diff --git a/bin/named/client.c b/bin/named/client.c
index ab1a780a80..50fa2cd6c4 100644
--- a/bin/named/client.c
+++ b/bin/named/client.c
@@ -350,7 +350,7 @@ tcpconn_init(ns_client_t *client, bool force) {
 		return (ISC_R_NOMEMORY);
 	}
 
-	isc_refcount_init(&tconn->refs, 1);
+	isc_refcount_init(&tconn->clients, 1);	/* Current client */
 	tconn->tcpquota = quota;
 	quota = NULL;
 	tconn->pipelined = false;
@@ -367,14 +367,14 @@ tcpconn_init(ns_client_t *client, bool force) {
  */
 static void
 tcpconn_attach(ns_client_t *source, ns_client_t *target) {
-	int refs;
+	int old_clients;
 
 	REQUIRE(source->tcpconn != NULL);
 	REQUIRE(target->tcpconn == NULL);
 	REQUIRE(source->tcpconn->pipelined);
 
-	isc_refcount_increment(&source->tcpconn->refs, &refs);
-	INSIST(refs > 1);
+	isc_refcount_increment(&source->tcpconn->clients, &old_clients);
+	INSIST(old_clients > 1);
 	target->tcpconn = source->tcpconn;
 }
 
@@ -387,15 +387,15 @@ tcpconn_attach(ns_client_t *source, ns_client_t *target) {
 static void
 tcpconn_detach(ns_client_t *client) {
 	ns_tcpconn_t *tconn = NULL;
-	int refs;
+	int old_clients;
 
 	REQUIRE(client->tcpconn != NULL);
 
 	tconn = client->tcpconn;
 	client->tcpconn = NULL;
 
-	isc_refcount_decrement(&tconn->refs, &refs);
-	if (refs == 0) {
+	isc_refcount_decrement(&tconn->clients, &old_clients);
+	if (old_clients == 0) {
 		isc_quota_detach(&tconn->tcpquota);
 		isc_mem_free(ns_g_mctx, tconn);
 	}
@@ -2701,7 +2701,7 @@ client_request(isc_task_t *task, isc_event_t *event) {
 		 * Limit the maximum number of simultaneous pipelined
 		 * queries on TCP connection to TCP_CLIENTS_PER_CONN.
 		 */
-		if ((isc_refcount_current(&client->tcpconn->refs)
+		if ((isc_refcount_current(&client->tcpconn->clients)
 			    > TCP_CLIENTS_PER_CONN))
 		{
 			client->tcpconn->pipelined = false;
diff --git a/bin/named/include/named/client.h b/bin/named/include/named/client.h
index 969ee4c08f..01b6141c99 100644
--- a/bin/named/include/named/client.h
+++ b/bin/named/include/named/client.h
@@ -80,7 +80,10 @@
 
 /*% reference-counted TCP connection object */
 typedef struct ns_tcpconn {
-	isc_refcount_t		refs;
+	isc_refcount_t		clients;	/* Number of clients using
+						 * this connection. Conn can
+						 * be freed if goes to 0
+						 */
 	isc_quota_t		*tcpquota;
 	bool			pipelined;
 } ns_tcpconn_t;