diff --git a/bookkeeper-server/src/main/java/org/apache/bookkeeper/bookie/storage/ldb/LedgerMetadataIndex.java b/bookkeeper-server/src/main/java/org/apache/bookkeeper/bookie/storage/ldb/LedgerMetadataIndex.java
index d733bf35fc3..0f615ab6752 100644
--- a/bookkeeper-server/src/main/java/org/apache/bookkeeper/bookie/storage/ldb/LedgerMetadataIndex.java
+++ b/bookkeeper-server/src/main/java/org/apache/bookkeeper/bookie/storage/ldb/LedgerMetadataIndex.java
@@ -403,6 +403,7 @@ void setExplicitLac(long ledgerId, ByteBuf lac) throws IOException {
 
             if (ledgers.put(ledgerId, newLedgerData) == null) {
                 // Ledger had been deleted
+                ledgersCount.incrementAndGet();
                 return;
             } else if (log.isDebugEnabled()) {
                 log.debug("Set explicitLac on ledger {}", ledgerId);