diff --git a/weed/s3api/s3api_internal_lifecycle.go b/weed/s3api/s3api_internal_lifecycle.go
index 6199bf7b0..85167953d 100644
--- a/weed/s3api/s3api_internal_lifecycle.go
+++ b/weed/s3api/s3api_internal_lifecycle.go
@@ -56,12 +56,7 @@ func (s3a *S3ApiServer) LifecycleDelete(ctx context.Context, req *s3_lifecycle_p
 }
 
 func (s3a *S3ApiServer) lifecycleDispatch(ctx context.Context, req *s3_lifecycle_pb.LifecycleDeleteRequest, entry *filer_pb.Entry) (*s3_lifecycle_pb.LifecycleDeleteResponse, error) {
-	// metadataOnly: skip per-chunk DeleteFile RPCs because the volume's TTL
-	// will reclaim chunks on its own. Per-write TTL stamping (PR 9377) sets
-	// Attributes.TtlSec on every entry whose lifecycle rule fits within
-	// volume TTL — observing a non-zero TtlSec on the live entry is the
-	// authoritative signal.
-	metadataOnly := entry != nil && entry.Attributes != nil && entry.Attributes.TtlSec > 0
+	metadataOnly := entryUsesMetadataOnlyDelete(entry)
 	switch req.ActionKind {
 	case s3_lifecycle_pb.ActionKind_EXPIRATION_DAYS, s3_lifecycle_pb.ActionKind_EXPIRATION_DATE:
 		// Current-version expiration: Enabled -> delete marker; Suspended
@@ -347,6 +342,17 @@ func identityMatches(live, want *s3_lifecycle_pb.EntryIdentity) bool {
 	return bytes.Equal(live.ExtendedHash, want.ExtendedHash)
 }
 
+// entryUsesMetadataOnlyDelete reports whether the lifecycle delete path
+// can skip per-chunk DeleteFile RPCs and rely on the volume's TTL to
+// reclaim chunks. Per-write TTL stamping (PR 9377) sets Attributes.TtlSec
+// on every entry whose lifecycle rule fits within volume TTL — observing
+// a non-zero TtlSec on the live entry is the authoritative signal.
+// Defensive nil-checks because the caller may be racing a concurrent
+// rewrite that nil-ed Attributes briefly during meta-log replay.
+func entryUsesMetadataOnlyDelete(entry *filer_pb.Entry) bool {
+	return entry != nil && entry.Attributes != nil && entry.Attributes.TtlSec > 0
+}
+
 // recordMetadataOnlyIf bumps the metadata-only counter when on=true.
 // Skipped when off so callers don't need a guard at every call site.
 // rule_hash is hex-encoded so operators can group by rule when
diff --git a/weed/s3api/s3api_internal_lifecycle_test.go b/weed/s3api/s3api_internal_lifecycle_test.go
index 739ac65c2..6a8cbeb7c 100644
--- a/weed/s3api/s3api_internal_lifecycle_test.go
+++ b/weed/s3api/s3api_internal_lifecycle_test.go
@@ -241,6 +241,47 @@ func contains(haystack, needle string) bool {
 	return false
 }
 
+func TestEntryUsesMetadataOnlyDelete(t *testing.T) {
+	cases := []struct {
+		name  string
+		entry *filer_pb.Entry
+		want  bool
+	}{
+		{
+			name:  "nil entry",
+			entry: nil,
+			want:  false,
+		},
+		{
+			name:  "nil attributes",
+			entry: &filer_pb.Entry{},
+			want:  false,
+		},
+		{
+			name:  "TtlSec=0 (no per-write stamp)",
+			entry: &filer_pb.Entry{Attributes: &filer_pb.FuseAttributes{TtlSec: 0}},
+			want:  false,
+		},
+		{
+			name:  "TtlSec>0 (PR 9377 stamped a fast-path TTL)",
+			entry: &filer_pb.Entry{Attributes: &filer_pb.FuseAttributes{TtlSec: 86400}},
+			want:  true,
+		},
+		{
+			name:  "TtlSec<0 should not happen but must not flip the path on",
+			entry: &filer_pb.Entry{Attributes: &filer_pb.FuseAttributes{TtlSec: -1}},
+			want:  false,
+		},
+	}
+	for _, c := range cases {
+		t.Run(c.name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			if got := entryUsesMetadataOnlyDelete(c.entry); got != c.want {
+				t.Fatalf("want %v, got %v", c.want, got)
+			}
+		})
+	}
+}
+
 func TestRecordMetadataOnlyIf_OnlyFiresWhenOn(t *testing.T) {
 	// Counter must increment exactly once per (bucket, hex(rule_hash))
 	// when on=true, and not at all when on=false. Other lifecycle paths