diff --git a/aioelasticsearch/transport.py b/aioelasticsearch/transport.py
index eb6b8b3e..8fe11127 100644
--- a/aioelasticsearch/transport.py
+++ b/aioelasticsearch/transport.py
@@ -278,10 +278,11 @@ async def _perform_request(
                     raise
 
             else:
+                self.connection_pool.mark_live(connection)
+
                 if method == 'HEAD':
                     return 200 <= status < 300
 
-                self.connection_pool.mark_live(connection)
                 if data:
                     data = self.deserializer.loads(
                         data, headers.get('content-type'),