diff --git a/lib/_stream_writable.js b/lib/_stream_writable.js
index 3e6de8fee2fc8e..acae6f083eab50 100644
--- a/lib/_stream_writable.js
+++ b/lib/_stream_writable.js
@@ -638,11 +638,9 @@ function onCorkedFinish(corkReq, state, err) {
     cb(err);
     entry = entry.next;
   }
-  if (state.corkedRequestsFree) {
-    state.corkedRequestsFree.next = corkReq;
-  } else {
-    state.corkedRequestsFree = corkReq;
-  }
+
+  // reuse the free corkReq.
+  state.corkedRequestsFree.next = corkReq;
 }
 
 Object.defineProperty(Writable.prototype, 'destroyed', {