diff --git a/reactor-netty-http/src/main/java/reactor/netty/http/HttpOperations.java b/reactor-netty-http/src/main/java/reactor/netty/http/HttpOperations.java
index 96f4c3d84..64126acc9 100644
--- a/reactor-netty-http/src/main/java/reactor/netty/http/HttpOperations.java
+++ b/reactor-netty-http/src/main/java/reactor/netty/http/HttpOperations.java
@@ -377,8 +377,9 @@ protected final boolean markSentHeaderAndBody(Object... objectsToRelease) {
 
 	@Override
 	protected final String initShortId() {
-		if (connection() instanceof AtomicLong) {
-			return channel().id().asShortText() + '-' + ((AtomicLong) connection()).incrementAndGet();
+		Connection connection = connection();
+		if (connection instanceof AtomicLong) {
+			return connection.channel().id().asShortText() + '-' + ((AtomicLong) connection).incrementAndGet();
 		}
 		return super.initShortId();
 	}