diff --git a/quic/core/quic_connection.cc b/quic/core/quic_connection.cc
index abd0f22..ce1a820 100644
--- a/quic/core/quic_connection.cc
+++ b/quic/core/quic_connection.cc
@@ -4178,11 +4178,13 @@
     if (!ack_timeout.IsInitialized()) {
       continue;
     }
+    if (GetQuicReloadableFlag(quic_always_send_earliest_ack)) {
+      QUIC_RELOADABLE_FLAG_COUNT(quic_always_send_earliest_ack);
+    }
     if (ack_timeout > clock_->ApproximateNow()) {
       if (!GetQuicReloadableFlag(quic_always_send_earliest_ack)) {
         continue;
       }
-      QUIC_RELOADABLE_FLAG_COUNT(quic_always_send_earliest_ack);
       if (ack_timeout > earliest_ack_timeout) {
         // Always send the earliest ACK to make forward progress in case alarm
         // fires early.