diff --git a/common/src/main/java/io/netty/util/internal/PlatformDependent.java b/common/src/main/java/io/netty/util/internal/PlatformDependent.java
index d60c6e76e701..1baeecbf7c90 100644
--- a/common/src/main/java/io/netty/util/internal/PlatformDependent.java
+++ b/common/src/main/java/io/netty/util/internal/PlatformDependent.java
@@ -649,16 +649,12 @@ public static void freeDirectNoCleaner(ByteBuffer buffer) {
 
     private static void incrementMemoryCounter(int capacity) {
         if (DIRECT_MEMORY_COUNTER != null) {
-            for (;;) {
-                long usedMemory = DIRECT_MEMORY_COUNTER.get();
-                long newUsedMemory = usedMemory + capacity;
-                if (newUsedMemory > DIRECT_MEMORY_LIMIT) {
-                    throw new OutOfDirectMemoryError("failed to allocate " + capacity
-                            + " byte(s) of direct memory (used: " + usedMemory + ", max: " + DIRECT_MEMORY_LIMIT + ')');
-                }
-                if (DIRECT_MEMORY_COUNTER.compareAndSet(usedMemory, newUsedMemory)) {
-                    break;
-                }
+            long newUsedMemory = DIRECT_MEMORY_COUNTER.addAndGet(capacity);
+            if (newUsedMemory > DIRECT_MEMORY_LIMIT) {
+                DIRECT_MEMORY_COUNTER.addAndGet(-capacity);
+                throw new OutOfDirectMemoryError("failed to allocate " + capacity
+                        + " byte(s) of direct memory (used: " + (newUsedMemory - capacity)
+                        + ", max: " + DIRECT_MEMORY_LIMIT + ')');
             }
         }
     }