diff --git a/reactor-pool/src/main/java/reactor/pool/AbstractPool.java b/reactor-pool/src/main/java/reactor/pool/AbstractPool.java
index 249a3581..822c4b21 100644
--- a/reactor-pool/src/main/java/reactor/pool/AbstractPool.java
+++ b/reactor-pool/src/main/java/reactor/pool/AbstractPool.java
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * Copyright (c) 2019-2023 VMware Inc. or its affiliates, All Rights Reserved.
+ * Copyright (c) 2019-2024 VMware Inc. or its affiliates, All Rights Reserved.
  *
  * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
  * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
@@ -427,9 +427,11 @@ public void request(long n) {
 				boolean noIdle = pool.idleSize() == 0;
 				boolean noPermits = pool.poolConfig.allocationStrategy().estimatePermitCount() == 0;
 
-				if (!pendingAcquireTimeout.isZero() && noIdle && noPermits) {
+				if (noIdle && noPermits) {
 					pendingAcquireStart = pool.clock.millis();
-					timeoutTask = this.pool.config().pendingAcquireTimer().apply(this, pendingAcquireTimeout);
+					if (!pendingAcquireTimeout.isZero()) {
+						timeoutTask = this.pool.config().pendingAcquireTimer().apply(this, pendingAcquireTimeout);
+					}
 				}
 				//doAcquire should interrupt the countdown if there is either an available
 				//resource or the pool can allocate one
@@ -441,12 +443,14 @@ public void request(long n) {
 		 * Stop the countdown started when calling {@link AbstractPool#doAcquire(Borrower)}.
 		 */
 		void stopPendingCountdown(boolean success) {
-			if (!timeoutTask.isDisposed()) {
+			if (pendingAcquireStart > 0) {
 				if (success) {
 					pool.metricsRecorder.recordPendingSuccessAndLatency(pool.clock.millis() - pendingAcquireStart);
 				} else {
 					pool.metricsRecorder.recordPendingFailureAndLatency(pool.clock.millis() - pendingAcquireStart);
 				}
+
+				pendingAcquireStart = 0;
 			}
 			timeoutTask.dispose();
 		}
diff --git a/reactor-pool/src/test/java/reactor/pool/CommonPoolTest.java b/reactor-pool/src/test/java/reactor/pool/CommonPoolTest.java
index e93e59f2..6760b9d0 100644
--- a/reactor-pool/src/test/java/reactor/pool/CommonPoolTest.java
+++ b/reactor-pool/src/test/java/reactor/pool/CommonPoolTest.java
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * Copyright (c) 2019-2023 VMware Inc. or its affiliates, All Rights Reserved.
+ * Copyright (c) 2019-2024 VMware Inc. or its affiliates, All Rights Reserved.
  *
  * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
  * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
@@ -2689,31 +2689,39 @@ void recordsPendingCountAndLatencies(PoolStyle configAdjuster) {
 		PoolBuilder<String, ?> builder = PoolBuilder
 				.from(Mono.defer(() -> Mono.just("foo")))
 				.metricsRecorder(recorder)
-				.sizeBetween(0, 1)
+				.sizeBetween(0, 2)
 				.clock(recorder.getClock());
 		Pool<String> pool = configAdjuster.apply(builder);
 
 		//success, acquisition happens immediately
-		PooledRef<String> pooledRef = pool.acquire(Duration.ofMillis(1)).block(Duration.ofSeconds(1));
-		assertThat(pooledRef).isNotNull();
+		PooledRef<String> pooledRef1 = pool.acquire(Duration.ofMillis(1)).block(Duration.ofSeconds(1));
+		assertThat(pooledRef1).isNotNull();
+
+		// success, acquisition happens immediately without timeout
+		PooledRef<String> pooledRef2 = pool.acquire().block(Duration.ofSeconds(1));
+		assertThat(pooledRef2).isNotNull();
 
 		//success, acquisition happens after pending some time
 		pool.acquire(Duration.ofMillis(50)).subscribe();
 
+		// success, acquisition happens after pending some time without timeout
+		pool.acquire().subscribe();
+
 		//error, timed out
 		pool.acquire(Duration.ofMillis(1))
 				.as(StepVerifier::create)
 				.expectError(PoolAcquireTimeoutException.class)
 				.verify(Duration.ofSeconds(1));
 
-		pooledRef.release().block(Duration.ofSeconds(1));
+		pooledRef1.release().block(Duration.ofSeconds(1));
+		pooledRef2.release().block(Duration.ofSeconds(1));
 
 		assertThat(recorder.getPendingTotalCount())
 				.as("total pending")
-				.isEqualTo(2);
+				.isEqualTo(3);
 		assertThat(recorder.getPendingSuccessCount())
 				.as("pending success")
-				.isEqualTo(1)
+				.isEqualTo(2)
 				.isEqualTo(recorder.getPendingSuccessHistogram().getTotalCount());
 		assertThat(recorder.getPendingErrorCount())
 				.as("pending errors")