diff --git a/pkg/sfu/buffer/buffer_base.go b/pkg/sfu/buffer/buffer_base.go
index 3fb403451..cb3818270 100644
--- a/pkg/sfu/buffer/buffer_base.go
+++ b/pkg/sfu/buffer/buffer_base.go
@@ -1209,13 +1209,13 @@ func (b *BufferBase) maybeGrowBucket(now int64) {
 		return
 	}
 
+	b.lastBucketCapCheckAt = now
+
 	// check and allocate in a go routine, away from the forwarding path
 	go func() {
 		b.Lock()
 		defer b.Unlock()
 
-		b.lastBucketCapCheckAt = now
-
 		cap := b.bucket.Capacity()
 		maxPkts := b.params.MaxVideoPkts
 		if b.codecType == webrtc.RTPCodecTypeAudio {