diff --git a/src/search.cpp b/src/search.cpp
index 97b70b8fefd..ae9359cebea 100644
--- a/src/search.cpp
+++ b/src/search.cpp
@@ -984,7 +984,8 @@ namespace {
           && bestValue > VALUE_TB_LOSS_IN_MAX_PLY)
       {
           // Skip quiet moves if movecount exceeds our FutilityMoveCount threshold (~8 Elo)
-          moveCountPruning = moveCount >= futility_move_count(improving, depth);
+          if (!moveCountPruning)
+              moveCountPruning = moveCount >= futility_move_count(improving, depth);
 
           // Reduced depth of the next LMR search
           int lmrDepth = newDepth - r;