diff --git a/src/lease-manager.ts b/src/lease-manager.ts
index 084f4b759..e543a290b 100644
--- a/src/lease-manager.ts
+++ b/src/lease-manager.ts
@@ -153,9 +153,10 @@ export class LeaseManager extends EventEmitter {
    * @fires LeaseManager#free
    *
    * @param {Message} message The message to remove.
+   * @param {boolean} runNextInQueue Should dispense next awaiting message
    * @private
    */
-  remove(message: Message): void {
+  remove(message: Message, runNextInQueue: boolean): void {
     if (!this._messages.has(message)) {
       return;
     }
@@ -170,7 +171,7 @@ export class LeaseManager extends EventEmitter {
     } else if (this._pending.includes(message)) {
       const index = this._pending.indexOf(message);
       this._pending.splice(index, 1);
-    } else if (this.pending > 0) {
+    } else if (runNextInQueue && this.pending > 0) {
       this._dispense(this._pending.shift()!);
     }
 
@@ -262,13 +263,13 @@ export class LeaseManager extends EventEmitter {
             // In the case of a permanent failure (temporary failures are retried),
             // we need to stop trying to lease-manage the message.
             message.ackFailed(e as AckError);
-            this.remove(message);
+            this.remove(message, false);
           });
         } else {
           message.modAck(deadline);
         }
       } else {
-        this.remove(message);
+        this.remove(message, false);
       }
     }
 
diff --git a/src/subscriber.ts b/src/subscriber.ts
index fe5defc8e..b909ae7dc 100644
--- a/src/subscriber.ts
+++ b/src/subscriber.ts
@@ -571,7 +571,7 @@ export class Subscriber extends EventEmitter {
     resultPromise.catch(() => {});
 
     await this._acks.onFlush();
-    this._inventory.remove(message);
+    this._inventory.remove(message, true);
   }
 
   /**
@@ -686,7 +686,7 @@ export class Subscriber extends EventEmitter {
    */
   async nack(message: Message): Promise<void> {
     await this.modAck(message, 0);
-    this._inventory.remove(message);
+    this._inventory.remove(message, true);
   }
 
   /**
diff --git a/test/lease-manager.ts b/test/lease-manager.ts
index 2ceb17cf7..49c3ea141 100644
--- a/test/lease-manager.ts
+++ b/test/lease-manager.ts
@@ -425,7 +425,7 @@ describe('LeaseManager', () => {
       const message = new FakeMessage();
 
       leaseManager.add(message as {} as Message);
-      leaseManager.remove(new FakeMessage() as {} as Message);
+      leaseManager.remove(new FakeMessage() as {} as Message, false);
 
       assert.strictEqual(leaseManager.size, 1);
       assert.strictEqual(leaseManager.bytes, message.length);
@@ -435,7 +435,7 @@ describe('LeaseManager', () => {
       const message = new FakeMessage() as {} as Message;
 
       leaseManager.add(message);
-      leaseManager.remove(message);
+      leaseManager.remove(message, false);
 
       assert.strictEqual(leaseManager.size, 0);
       assert.strictEqual(leaseManager.bytes, 0);
@@ -446,7 +446,7 @@ describe('LeaseManager', () => {
 
       leaseManager.setOptions({maxMessages: 1});
       leaseManager.add(message);
-      setImmediate(() => leaseManager.remove(message));
+      setImmediate(() => leaseManager.remove(message, false));
 
       leaseManager.on('free', () => {
         assert.strictEqual(leaseManager.size, 0);
@@ -467,7 +467,7 @@ describe('LeaseManager', () => {
 
       leaseManager.add(new FakeMessage() as {} as Message);
       leaseManager.add(pending);
-      leaseManager.remove(pending);
+      leaseManager.remove(pending, true);
 
       assert.strictEqual(leaseManager.pending, 0);
       setImmediate(done);
@@ -491,7 +491,7 @@ describe('LeaseManager', () => {
 
       leaseManager.add(temp);
       leaseManager.add(pending);
-      leaseManager.remove(temp);
+      leaseManager.remove(temp, true);
     });
 
     it('should cancel any extensions if no messages are left', () => {
@@ -500,7 +500,7 @@ describe('LeaseManager', () => {
       const stub = sandbox.stub(subscriber, 'modAck').resolves();
 
       leaseManager.add(message);
-      leaseManager.remove(message);
+      leaseManager.remove(message, true);
 
       clock.tick(subscriber.ackDeadline * 1000 * 2);
 
@@ -518,7 +518,7 @@ describe('LeaseManager', () => {
       leaseManager.add(littleMessage);
       assert.strictEqual(leaseManager.isFull(), false);
 
-      leaseManager.remove(littleMessage);
+      leaseManager.remove(littleMessage, true);
       bigMessage.length = defaultOptions.subscription.maxOutstandingBytes * 2;
       leaseManager.add(bigMessage as {} as Message);
       assert.strictEqual(leaseManager.isFull(), true);