diff --git a/db/commitlog/commitlog.cc b/db/commitlog/commitlog.cc
index 58c1a71f81..3025abc1c3 100644
--- a/db/commitlog/commitlog.cc
+++ b/db/commitlog/commitlog.cc
@@ -874,7 +874,7 @@ db::commitlog::segment_manager::allocate_when_possible(const cf_id_type& id, sha
     }
 
     auto fut = get_units(_request_controller, size);
-    if (!fut.available()) {
+    if (_request_controller.waiters()) {
         totals.requests_blocked_memory++;
     }
     return fut.then([this, id, writer = std::move(writer)] (auto permit) mutable {