--- a/src/core/ngx_open_file_cache.c
+++ b/src/core/ngx_open_file_cache.c
@@ -173,8 +173,6 @@ ngx_open_cached_file(ngx_open_file_cache
 
         file->uses++;
 
-        ngx_queue_remove(&file->queue);
-
         if (file->fd == NGX_INVALID_FILE && file->err == 0 && !file->is_dir) {
 
             /* file was not used often enough to keep open */
@@ -185,6 +183,8 @@ ngx_open_cached_file(ngx_open_file_cache
                 goto failed;
             }
 
+            ngx_queue_remove(&file->queue);
+
             goto add_event;
         }
 
@@ -212,6 +212,8 @@ ngx_open_cached_file(ngx_open_file_cache
                 of->err = file->err;
             }
 
+            ngx_queue_remove(&file->queue);
+
             goto found;
         }
 
@@ -236,6 +238,8 @@ ngx_open_cached_file(ngx_open_file_cache
             goto failed;
         }
 
+        ngx_queue_remove(&file->queue);
+
         if (of->is_dir) {
 
             if (file->is_dir || file->err) {