock, MA_OWNED);
+	st = LIST_FIRST(&pool->sp_idlethreads);
 	if (st) {
+		LIST_REMOVE(st, st_ilink);
+		st->st_idle = FALSE;
 		SVC_ACQUIRE(xprt);
 		xprt->xp_thread = st;
 		st->st_xprt = xprt;
 		cv_signal(&st->st_cond);
+		return (TRUE);
 	} else {
 		/*
 		 * See if we can create a new thread. The
@@ -354,6 +352,7 @@ xprt_assignthread(SVCXPRT *xprt)
 			pool->sp_state = SVCPOOL_THREADWANTED;
 		}
 	}
+	return (FALSE);
 }
 
 void
@@ -372,9 +371,12 @@ xprt_active(SVCXPRT *xprt)
 	}
 
 	if (!xprt->xp_active) {
-		TAILQ_INSERT_TAIL(&pool->sp_active, xprt, xp_alink);
 		xprt->xp_active = TRUE;
-		xprt_assignthread(xprt);
+		if (xprt->xp_thread == NULL) {
+			if (!xprt_assignthread(xprt))
+				TAILQ_INSERT_TAIL(&pool->sp_active, xprt,
+				    xp_alink);
+		}
 	}
 
 	mtx_unlock(&pool->sp_lock);
@@ -385,8 +387,10 @@ xprt_inactive_locked(SVCXPRT *xprt)
 {
 	SVCPOOL *pool = xprt->xp_pool;
 
+	mtx_assert(&xprt->xp_mlock, MA_OWNED);
 	if (xprt->xp_active) {
-		TAILQ_REMOVE(&pool->sp_active, xprt, xp_alink);
+		if (xprt->xp_thread == NULL)
+			TAILQ_REMOVE(&pool->sp_active, xprt, xp_alink);
 		xprt->xp_active = FALSE;
 	}
 }
@@ -948,10 +952,11 @@ svc_assign_waiting_sockets(SVCPOOL *pool)
 {
 	SVCXPRT *xprt;
 
-	TAILQ_FOREACH(xprt, &pool->sp_active, xp_alink) {
-		if (!xprt->xp_thread) {
-			xprt_assignthread(xprt);
-		}
+	while ((xprt = TAILQ_FIRST(&pool->sp_active)) != NULL) {
+		if (xprt_assignthread(xprt))
+			TAILQ_REMOVE(&pool->sp_active, xprt, xp_alink);
+		else
+			break;
 	}
 }
 
@@ -1042,21 +1047,17 @@ svc_run_internal(SVCPOOL *pool, bool_t ismaster)
 			 * active transport which isn't being serviced
 			 * by a thread.
 			 */
-			if (svc_request_space_available(pool)) {
-				TAILQ_FOREACH(xprt, &pool->sp_active,
-				    xp_alink) {
-					if (!xprt->xp_thread) {
-						SVC_ACQUIRE(xprt);
-						xprt->xp_thread = st;
-						st->st_xprt = xprt;
-						break;
-					}
-				}
-			}
-			if (st->st_xprt)
+			if (svc_request_space_available(pool) &&
+			    (xprt = TAILQ_FIRST(&pool->sp_active)) != NULL) {
+				TAILQ_REMOVE(&pool->sp_active, xprt, xp_alink);
+				SVC_ACQUIRE(xprt);
+				xprt->xp_thread = st;
+				st->st_xprt = xprt;
 				continue;
+			}
 
 			LIST_INSERT_HEAD(&pool->sp_idlethreads, st, st_ilink);
+			st->st_idle = TRUE;
 			if (ismaster || (!ismaster &&
 			    pool->sp_threadcount > pool->sp_minthreads))
 				error = cv_timedwait_sig(&st->st_cond,
@@ -1064,7 +1065,10 @@ svc_run_internal(SVCPOOL *pool, bool_t ismaster)
 			else
 				error = cv_wait_sig(&st->st_cond,
 				    &pool->sp_lock);
-			LIST_REMOVE(st, st_ilink);
+			if (st->st_idle) {
+				LIST_REMOVE(st, st_ilink);
+				st->st_idle = FALSE;
+			}
 
 			/*
 			 * Reduce worker thread count when idle.
@@ -1132,11 +1136,12 @@ svc_run_internal(SVCPOOL *pool, bool_t ismaster)
 					 * execute the request
 					 * immediately.
 					 */
-					if (stpref != st) {
-						cv_signal(&stpref->st_cond);
-						continue;
-					} else {
+					if (stpref == st)
 						break;
+					if (stpref->st_idle) {
+						LIST_REMOVE(stpref, st_ilink);
+						stpref->st_idle = FALSE;
+						cv_signal(&stpref->st_cond);
 					}
 				}
 			} while (stat == XPRT_MOREREQS
@@ -1153,10 +1158,9 @@ svc_run_internal(SVCPOOL *pool, bool_t ismaster)
 			xprt->xp_thread = NULL;
 			st->st_xprt = NULL;
 			if (xprt->xp_active) {
-				xprt_assignthread(xprt);
-				TAILQ_REMOVE(&pool->sp_active, xprt, xp_alink);
-				TAILQ_INSERT_TAIL(&pool->sp_active, xprt,
-				    xp_alink);
+				if (!xprt_assignthread(xprt))
+					TAILQ_INSERT_TAIL(&pool->sp_active,
+					    xprt, xp_alink);
 			}
 			mtx_unlock(&pool->sp_lock);
 			SVC_RELEASE(xprt);
diff --git a/sys/rpc/svc.h b/sys/rpc/svc.h
index 28a3c5db678f..0b2884f3ef07 100644
--- a/sys/rpc/svc.h
+++ b/sys/rpc/svc.h
@@ -278,6 +278,7 @@ typedef struct __rpc_svcthread {
 	SVCXPRT			*st_xprt; /* transport we are processing */
 	struct svc_reqlist	st_reqs;  /* RPC requests to execute */
 	int			st_reqcount; /* number of queued reqs */
+	int			st_idle; /* thread is on idle list */
 	struct cv		st_cond; /* sleeping for work */
 	LIST_ENTRY(__rpc_svcthread) st_link; /* all threads list */
 	LIST_ENTRY(__rpc_svcthread) st_ilink; /* idle threads list */