diff --git a/sources/atomic.h b/sources/atomic.h
index 1f15b09d..f03dcece 100644
--- a/sources/atomic.h
+++ b/sources/atomic.h
@@ -16,70 +16,70 @@ od_atomic_u32_of(od_atomic_u32_t *atomic)
 	return __sync_fetch_and_add(atomic, 0);
 }
 
-static inline void
+static inline uint32_t
 od_atomic_u32_inc(od_atomic_u32_t *atomic)
 {
-	__sync_fetch_and_add(atomic, 1);
-}
-
-static inline void
-od_atomic_u32_dec(od_atomic_u32_t *atomic)
-{
-	__sync_fetch_and_sub(atomic, 1);
-}
-
-static inline void
-od_atomic_u32_add(od_atomic_u32_t *atomic, uint32_t value)
-{
-	__sync_add_and_fetch(atomic, value);
-}
-
-static inline void
-od_atomic_u32_sub(od_atomic_u32_t *atomic, uint32_t value)
-{
-	__sync_sub_and_fetch(atomic, value);
-}
-
-static inline void
-od_atomic_u32_or(od_atomic_u32_t *atomic, uint32_t value)
-{
-	__sync_or_and_fetch(atomic, value);
-}
-
-static inline void
-od_atomic_u32_xor(od_atomic_u32_t *atomic, uint32_t value)
-{
-	__sync_xor_and_fetch(atomic, value);
+	return __sync_fetch_and_add(atomic, 1);
 }
 
 static inline uint32_t
+od_atomic_u32_dec(od_atomic_u32_t *atomic)
+{
+	return __sync_fetch_and_sub(atomic, 1);
+}
+
+static inline uint32_t
+od_atomic_u32_add(od_atomic_u32_t *atomic, uint32_t value)
+{
+	return __sync_add_and_fetch(atomic, value);
+}
+
+static inline uint32_t
+od_atomic_u32_sub(od_atomic_u32_t *atomic, uint32_t value)
+{
+	return __sync_sub_and_fetch(atomic, value);
+}
+
+static inline uint32_t
+od_atomic_u32_or(od_atomic_u32_t *atomic, uint32_t value)
+{
+	return __sync_or_and_fetch(atomic, value);
+}
+
+static inline uint32_t
+od_atomic_u32_xor(od_atomic_u32_t *atomic, uint32_t value)
+{
+	return __sync_xor_and_fetch(atomic, value);
+}
+
+static inline uint64_t
 od_atomic_u64_of(od_atomic_u64_t *atomic)
 {
 	return __sync_fetch_and_add(atomic, 0);
 }
 
-static inline void
+static inline uint64_t
 od_atomic_u64_inc(od_atomic_u64_t *atomic)
 {
-	__sync_fetch_and_add(atomic, 1);
+	return __sync_fetch_and_add(atomic, 1);
 }
 
-static inline void
+static inline uint64_t
 od_atomic_u64_dec(od_atomic_u64_t *atomic)
 {
-	__sync_fetch_and_sub(atomic, 1);
+	return __sync_fetch_and_sub(atomic, 1);
 }
 
-static inline void
+static inline uint64_t
 od_atomic_u64_add(od_atomic_u64_t *atomic, uint64_t value)
 {
-	__sync_add_and_fetch(atomic, value);
+	return __sync_add_and_fetch(atomic, value);
 }
 
-static inline void
+static inline uint64_t
 od_atomic_u64_sub(od_atomic_u64_t *atomic, uint64_t value)
 {
-	__sync_sub_and_fetch(atomic, value);
+	return __sync_sub_and_fetch(atomic, value);
 }
 
 #endif /* ODYSSEY_ATOMIC_H */
diff --git a/sources/console.c b/sources/console.c
index aeb616f4..5a4ef0b3 100644
--- a/sources/console.c
+++ b/sources/console.c
@@ -665,7 +665,7 @@ od_console_show_lists(od_client_t *client, machine_msg_t *stream)
 
 	int router_used_servers = 0;
 	int router_pools        = router->route_pool.count;
-	int router_clients      = router->clients;
+	int router_clients      = od_atomic_u32_of(&router->clients);
 
 	void *argv[] = { &router_used_servers };
 	od_route_pool_foreach(&router->route_pool, od_console_show_lists_cb, argv);
diff --git a/sources/cron.c b/sources/cron.c
index 2e545d65..7ee318e2 100644
--- a/sources/cron.c
+++ b/sources/cron.c
@@ -138,7 +138,7 @@ od_cron_stat(od_cron_t *cron)
 		}
 
 		od_log(&instance->logger, "stats", NULL, NULL,
-		       "clients %d", router->clients);
+		       "clients %d", od_atomic_u32_of(&router->clients));
 	}
 
 	/* update stats per route and print info */
diff --git a/sources/frontend.c b/sources/frontend.c
index d3256aa2..6ba9f8c6 100644
--- a/sources/frontend.c
+++ b/sources/frontend.c
@@ -23,6 +23,10 @@ od_frontend_close(od_client_t *client)
 {
 	assert(client->route == NULL);
 	assert(client->server == NULL);
+
+	od_router_t *router = client->global->router;
+	od_atomic_u32_dec(&router->clients);
+
 	od_io_close(&client->io);
 	if (client->notify_io) {
 		machine_close(client->notify_io);
@@ -874,6 +878,15 @@ od_frontend(void *arg)
 		return;
 	}
 
+	/* ensure global client_max limit */
+	uint32_t clients = od_atomic_u32_inc(&router->clients);
+	if (instance->config.client_max_set && clients >= (uint32_t)instance->config.client_max) {
+		od_frontend_error(client, KIWI_TOO_MANY_CONNECTIONS,
+		                  "too many connections");
+		od_frontend_close(client);
+		return;
+	}
+
 	/* handle startup */
 	rc = od_frontend_startup(client);
 	if (rc == -1) {
diff --git a/sources/router.c b/sources/router.c
index b6795aa9..2011ecc2 100644
--- a/sources/router.c
+++ b/sources/router.c
@@ -254,12 +254,6 @@ od_router_route(od_router_t *router, od_config_t *config, od_client_t *client)
 		}
 	}
 
-	/* ensure global client_max limit */
-	if (config->client_max_set && router->clients >= config->client_max) {
-		od_router_unlock(router);
-		return OD_ROUTER_ERROR_LIMIT;
-	}
-
 	/* match or create dynamic route */
 	od_route_t *route;
 	route = od_route_pool_match(&router->route_pool, &id, rule);
@@ -272,7 +266,6 @@ od_router_route(od_router_t *router, od_config_t *config, od_client_t *client)
 			return OD_ROUTER_ERROR;
 		}
 	}
-	router->clients++;
 	od_rules_ref(rule);
 
 	od_route_lock(route);
@@ -301,15 +294,11 @@ od_router_route(od_router_t *router, od_config_t *config, od_client_t *client)
 void
 od_router_unroute(od_router_t *router, od_client_t *client)
 {
+	(void)router;
 	/* detach client from route */
 	assert(client->route);
 	assert(client->server == NULL);
 
-	od_router_lock(router);
-	assert(router->clients > 0);
-	router->clients--;
-	od_router_unlock(router);
-
 	od_route_t *route = client->route;
 	od_route_lock(route);
 	od_client_pool_set(&route->client_pool, client, OD_CLIENT_UNDEF);
diff --git a/sources/router.h b/sources/router.h
index f74ade0b..ef5f7f1c 100644
--- a/sources/router.h
+++ b/sources/router.h
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ struct od_router
 	pthread_mutex_t lock;
 	od_rules_t      rules;
 	od_route_pool_t route_pool;
-	int             clients;
+	od_atomic_u32_t clients;
 };
 
 static inline void