diff --git a/src/core/ext/filters/client_channel/lb_policy/round_robin/round_robin.cc b/src/core/ext/filters/client_channel/lb_policy/round_robin/round_robin.cc
index b1773850653..42e8e88ec95 100644
--- a/src/core/ext/filters/client_channel/lb_policy/round_robin/round_robin.cc
+++ b/src/core/ext/filters/client_channel/lb_policy/round_robin/round_robin.cc
@@ -354,11 +354,11 @@ bool RoundRobin::PickLocked(PickState* pick) {
     if (DoPickLocked(pick)) return true;
   }
   /* no pick currently available. Save for later in list of pending picks */
+  pick->next = pending_picks_;
+  pending_picks_ = pick;
   if (!started_picking_) {
     StartPickingLocked();
   }
-  pick->next = pending_picks_;
-  pending_picks_ = pick;
   return false;
 }
 
diff --git a/test/cpp/end2end/client_lb_end2end_test.cc b/test/cpp/end2end/client_lb_end2end_test.cc
index feea7c39075..8896fc6cae7 100644
--- a/test/cpp/end2end/client_lb_end2end_test.cc
+++ b/test/cpp/end2end/client_lb_end2end_test.cc
@@ -539,6 +539,23 @@ TEST_F(ClientLbEnd2endTest, RoundRobin) {
   EXPECT_EQ("round_robin", channel->GetLoadBalancingPolicyName());
 }
 
+TEST_F(ClientLbEnd2endTest, RoundRobinProcessPending) {
+  StartServers(1);  // Single server
+  auto channel = BuildChannel("round_robin");
+  auto stub = BuildStub(channel);
+  SetNextResolution({servers_[0]->port_});
+  WaitForServer(stub, 0, DEBUG_LOCATION);
+  // Create a new channel and its corresponding RR LB policy, which will pick
+  // the subchannels in READY state from the previous RPC against the same
+  // target (even if it happened over a different channel, because subchannels
+  // are globally reused). Progress should happen without any transition from
+  // this READY state.
+  auto second_channel = BuildChannel("round_robin");
+  auto second_stub = BuildStub(second_channel);
+  SetNextResolution({servers_[0]->port_});
+  CheckRpcSendOk(second_stub, DEBUG_LOCATION);
+}
+
 TEST_F(ClientLbEnd2endTest, RoundRobinUpdates) {
   // Start servers and send one RPC per server.
   const int kNumServers = 3;