diff --git a/cache.go b/cache.go
index e40a8a3..c7e8b9f 100644
--- a/cache.go
+++ b/cache.go
@@ -249,16 +249,12 @@ func (c *Cache[K, V]) DeleteExpired() {
 		if c.expManager.len() == 0 {
 			return false
 		}
-		key := c.expManager.pop()
-		// if is expired, delete it and return nil instead
-		item, ok := c.cache.Get(key)
-		if ok {
-			if item.Expired() {
-				c.cache.Delete(key)
-				return true
-			}
-			c.expManager.update(key, item.Expiration)
+		key, expiration := c.expManager.pop()
+		if nowFunc().After(expiration) {
+			c.cache.Delete(key)
+			return true
 		}
+		c.expManager.update(key, expiration)
 		return false
 	}
 
diff --git a/expiration.go b/expiration.go
index 44ee4ea..ee5d9c2 100644
--- a/expiration.go
+++ b/expiration.go
@@ -37,11 +37,12 @@ func (m *expirationManager[K]) len() int {
 	return m.queue.Len()
 }
 
-func (m *expirationManager[K]) pop() K {
+func (m *expirationManager[K]) pop() (K, time.Time) {
 	v := heap.Pop(&m.queue)
 	key := v.(*expirationKey[K]).key
+	exp := v.(*expirationKey[K]).expiration
 	delete(m.mapping, key)
-	return key
+	return key, exp
 }
 
 func (m *expirationManager[K]) remove(key K) {