diff --git a/ssl/quic/quic_channel.c b/ssl/quic/quic_channel.c
index 0c22b86ee7bebd..faa8972c0df22c 100644
--- a/ssl/quic/quic_channel.c
+++ b/ssl/quic/quic_channel.c
@@ -1870,12 +1870,12 @@ void ossl_quic_channel_subtick(QUIC_CHANNEL *ch, QUIC_TICK_RESULT *res,
      *   - determine the time at which we should next be ticked.
      */
 
-    /* Nothing to do yet if connection has not been started. */
-    if (ch->state == QUIC_CHANNEL_STATE_IDLE)
-        return;
-
-    /* If we are in the TERMINATED state, there is nothing to do. */
-    if (ossl_quic_channel_is_terminated(ch)) {
+    /*
+     * If the connection has not yet started, or we are in the TERMINATED state,
+     * there is nothing to do.
+     */
+    if (ch->state == QUIC_CHANNEL_STATE_IDLE
+            || ossl_quic_channel_is_terminated(ch)) {
         res->net_read_desired       = 0;
         res->net_write_desired      = 0;
         res->notify_other_threads   = 0;
diff --git a/ssl/quic/quic_impl.c b/ssl/quic/quic_impl.c
index 4c75d68617862f..3130704c51deb3 100644
--- a/ssl/quic/quic_impl.c
+++ b/ssl/quic/quic_impl.c
@@ -1301,14 +1301,7 @@ int ossl_quic_handle_events(SSL *s)
         return 0;
 
     qctx_lock(&ctx);
-    /*
-     * TODO(QUIC SERVER): We should always tick the engine, whether the current
-     * connection is started or not.  When ticking the engine, we MUST avoid
-     * inadvertently starting connections that haven't started, the guards
-     * don't belong here.
-     */
-    if (ctx.qc == NULL || ctx.qc->started)
-        ossl_quic_reactor_tick(ossl_quic_obj_get0_reactor(ctx.obj), 0);
+    ossl_quic_reactor_tick(ossl_quic_obj_get0_reactor(ctx.obj), 0);
     qctx_unlock(&ctx);
     return 1;
 }
@@ -4782,6 +4775,9 @@ int ossl_quic_conn_poll_events(SSL *ssl, uint64_t events, int do_tick,
 
     qctx_lock(&ctx);
 
+    if (do_tick)
+        ossl_quic_reactor_tick(ossl_quic_channel_get_reactor(ctx.qc->ch), 0);
+
     if (!ctx.qc->started) {
         /* We can only try to write on non-started connection. */
         if ((events & SSL_POLL_EVENT_W) != 0)
@@ -4789,9 +4785,6 @@ int ossl_quic_conn_poll_events(SSL *ssl, uint64_t events, int do_tick,
         goto end;
     }
 
-    if (do_tick)
-        ossl_quic_reactor_tick(ossl_quic_channel_get_reactor(ctx.qc->ch), 0);
-
     if (ctx.xso != NULL) {
         /* SSL object has a stream component. */