diff --git a/src/emqx_channel.erl b/src/emqx_channel.erl
index 92c6bb3d2..386c4490b 100644
--- a/src/emqx_channel.erl
+++ b/src/emqx_channel.erl
@@ -1536,9 +1536,8 @@ ensure_connected(Channel = #channel{conninfo = ConnInfo,
                                     clientinfo = ClientInfo}) ->
     NConnInfo = ConnInfo#{connected_at => erlang:system_time(millisecond)},
     ok = run_hooks('client.connected', [ClientInfo, NConnInfo]),
-    ClientID = info(clientid, Channel),
-    Chan = {ClientID, self()},
-    emqx_cm:increment_connected_client_count(Chan),
+    ChanPid = self(),
+    emqx_cm:increment_connected_client_count(ChanPid),
     Channel#channel{conninfo   = NConnInfo,
                     conn_state = connected
                    }.
@@ -1627,9 +1626,8 @@ ensure_disconnected(Reason, Channel = #channel{conninfo = ConnInfo,
                                                clientinfo = ClientInfo}) ->
     NConnInfo = ConnInfo#{disconnected_at => erlang:system_time(millisecond)},
     ok = run_hooks('client.disconnected', [ClientInfo, Reason, NConnInfo]),
-    ClientID = info(clientid, Channel),
-    Chan = {ClientID, self()},
-    emqx_cm:decrement_connected_client_count(Chan),
+    ChanPid = self(),
+    emqx_cm:decrement_connected_client_count(ChanPid),
     Channel#channel{conninfo = NConnInfo, conn_state = disconnected}.
 
 %%--------------------------------------------------------------------
diff --git a/src/emqx_cm.erl b/src/emqx_cm.erl
index c14e3c19e..bc1cccfd7 100644
--- a/src/emqx_cm.erl
+++ b/src/emqx_cm.erl
@@ -470,7 +470,7 @@ handle_info({'DOWN', _MRef, process, Pid, _Reason}, State = #{chan_pmon := PMon}
               Chan = {ClientID, ChanPid},
               case ets:lookup(?CHAN_INFO_TAB, Chan) of
                   [{Chan, #{conn_state := connected}, _}] ->
-                      decrement_connected_client_count(Chan);
+                      decrement_connected_client_count(ChanPid);
                   _ ->
                       ok
               end
@@ -513,14 +513,14 @@ get_chann_conn_mod(ClientId, ChanPid) when node(ChanPid) == node() ->
 get_chann_conn_mod(ClientId, ChanPid) ->
     rpc_call(node(ChanPid), get_chann_conn_mod, [ClientId, ChanPid], ?T_GET_INFO).
 
-increment_connected_client_count(Chan) ->
+increment_connected_client_count(ChanPid) ->
     ?tp(emqx_cm_connected_client_count_inc, #{}),
-    ets:insert_new(?CONN_CLIENT_TAB, {Chan, true}),
+    ets:insert_new(?CONN_CLIENT_TAB, {ChanPid, true}),
     ok.
 
-decrement_connected_client_count(Chan) ->
+decrement_connected_client_count(ChanPid) ->
     ?tp(emqx_cm_connected_client_count_dec, #{}),
-    ets:delete(?CONN_CLIENT_TAB, Chan),
+    ets:delete(?CONN_CLIENT_TAB, ChanPid),
     ok.
 
 get_connected_client_count() ->
diff --git a/test/emqx_broker_SUITE.erl b/test/emqx_broker_SUITE.erl
index b6e0e4ef4..039aaf446 100644
--- a/test/emqx_broker_SUITE.erl
+++ b/test/emqx_broker_SUITE.erl
@@ -502,11 +502,11 @@ t_connect_client_never_negative({init, Config}) ->
 t_connect_client_never_negative(Config) when is_list(Config) ->
     ?assertEqual(0, emqx_cm:get_connected_client_count()),
     %% would go to -1
-    Chan = {<<"clientid">>, list_to_pid("<0.0.1>")},
-    emqx_cm:decrement_connected_client_count(Chan),
+    ChanPid = list_to_pid("<0.0.1>"),
+    emqx_cm:decrement_connected_client_count(ChanPid),
     ?assertEqual(0, emqx_cm:get_connected_client_count()),
     %% would be 0, if really went to -1
-    emqx_cm:increment_connected_client_count(Chan),
+    emqx_cm:increment_connected_client_count(ChanPid),
     ?assertEqual(1, emqx_cm:get_connected_client_count()),
     ok;
 t_connect_client_never_negative({'end', _Config}) ->