diff --git a/src/flow-hash.c b/src/flow-hash.c
index 3fb38dd846..8f806ea449 100644
--- a/src/flow-hash.c
+++ b/src/flow-hash.c
@@ -340,7 +340,7 @@ static Flow *FlowGetNew(Packet *p) {
         }
 
         /* now see if we can alloc a new flow */
-        f = FlowAllocDirect();
+        f = FlowAlloc();
         if (f == NULL) {
             return NULL;
         }
diff --git a/src/flow-util.c b/src/flow-util.c
index a4cf654d39..fd330916fc 100644
--- a/src/flow-util.c
+++ b/src/flow-util.c
@@ -39,46 +39,12 @@
 /* Counter of flows that reached memcap capability */
 uint32_t directflows = 0;
 
-/* Allocate a flow without checking memcap */
-Flow *FlowAllocDirect(void)
-{
-    Flow *f;
-
-    SCMutexLock(&flow_memuse_mutex);
-    /* We allow to alloc even if memcap is reached (but later we
-     * will clean up some flows */
-    f = SCMalloc(sizeof(Flow));
-    if (f == NULL) {
-        SCMutexUnlock(&flow_memuse_mutex);
-        return NULL;
-    }
-    directflows++;
-
-    flow_memuse += sizeof(Flow);
-    SCMutexUnlock(&flow_memuse_mutex);
-    //FlowPrintQueueInfo();
-
-    SCMutexInit(&f->m, NULL);
-    f->lnext = NULL;
-    f->lprev = NULL;
-    f->hnext = NULL;
-    f->hprev = NULL;
-
-    f->flowvar = NULL;
-
-    return f;
-}
-
 /* Allocate a flow */
 Flow *FlowAlloc(void)
 {
     Flow *f;
 
     SCMutexLock(&flow_memuse_mutex);
-    if (flow_memuse + sizeof(Flow) > flow_config.memcap) {
-        SCMutexUnlock(&flow_memuse_mutex);
-        return NULL;
-    }
     f = SCMalloc(sizeof(Flow));
     if (f == NULL) {
         SCMutexUnlock(&flow_memuse_mutex);
diff --git a/src/flow.c b/src/flow.c
index 06ba5a47ee..7091213f6f 100644
--- a/src/flow.c
+++ b/src/flow.c
@@ -792,8 +792,15 @@ void FlowInitConfig (char quiet)
 
     /* pre allocate flows */
     for (i = 0; i < flow_config.prealloc; i++) {
+        if (flow_memuse + sizeof(Flow) > flow_config.memcap) {
+            SCMutexUnlock(&flow_memuse_mutex);
+            printf("ERROR: FlowAlloc failed (max flow memcap reached): %s\n", strerror(errno));
+            exit(1);
+        }
+
         Flow *f = FlowAlloc();
         if (f == NULL) {
+            SCMutexUnlock(&flow_memuse_mutex);
             printf("ERROR: FlowAlloc failed: %s\n", strerror(errno));
             exit(1);
         }